An annual event for the graduating students of Salford University's Contemporary Performance Practice course has, this year, gone online. Being shown over two days, some of the pieces were at specific times and needed to be booked in advance, however, those whose productions were available for the whole festival were the ones we chose to take a look at here. These are the shows from day 2 of the 2-day festival.
1. A PROJECT
A deliberately oblique piece without title and explanation from the mind of Mark Reid. In a style all of his own, Reid attempts to explore loneliness, and being alone with a series of 9 short videos, all of which could be viewed in any order, and some of which have multiple streams.
There are themes common to the whole; running water, drinking, t-shirts, music, and questions. The running water is a rather too obvious metaphor, whilst the drinking - not always alcohol but always alone works much more satisfactorily. Changing t-shirts could be a metaphor for changing identity / persona / character / or even personality, whilst listening to music in silence is most definitely the strongest image presented. The questions are a little oblique and open, and he even pretends to hear responses and give glib, meaningless words of agreement.
Seen as a whole the work is an intelligently constructed and thoughtful piece which if watched in different orders could give you different 'messages' or you might find a new interpretation within.
2. DIS-LEX-IT
Scarlett Rose is a working performance poet and creative, and in this frank video she uses her stand-up skills to tackle the issue of dyslexia.
This is a Work-In-Progress video, but nevertheless is very accomplished and thoughtful. Rose takes us on a personal journey as we watch and learn about her going from a young schoolgirl being told she was 'illiterate', to her as she is now, a dyslexic poet "in control of her own voie".
The video is at times very slow and perhaps also a little repetitive, but there is poignancy in its simplicity and the message is clear.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 4/9/20
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