THERE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A SCENE ABOUT LABOUR AND CHILDBIRTH IN BABY. The show is created from a female perspective and therefore it was going to form a very necessary part of the story of birth. My difficult experience of childbirth was also a significant reason in why I made this show.
The scene began as an improvisation task with one of Mary’s coloured cloth and has since progressed to two red cloths. The scene has evolved every time it has been performed. For Resolution (Jan 2016) it was simply our ‘red cloth scene’ then for Big Dance at Sadler’s Wells (July 2016), I worked with Molly to create an extension of the scene based on contractions and birthing positions with the sound of a heartbeat. Last month we introduced a new scene, which introduces the early stages of labour by using simple choreography based on exercises to encourage labour on birthing balls.
The scene began as an improvisation task with one of Mary’s coloured cloth and has since progressed to two red cloths. The scene has evolved every time it has been performed. For Resolution (Jan 2016) it was simply our ‘red cloth scene’ then for Big Dance at Sadler’s Wells (July 2016), I worked with Molly to create an extension of the scene based on contractions and birthing positions with the sound of a heartbeat. Last month we introduced a new scene, which introduces the early stages of labour by using simple choreography based on exercises to encourage labour on birthing balls.
The key to our ‘red cloth scene’ was both the decision to include the cloth and the choice of music. I came across the piano track when I was researching what women like to listen to during pregnancy and labour. I actually found this track on an album called “Relaxing Music for Pregnant Mothers and music for labour” and it was very natural to dance to. It also helped to break up the rhythm of the flow of pop songs and lead to a change in mood as a significant point in the story is reached.
During the creation of Baby I was watching a documentary about Pina Bausch and I saw an image of a woman with a red cloth. I’m guessing it might have been from Rite of Spring but I don’t actually remember. I thought the image of a woman with a red cloth would form a great symbol of birth. During our performance in Faversham, we had a technician read our lighting cues off a sheet of paper without even a tech rehearsal (which was pretty impressive) and he did every lighting change manually. The red colour was the strongest I have ever seen but it looks great in these pictures.
Rhiannon
Pictures by Fat Cat Pics
Rhiannon
Pictures by Fat Cat Pics
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