Playdate #1: Sharing is Caring

As part of my residency, by Jamie’s suggestion, I wanted to create a space for me to experiment ideas and bring artists together at the same time, and that’s what playdates are. Below are the details of the first playdate:

Overview

A two session exploration into verbatim theatre, focusing on how we can share creative agency between writers and narrators during the scripting process. This playdate will involve interviewing, creative structuring through visual mandala exercises, and collaborative script development.

Participants

Three artists participated in this playdate:

• Eric Larrea (Resident Director, Singapore Repertory Theatre)

• Suhaili Safari (Independent playwright/performer, Musician)

• Irsyad Dawood (Facilitator)

Session #1

Introduction Phase (45 mins)

• Welcome and Residency Overview (30 mins)

• Playdate Overview (15 mins)

  • Focus: Creative Structuring with Verbatim and Found Text

  • Process: Interview, Co-structure, Reflection

• Artistic Practice Discussion (30 mins)

  • Question: Where does your art heart lead you?

Verbatim Theatre Overview (20 mins)

• Introduction to verbatim theatre concepts

• Ethical guidelines discussion

• Example viewing and analysis

  • Example 1 : Minefield by Lola Arias

  • Example 2 : Speak Bitterness by Forced Entertainment

  • Example 3: To Be Straight with You by DV8

Interview Session (40mins)

Interview Questions:

• What is a dream you have to let go of?

• What were the circumstances of your birth?

• Describe a moment in your life when you were accused of doing something you did not do?

Post-Session Tasks (30 mins)

• Submit recordings to transcription service (turboscribe.ai)

  Homework: Select relevant supplementary material (poem, song, speech, article) related to interview content

Session #2

Transcript Analysis (45 mins)

• Analysing interview transcripts and identifying key quotes, themes and creating statements

• Identify key Quotes (15 mins)

• Create Theme clusters (15 mins)

• Develop Core statements (15 mins)

Found Materials (30 mins)

• Gathering inspiration:

• Share and discuss found materials (poems, speeches, songs, etc.)

• Connect materials to interview themes

Visual Structuring Exercise (45 mins)

• Creating visual story structures through a visual structuring exercise:

• Writers and narrators work in pairs

• Tear and arrange shapes representing story elements

• Layer verbatim text with found materials

Script Development (45 mins)

• Based on mandalas and discussions:

• Draft short plays incorporating verbatim and found text

• Focus on maintaining narrator's voice and intent

Read the scripts created in the sessions here:

Major Tom by Suhaili Safari

Hi Eric by Irsyad Dawood

untitled by Eric Larrea

Readings and Feedback (15 mins)

• Share draft readings

• Gather narrator feedback

• Brief group discussion