That Is The Show (1971) By Norman Morrcie

Question 1

What year was That is the show first performed?

Answer 1

1971

Question 2

What was the subject matter?

Answer 2

Based on Triston and Isolde with an amorphous approach. Morrice heavily focused on the visual aspect of the work, but also allowed for the dancers to explore the implications of the dance movement, as opposed to being too fixated on the narrative of the work.

Question 3

What was the aural setting?

Answer 3

Recorded music

Question 4

Who was the set and costume designer?

Answer 4

Nadine Baylis

Question 5

Who was the lighting director?

Answer 5

John B. Read

Question 6

What was the physical setting?

Answer 6

• white box set design, enhanced with different coloured stripes
• costumes were white, abstract catsuits, with each one being slightly different
• lighting was elaborate

Question 7

What was important about this dance for the company?

Answer 7

• Morrice wanted the dancers to explore the implications of the dance movement, instead of portraying a narrative like they’d done previously
• he didn’t tell the dancers the subject matter of the work for this reason so they’d explore their movement more, like he was taught by Graham

Question 8

What is a movement example from this work?

What does it show about the work?

Answer 8

Movement: One dancer is positioned DSC and is sat on the stage with her weight on one arm and her legs relaxed to the side. The other arm is stretched out to the side and she is looking out at her flexed hand. 2 other dancers are positioned USC and are stood on one leg, with the other leg bent behind them at the knee, and they are holding hands, looking in the opposite direction to the other dancer

Other description: can see the white modern unitards, with their own individual differences. Also the use of side lighting is seen as the DSC dancer’s side of the body is well lit.