Harnessing improvised piano techniques to underscore The Glass Menagerie
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Research Statement
Research Background
There have been notable examples of staged plays featuring improvised music, including Shakespeare’s Othello (2011, Royal Shakespeare Company, jazz pianist Django Bates), and The Maids by Genet (Sydney Theatre Company, pianist Andrea Keller). This particular practice-as-research occurred within the 2022 Black Swan State Theatre Company development and production of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, and systematically investigated strategies to better respond in real-time to the actions and emotions of actors, while generating largely non-repetitive music via musical improvisation.
Research Contribution
The research contributes to the stock of knowledge around the idea that the script itself may be a performable score, and that literally improvising to it with open, yet targeted strategies can cause diverse music - ultimately achieving diversity between readings. The research developed a synthesis approach, applied to the text itself. This caused: non-conventional changes in bar length, harmony, style and texture, producing interaction and reaction from performers onstage. The synthesis also includes specific ‘free’ improvisation strategies (e.g. Scene Two), where non-repetition of music each performance was achieved. It was also found that an improviser can harness the more ‘fixed’ or ‘rehearsed’ moments that had become relied upon by the cast. By exploiting these, an improviser can generate and retain a director’s overarching structure and form for improvisations, yet they can be revitalised by different music on each reading (e.g. Scene Seven). Other non-repetitive music can be achieved by opposites; e.g. changing character (tonal versus atonal).
Research Significance
The researcher was conceived as an integral part of this production by prominent Australian director Clare Watson, and was selected by Black Swan, a top-tier Australian theatre organisation. Critical reviews favourably cite the specific research component.
Non-Traditional Research Output
Live Performance
Document Type
Non-Traditional Research Output
Date of Publication
2022
Location of the Work
Perth
Publisher
Black Swan State Theatre Company
School
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
RAS ID
57927
Event Title
The Glass Menagerie
Event Dates
August 4-21, 2022
Event Venue
His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth
Duration
2 h
Comments
O'Halloran, T. (2022). Harnessing improvised piano techniques to underscore The Glass Menagerie. [Stage Performance]. His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth.