ProjectMorpheo
The following text is an introduction and the rider to the presentation of ProjectMorpheo, which took place on the 4 May, 2023 in the D-Theatre of Stockholm University of the Arts.
Hello all,
I’d like to welcome you to my master project presentation. It is - as you might already know - about dreams and materials. The reason I chose this topic is because I have been struggling with different sleep disorders that have affected my professional creative working methods as a puppeteer.
I’ve been experimenting with and researching how I can embody the feelings and situations that appear in my dreams with materials and objects to get a better understanding of them. It has happened to have a surprisingly fruitful impact on how I think about materials during the rehearsal periods in my work. I do have some thoughts on why and how it happened, but now I am inviting you to be part of this research by participating and discovering the creative dialog between your dreams and the everyday materials you are about to meet.
Before we enter the space, I’d like to ask you to take your notes of your dreams in your hand and turn off your mobiles and all electronic devices that could distract you.
You may use the first row of the auditorium to leave your bags and coats but after that you will be invited to sit on the stage and not on the auditorium seats if you wish to sit down.
/we go inside: the space is dimly lit with purplish blue lights, with some fog from the smoke machine. In the front part we see a tulle curtain with eleven masks on it; in front of that there is a magic circle of eleven cards. Behind this you see small stations with one lamp, one pillow and a pile of material covered with a black piece of cloth at each of them. At every station there is a unique symbol. Between the stations there are seven speakers in different positions playing different sounds. These are the sounds of birds, the inside of a cave, ice cracking, rain, fire, noises of a distant city, wind in the woods and a river flowing. The wires of the speakers and the lamps are covered with white, almost transparent, and very, very light and thin plastic foil pieces /
To begin, I would like you to choose a cards in the circle that reminds you of your dream. Once you have chosen, the card will guide you to a station where you will find a material, and you’ll have approximately 40 minutes to get to know your dream through that material, or the material through your dream. When the time is up, Zsofré will call you, like this /Zsofré is a croaking wooden frog. They are introduced here/
This sound will indicate that it’s time to return here to have a summarizing conversation of our experiences.
Except for this conversation part, the whole experience is designed to be met nonverbally. You are free to make noises or express your feelings, but try to avoid the use of words. This is a time given to you to pay attention to yourself, somehow looking inside of your feelings by vivisecting them with the material. But if you have any questions, I’ll be here in front of the masks, so you can come and ask me.
Confronting our dreams can be emotionally trying. There might be a point when you feel overwhelmed and want to step out of it. You can always do that. Whether you wish to go out for some reason or you just want to take a few breaths: it’s okay. You can sit down to rest on the stairs next to the auditorium, but not the chairs. And you can always return to your material if you feel like it. The only thing I ask about these little breaks is that you do it without disturbing the others.
If you have no questions and you are ready, we can begin. /🤫/
Now please step forward, and take a look at the Cards of Morpheo. They will serve as a starting point for your journey. Keep your dream in your mind and choose one of them. When you are ready, stop in front of it and wait for the others to make their choice as well.
Don’t necessarily look for visual similarities with your dream. Think about the cards in the same way you think about dreams: on a metaphorical level. Think about dynamics and relationships on the card that might be similar to the ones in your dream. I encourage you to trust your instincts. If a card calls you for some intellectually unexplainable reason, trust it, and go with it.
/participants stand around the cards/
Okay, now I’d like you to pick up the card you chose and turn it around. You’ll see a sign. Every card is assigned to a different material on a different station. To find yours, you have to find the symbol that is identical to the one on the back of your card. Please watch your steps while moving around: there are wires under the foil, and the foil itself is very slippery. When you find the symbol identical to the one on the back of your chosen card, sit down, and reveal your material so that the three of you – you, your dream and the material – can get to know each other.
Please try to avoid speaking during the experience.
If you have any questions, you can come and ask me quietly. I’ll be right here.
When time is up, Zsofré will call you. /Zsofré sounds/
But until then: Have a nice time.