Ok, here it is

I officially call this blog to order.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be exploring, discovering, creating and discussing Beckett's ROCKABY. We're already off to a great start. Yesterday, Jessica and I met in the common room (for old times sake) and spent a good hour or two setting goals for ourselves (Mark, you would be proud), talking about the piece: what confuses us, interests us, where we feel HEAT and how much we love Billie Whitelaw. Over the next week or so, we'll both be reading for the Voice/W. Both taking a collaborative stab at this character/both taking a stab at getting the other to better understand the character. Once we've hashed out a little more about Beckett, Heidegger, Death, Technological logistics of rocking motion, and figuring out how to tape record... we'll decide on who will take what part of this first attempt to understand this work and see it lifted to performance.

NEWS FLASH: we found a rocking chair. It's pretty wobbly and doesn't have much "rock-span" but we'll make due. Anyone know where we could find a better rocking chair?

Before I sign off, Jessica and I spent a lot of time talking about WHY we wanted to do this. A few of our reasons: a) tackling the rigor of this piece. The challenges of performing the piece come from the naked simplicity coupled with the density of each moment: it's hard. Fun. b) reading through it once it's so apparent to us that this piece NEEDS to be performed. Hearing the words flow rhythmically and melodically in a "rocking" motion is the key to realizing the work. c) We're both interested in where to go from Beckett in a larger modern drama context. There is something DIFFERENT here and I know I (I don't want to speak for Jessica) want to lay my tentacles down in it in order understand it better. The hyperawareness of something like ROCKABY frightens me but also excites me (from a performer point of view.) Finally, working on ROCKABY seems like a fluid and compelling way to continue the work we've been doing this entire semester on BAW and a perfect cherry on top to a sundae of a semester... I hope.

I'm lucky to be working with J who has been working her way through all of Beckett's work and will be the token dramaturg through this process. I believe that we (as proven by our latest rehearsal) are able to ENGAGE each other fully and ask big questions. Not just about Rockaby but about Beckett, the future of modern drama, acting technique, what next and how much we want to be like Billie Whitelaw... te he he.

Over and out team.
K