Arbores

Description

Arbores is a multidisciplinary modern circus performance that combines live music and electronic experiments with circus techniques like tightrope, aerial rope, hand-to-hand, and acrobatic dance. The interaction between man and environment is at the heart of Arbores’ dystopian world, as the individuals on stage wander through a surreal imagination that is fueled by allusions to archetypes and unsettling visions. The interaction between the two identities, which are in constant tension and seek new forms of balance, whether side by side or apart, is the fundamental theme. They experience times of conflict, antagonism, and mutual supremacy, much like opposites that are attracted to one another. The goal of Arbores is not to make judgments, give solutions, or make judgments. While attempting to unravel difficult and pressing subjects like those mentioned, Arbores aims to leave readers with the uncertainty of doubt rather than to propose solutions, draw conclusions, or declare unchangeable truths.

Through constant tone shifts, sudden mood swings, and climaxes accentuated by the sound effects of the tightrope and aerial rope props on stage as well as the live accompaniment of an electrified and distorted guitar, pedalboard, and loop station, the show’s representation and staging dramaturgically respect the complexity of the subject matter addressed.

The music played on stage has two purposes: first, it enhances and harmonizes the artists’ movements, making them audible and giving them a synesthetic character; second, it is an ongoing experiment that keeps artistic inquiry evolving.
As a result, there is a constant oscillation between the past and the future, between the dream world and the brutalized world, between the ancient and the modern, followed by an unclear present.

Contemporary circus

The two artists’ technical and expressive exploration is founded on partnered tightrope and aerial rope training. Rhythm, levels, intersections, and the discourse between the characters and their specialties are the primary subjects of the research project. Both the two instruments and the performers who use them on stage become technically contaminated as a result of the meeting point of the taut wire fixed in accordance with the aerial rope. The performers work toward mutual learning of their different professions in order
to broaden their own technical language and make it open to ongoing experimentation.

The theatre

The project’s theatrical language, which is crucial to its execution, is derived from human character archetypes and behavioral rules. In this scenario, the stage expression—which is rich in gestures and expressive imitation but lacks vocality—helps the actor-performers narrate and evoke locations, activities, and emotional stimuli in order to immerse the audience in a journey that is at times harsh and at other times visionary. Live music has a significant impact on the desired movements and body grammar.

Music

Andrea Ugolini’s live compositions and performances were chosen to accompany the full performance. The goal of the musical research is to create an environment that alternates between the evocative and the hyperreal, the dreamlike and the real. Following a microphoning experiment on the self-supporting framework of the aerial rope and taut wire, a preliminary lexicon of harmonic and percussion sounds was produced. The electric guitar, keyboard, and taut wire construction were used in the study to create a number of lemmas and musical interactions that were helpful for the show’s scenic design. The music is performed live and uses a variety of effects (such as an electric guitar and a loop machine) to interact with the story and the scenery.

Scenography

The set design is simple and fundamental. Tree trunks of various diameters and heights, an aerial rope, and a self-supporting framework for the tensioned microphone wire are all on stage. As the show develops, the individual components assume varied positions and functions.

Storico residenze:

The creative process begins in 2017:

• September – contemporary circus festival Cirk Fantastik (FI),
• October – Cronopis, Mataró (Barcelona)

• April – Spazio Eco (BO)
• May – Ca Bigia (MO),
• September – Teatro dell’Argine (BO),
• September – Spazio Slip (TO),
• November – Spazio Dulcamara (BO)

• February – Teatro dell’Argine (BO)
• April – Encirca’t (Barcelona) Context: April – Encirca’t (Barcelona),
• May – contemporary circus festival Art’in Circo, Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO),
• September – Spazio Eco (BO),
• December – Central del Circ (Barcelona) and Cronopis, Mataró (Barcelona).

• February DAS – Experimental Arts Device (BO)
• October – Ca Bigia (MO),
• November – Antitesi Teatro (PI).