(Hair Peace, 2016)
Victoria Melody.
I have to be honest when I first walked into the theater I was not expecting much. Truth be told I was expecting very little, the garish pink salon-setup had me nearly out of the door, however I am truly glad I stayed. This as an example of what a solo performance should aim to be, it was informative as well as gut-stopping. The title Hair Peace refers to the dark yet humorous topic Victoria Melody had spent a large period of time researching and developing for this performance.
(Hair Peace, 2016)
Victoria Melody states that her performance is,
“a comedic exploration from an unlikely sleuth whose personal odyssey provides astonishing insights into ethics, diverse cultures and the personal realities of the global economy.” (VictoriaMelody, 2o10).
In her research she travels to India and Russia to address the subject of “black- gold” and the increasingly high profit margins it generates for its distributors as it is unregulated within the U.K, it may seem innocent at first as both parties have given consent to this product. There is however a broken moral-compass at play within this industry, the people who sell there hair in India only to have to then Que for days only to endure what some would consider torture, however for them this a religious pilgrimage in which death & rebirth are celebrated. The topic of “black-gold” grows darker when you learn that in the poorest areas of Russia people grow their hair for years and even donate past relatives hair for small profit, it is almost soul-destroying to think of someone who has no other source of income then their fallen relatives hair in order to make ends meat. Unknown to them however there unwanted hair is being sold for a large profit to those who seek high-end hair extensions across the world. I found myself watching this performance both disgusted and entertained. My overall experience was worsened when a few rows ahead of me I could clearly see an audience member who had undergone this beauty-regime in order to better their appearance.
(Hair Peace, 2016)
While shocking as a unlikely topic on which to base a solo performance, it was for me a highly educational time. I saw to my delight that not ever solo performer needs to have a high arts status or speak in a almost Shakespearean sense, it was fun, playful and most of all you felt involved on what you were witnessing on stage. She has an endearing quality to her that was instantly likable and you were 100% behind her, you almost wanted to be on stage with her, almost…
I loved her laid back performance style and If I am completely honest the cliche multi-media on stage which issued from three televisions, all with a distinct video ranging from glossy shampoo ads to the journey she had undergone when creating this performance.
“Melody’s ability to get on with anyone from any background translates into a performance that is accessible and non-judgmental, even as it points up the absurdities of capitalism and supply and demand, where hair sold for £30 by a young woman in Russia will retail for £1,200 in a London salon.”(theguardian, 2015).
In an after-show talk she stated when asked a question on how she constructs her work that is, 70% scripted, 30% improvised, this is interesting as I was under the impression that a solo performance had to be heavily scripted and be ordered down to the last small detail. I think after seeing this performance and now knowing what I could potentially create there is less pressure on me in terms of my content, and also worrying about what kind of tone I would you when in this performance space with my audience.
Looking within my own developing solo performance I had talks with Martin about whether we as “scholarly students” would be penalized for creating such a light mood, almost playground approach, to my surprise I was told this is exactly what we should be doing. I hope through my own development that I too create a sense of ease, which I can exploit in order to create a compelling solo performance around my chosen topic. I think that using a topic of “black-gold” is an effective one as in essence it is secret and unconventional, and often most that are unaware of the grotesque side of the beauty industry would find this an ultimate eye opening experience.
I only now wish I had seen her previous performances, as her work in highly influential and inspirational within my own developing style.
Works Cited.
VictoriaMelody (2010) Surrey: Hair Peace: Available from http://victoriamelody.co.uk/projects/hairpeace/index.php [accessed 29 June 2016].
Edinburgh Festival review. (2015) Hair Peace at Edinburgh festival review – the secret life of locks. theguardian, 24 August. Available from http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/aug/24/hair-peace-at-edinburgh-festival-review-victoria-melody-pleasance [accessed 29 June 2016].