In Mike Pearson’s Site Specific Performance text, the introduction tells us as the reader the modification between performing on a stage juxtaposed to performing in an alternative location. There are several differences between a Site Performance to a performance in the Auditorium as Pearson states “In the auditorium events are confined and controlled” whereas “At site, effects may intrude and compete for attention” (Pearson, 2010, 17).

Pearson also goes on to say that “In the auditorium this sort of thing has happened before” Nevertheless “At site, it is always as if for the first time” (Pearson ,2010, 17). Site specific is somewhat totally different to the usual theatre. Which to me at first was very daunting as it is something which I am not use to as a Drama student and it is out of my comfort zone. However I am looking forward to learning Site and seeing which other techniques of theatre there is. I’m sure with having the High Street and The Brayford as our locations, it is going to be nerve wracking at first. Undoubtedly a fabulous experience.

Works Cited

Pearson, M. (2010) Site Specific Performance. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Natasha Nicolaou

Using Pervasive Media in order to enhance or create new styles of performance is an intriguing concept, one which I look forward to investigating further. Designing work around this years Frequency Festival theme of Liberation allows for a range of possibilities, especially when including “the new kinds of informational site in changing technological circumstances”(Pearson, 2010, 13) which will allow our work to be truly innovative. The opportunity to combine the scenic location with the digital world will be both exciting and challenging. One of the biggest obstacles will be using technology to its full potential in order to fully make the most out of this style of performance. With the option to choose between the High Street and the Brayford, my initial thoughts are drawn to the idea of the Brayford. The concept of combining the freedom of flowing water and limitations of digital technologies opens up a realm of possibilities and I’m hoping to explore this idea further. The discussion with a member of the Frequency Festival team reminded me of many of the unique pieces of art I saw during the last digital culture festival. It also allowed me think about the way technology was used during last frequency festival such as CCTV images being used to create photographs and projection mapping to fully immerse the audience in a unique experience. Overall I think this will be a challenging, yet interesting, module and I am keen to see what is developed.

Pearson, M. (2010) Site-Specific Performance. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

‘Site-specific performance engages with site as a symbol, site as a story-teller, site as a structure’ (8,Pearson, 2010)

Our chosen sites were originally very daunting to me. I viewed the High street and Brayford waterfront as quite broad sites and with the stimulus of Liberation combining these with Pervasive media is going to be a challenge.  However, after reading into the Pervasive Media cookbook, I have now been inspired into the possibilities of using different media outlets such as projection and audio. With my group, I am looking forward to experimenting with different ideas.

Site specific performance is a term and therefore concept that is notoriously difficult to define. The details of said concept seem to change all the time; Pearson suggests that, while more traditional performance “is scheduled” and “the audience is fixed”, in site specific performance “there may be a transitory discontinuity in the social fabric” and “the audience may be incidental – those present in the same place at the same time – and obdurate”. (Pearson, 2010, p. 17)

In our performance we aim to take the concept of site specific performance one step further and include Pervasive Media; this is technology that aids in the betterment of understanding in a certain situation. With a starting theme of liberation and two possible sites in which to perform (Brayford Pond and the High Street), we hope to interact with a great number of people and impress enough to then go on to perform our piece to a much larger audience at the Lincoln Frequency Festival later in the year.

Pearson, M. (2010) Site Specific Performance. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

“Pervasive Media is Digital Media delivered into the fabric of real life and based on the situational context at the moment of delivery” (Pervasive Media Studio, 2015). In simpler terms, pervasive media uses wireless networks to combine media (music, films, games) and place (situation). Pervasive media also offers “new relationships between citizens and our environment” (The Pervasive Media Cookbook, 2012) through the use of sensors, databases and live data streaming. For example, the performance, ‘Our Broken Voice’ used pervasive media to interrupt the normalities of everyday life, by engaging the audience and taking them on a journey through the streets, allowing them to piece together the performance for themselves.

Pervasive Media Studio (2015) What is Pervasive Media?. [online] Watershed. Available from http://www.pmstudio.co.uk/pmstudio/what-pervasive-media [Accessed 29 January 2015]

The Pervasive Media Cookbook (2012) Pervasive Media. [online] Pervasive Media Studio. Available from http://pervasivemediacookbook.com/kitchen/ [Accessed 29 January 2012]