Blank Productions
A slowly evolving work in progress
Research & Development 2001 - 2003
Untitled (exposure 1), 2009
Concept / texts: Mark Hewitt
Sketches / paintings: Lindsey McGown
Photographs: Magali Nougarede
Performers: Jonathan Cullen / Jo Howarth
Cary Crankson / Kathryn McGarr, directed by Elizabeth Newman
The origin of this piece was a chance observation in the White Hart Hotel, Lewes, of a woman all but obscured by the bulk of a red leather wingbacked armchair - so that all that could be seen was her bare arms and legs in profile, gesticulating in the course of a conversation with a friend. The mesmeric quality of this scenario led to the idea of creating a work for theatre that might exploit the visual possibilities of an intense conversation between two figures in wingbacked armchairs that can never clearly be seen by the audience. A game of concealment and revelation.
The initial R&D work was completed in two phases. In the first, two visual artists, photographer Magali Nougarede and painter Lindsey McGown, recorded images of life models holding poses in two outsize red leather wingbacked armchairs specially constructed by upholsterer Marc Whatling. The work took place over three days at Komedia theatre in Brighton - the aim being to establish a basic visual language.
Photo © Magali Nougarede, 2002
Sketches © Lindsey McGown, 2002
This R&D was concluded at the same venue working on text ideas with actors Jonathan Cullen and Jo Howarth.
Above: Jonathan Cullen and Jo Howarth.
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Untitled (exposure 1)
January 2009
Further work on the text resumed in late 2008 with the new material presented as part of malt(ings) extr-acts, a day of scratch performances of work in progress presented by Farnham Playwrights Collective at Farnham Maltings in Surrey. The text returned to the original scenario of two figures in red leather wingbacked armchairs, directed by Elizabeth Newman and performed by actors Cary Crankson and Kathryn McGarr.
Photos © Lesley Brewin