R Lewis

Dark voices in revolt

For decades, voice practitioners have been working on freeing the voice and connecting voice to body. It is a voice in ‘crisis’, both literally and figuratively. This article discusses the application of existing Oriental and Occidental methods to discover an alternative to the multifaceted area of the voice in performance pertaining to the notion of ‘crisis’. In this context, however, the inspiration stemmed from Butoh dance, particularly looking at the practice and philosophies of Tatsumi Hijikata. The non-conventional physical and vocal training practices of the Voice Theatre Lab, a practice-led research performance group from Tasmania, Australia, incorporates Butoh practice in training and performance in order to express the voice in ‘crisis’. Although this explanation of ‘crisis’ is not directly linked to Hijikatas cultural notion of ‘crisis’, its roots lie in the artistic expression of change within society and culture. The result was a series of structured training sessions and performances. Elements such as imagery and the expression of the unconscious helps in abandoning literal realities which result in the expression of a ‘freer’ voice. As a result, the Voice Theatre Lab developed a series of training and performance aesthetics that went beyond the quotidian forms of physical and vocal expression.