Tour That Didn’t Tour – Tour (2011) by Peter Kay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT2PLl3AFVo

 

Peter Kay, a stand-up comedian would, at the start of each evening’s performance, film the audience on the large screens and make comments and create stories. He states that by doing this at the start of his performance he manages to make a positive relationship with the audience as well as it “…makes them relaxed and then I do too, it works both ways2 (2012). He also talks about the crowd intervening in the show and how it can have a positive effect on the performance: “…they shout something out, and you just go in a different direction and sometimes that’s the magic, that the spontaneity that makes the show2 (2012). it is important during this solo performance that the performer “enjoys the relationship with the onlookers and responds to change in their emotions2 (Oida and Marshall, 2002, 83).; not only does it give the opportunity for a greater performance but it also engages with your audience in a new an inventive way each time it is performed.

I hope to engage with my audience and feed off their reactions during my performance.

Works cited

Seal of Confession by Martina Von Holn

 

During this piece the spectator is led into a confessional booth where they are greeted by a woman who can barely be seen. The woman shares an intimate confession with the spectator and then the roles are reversed and the spectator is given the opportunity to share something with the performer. During the performance the actor tries to gain the spectators trust, she says “I’m here, you’re safe.” And “everything that is said will stay here, between me and you” (Eshed, 2009). This helps to relax the spectator and involve them in the piece.

Von Holn explained how her performance also displays the performer’s personal exposure, “What is essentially occurring is a making oneself vulnerable, the unpredictability of the audience response is an expression of that ‘disarming’ process” (Zerihan 2009, 79). As this performance’s success is based equally on the performer and the performer-spectator there can be a variety of outcomes for the spectator’s experience.

I will be researching, in much more detail, the use of One-on- one performances for my Solo Performance essay. I am really interested in the intimacy and involvement the audience receive during this type of performance and may consider it for my own solo performance piece.

Works Cited