Augustine’s Dream
a work in development
Co-created by Kathryn Mederos Syssoyeva, Janette Hough & AnomalousCo
An assemblage of aerial dance, physical theatre, cabaret, installation art, and found texts (medical, philosophical, and religious), AUGUSTINE’S DREAM explores gender, power, carceral space, and public “spectacles” of female “hysteria” A work in development, Augustine has received residencies and development grants from Barn Arts Collective (Maine) and Dixie State University College of the Arts (Utah), and a 2017 special research grant from the Dixie State University Office of the Provost, to conduct research at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
Phases of this work have been shared at the New Works Festival at Cloud City (Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 2016), the Portland Fringe Festival (Portland, Maine, 2016), The Barn Arts Collective (Bass Harbour, Maine; 2015 - under the working title Hysteria Burlesque), and in fall of 2018 at Dixie State University (Utah). With support from Dixie State University, our next development residency will take place in Portland, Maine from April through August of 2019.
Part tragedy, part clown show, Augustine tells three stories, hiding one with in another like so many Chinese boxes, in a language of madness, dreams, and circus: of the 14 year old "hysteric" Augustine, star performer in the lecture theatre of neurologist Jean- Martin Charcot at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in 19th century Paris; of the "possessed" girls of Salem, whose convulsing bodies drew daily crowds to the 17th century Massachusetts courtroom; and of the 13th century "mystic" Elizabeth of Spalbeek, whose imitatio Christi - a violently self-mortifying reenactment of Christ's Passion in which she performed all roles, good and evil - drew pilgrims from across Europe, come to bear witness to a living icon.
Development Phase 3 - Fall 2018
Explorations, Stage Movement / Aerial Arts Training & Worksharing, at Dixie State University, St. George, Utah
2018 Team: Kathryn Mederos Syssoyeva, Janette Hough, Bailee Barnes, Kat Hunsaker, Cassandra Smith, Abby Taylor.
2017
Vocabulary exploration, Portland. Performer: Janette Hough
Development Phase 2 - Spring 2016
Explorations & Worksharing: New York City; Portland Maine; St. George Utah
2016 team: Janette Hough, Kathryn Mederos Syssoyeva, Polly Urbach, Jenna Schmitz, Mindi Kirk (performance intern), Rebekah Romney (performance intern)
Development Phase 1 - Summer 2015
First five days of exploration. Excerpts from video session and work sharing, Barn Arts Collective Residency, 2015. Video credit: Peter Pogue.
2015 Team: Janette Hough, Kathryn Mederos Syssoyeva, Janette Hough, Lauren Hlubny, Robbie Harrison