Quote:
Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol (French pronunciation: [ɡʁɑ̃ ɡiɲɔl]: "The Theater of the Big Puppet") — known as the Grand Guignol — was in the Pigalle area of Paris (at 20 bis, rue Chaptal). From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962 it specialized in naturalistic horror shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, amoral horror entertainment, a genre popular from Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre (for instance Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus and Webster's The White Devil) to today's splatter films.
...At the Grand Guignol, patrons would see five or six plays, all in a style which attempted to be brutally true to the theatre's naturalistic ideals. The plays were in a variety of styles, but the most popular and best-known were the horror plays, featuring a distinctly bleak worldview as well as notably gory special effects in their notoriously bloody climaxes. These plays often explored the altered states, like insanity, hypnosis, panic, under which uncontrolled horror could happen. Some of the horror came from the nature of the crimes shown, which often had very little reason behind them and in which the evildoers were rarely punished or defeated. To heighten the effect, the horror plays were often alternated with comedies.
|
Upon doing a great deal of reading on Grand-Guignol, I've come to the realization that my theatrical project for which I've been spending years gaining necessary experience and knowledge is actually far more similar to Grand-Guignol than I'd previously thought. My goal of producing numerous original pieces per evening in an extremely intimate space with naturalism, farce, and plays which explore the uglier sides of the human animal (themes which recur in much of my writing) was something like the old French theatre, a regrettably under-appreciated movement in theatre with very strong influence on more modern theatre and film.
This was initially meant to be an undertaking separate from my intended path theatrically, and was meant to supplement what was yet to come from me. With my research and such, it has come to my attention that it may very well be the time to launch forward with my work. There are a great deal of differences with my current work and what was typical to the Grand-Guignol. For example:
- Many of my written pieces are stylized rather than in a more realistic or naturalistic vein. In spite of this, however, there is evidence to support that the theatre did present works of a more surrealist nature, although documentation is scarce.
- Grand-Guignol reflected France at the time of its operation. I often write plays which aren't meant to take place anywhere in particular, and are more involved with the human animal than political commentary.
- As was popular at the time, Grand-Guignol featured many melodramas and over-the-top, almost campy bits. This is not my strong suit, although I have experimented with modern forms of writing and theatre - which is really why the melodramas and such were in place at the time.
- Grand-Guignol was never evidenced to have used any music during its production, aside from perhaps classical music to be played between shows. I am strongly for using music to set the mood in theatrical pieces.
With this last one, I've been listening to a lot of music I feel would help reflect my particular vision, and create the appropriate mood.
My goal is to have performed something like three short one acts (10-15 minutes) one longer one act (30-45 minutes), and perhaps even a full length (90-120 minutes) upon the opening of my Grand-Guignol influenced project. The theatre will ideally be claustrophobic and intimate (think: 40-45 seats) yet naturally safe so that I don't get in trouble for subjecting patrons to a potential fire hazard. With this intimate space, I want music that's uncomfortable - music that people in close quarters will probably not be able just to tune out and have their own conversations.
(For those of you keen on using the music journals to discover music, this particular part of the post is for you as, perhaps, you've not heard from a few of these artists and can check 'em out.)
Autechre - Eggshell
Bola - Eluus
Eno Moebius Roedelius - Old Land
Popol Vuh - Ich Mache Einen Spiegel
Architect - St. Vodka (Mother Russia)
Tangerine Dream - Sequent C'
Lithops - Swingern In Flingern
I'm listening to these, intending for them to be used, and thinking about using a screen and projector to play short films in between plays, so the audience is encouraged to stick around. This would probably soundtrack some short films - fortunately, I know people who can assist me with this particular endeavor.
My main concern right now is effective use of lighting - I don't know if I could train a lighting board operator to do what I want to be done for this. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, but that is still a concern weighing on my mind a little bit.