Wednesday 15 June 2016

Robot Arm Dramaturgy: Mr.Twonkey @ Edfringe 2016



What was the inspiration for this performance?

The Brothers Grimm have a tale called The Girl Without Hands about the devil offering a miller all the wealth in the world if he gave him what was standing behind the mill, thinking it was an old apple tree he said yes. 

Sadly it was his daughter behind the mill but the devil found her hands too clean so he told the father to chop them off. However she wept so much her tears cleaned her stumps so the devil could not take her. I have always loved the dark fairytale worlds found in the work of artists such as Ivor Cutlar and Tom Waits.

How did you go about gathering the team for it?

I told a friend in London Simon Jay that I was writing a play "Jennifer's Robot Arm" he loved my one man Twonkey shows at the fringe and wanted to be part of it.

Soon we had performed early versions in London and it just seemed right to keep on developing the idea till it was strong as a trusty old oak.


How did you become interested in making performance?

From playing as a child you make up little games and worlds.
I found in hard to let that go when I moved into adulthood. Performing was a way to keep it alive.


Was your process typical of the way that you make a performance?

I mix songs and comedy and sometimes puppets. I start with a notebook and get lots of ideas I use hardly any of them but some stick.


What do you hope that the audience will experience?

To taken out of this world and into a new one and to feel they have
found something new about themselves.

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience?

Make something you love perform it with love and people will slowly find you.

Do you see your work within any particular tradition?

It is the oldest tradition in the world storytelling.

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