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TENDER YOUNG CREATURES

documentation & information for presenters

Tender Young Creatures is a live installation centred around the theme of young women walking at night. Inspired by the classic tale of Red Riding Hood, the performance is a contemporary look at the wolf that lives inside us.

A chorus of young voices cry out to the daughters of the world amidst a backdrop of moving images and projected animations. This is a work which offers young female voices a platform to be heard.

 

In a highly visual and richly aural landscape, up to 100 girls reignite Red’s story and ask us to consider fear, the thing we feed most.

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full video           TECH REQUIREMENTS     STEM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT       TIMELINE & FEE GUIDE              MUSIC

8 minute trailer | Carriageworks, Sydney | Nov 4 2017

full video

Archival of Full Production. | Carriageworks, Sydney | Nov 4 2017

tech requirements

TECH REQUIREMENTS

TOURING PARTY
4 choral leaders including director
VENUE STAFF
1 x AV tech if using projections
SHOW DURATION
60 min
BUMP IN
4-8 hours, depending on space
BUMP OUT
2 hours
STAGING REQUIREMENTS
minimum space: for a cast of 100 and audience of 200, we'd estimate a space of 500m sq, (e.g. 20m x 25m). TYC is a site specific work. It can be performed inside or out, in a park, a courtyard, a gallery or any large, open space.
LIGHTING - description
A regular wash on a basic rig.
LIGHTING - venue to provide
simple lighting rig.
LIGHTING - producer to supply
nothing
SOUND - description
The girls sing to a prerecorded backing. A PA system that connects to a laptop.
SOUND - venue to provide
PA
SOUND - producer to supply
laptop
AUDIO VISUAL - description
There is an option to include projections as part of the performance if the space permits and a projector is supplied.
AUDIO VISUAL - venue to provide
projector (optional)
AUDIO VISUAL - producer to supply
laptop
SPECIAL EFFECTS
none
DRESSING ROOM REQUIREMENTS
1 x room for soloists/chorus leaders from The House. The local chorus will arrive dressed but will need space to prepare and relax before performances.
LAUNDRY REQUIREMENTS
none
stem

AN OPTIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STEM PROJECT

As an alternative, rather than a wash of lights and the PA system, Tender Young Creatures can be performed with each girl holding a lantern. These wooden lanterns contain both light and a speaker. We have precise plans on how to construct the lanterns and, as we would need 100 of them, can work with high schools to run STEM workshops where the kids can learn to build them. Please contact us for more information about how this might work

timeline & fee guide

TIMELINE & fee guide

The process requires 6 full days of rehearsal, plus a visit to your city 3 months prior to performance for casting. Ideally for community engagement processes, rehearsals are done over three intensive weekends. However if preferred, it can be a six day week prior to production.

 

The casting process is a series of workshops which can be done as an incursion at multiple schools. This process can vary from 1 day per school to a full week incursion per school. If schools are interested in making these workshops available to many classes we could spend a week at each school, alternatively teachers can put forward students they recommend to spend a day with us.  To facilitate these workshops The House will bring a team of 3-5 staff depending on participant numbers and facilities (Danielle plus young conductors).

APPROXIMATE PROJECT FEES:

Casting/Workshop Phase: $8-13K p/w

Rehearsal & Performance Phase over 2 weeks: $18-25K

TOTAL: $26-38K

music

THE MUSIC

Tender Young Creatures is 10 musical "moments" in a fifty minute show. A cast of 12 to 100 girls are broken into four groups to deliver the four part harmonies, layered text and percussion

Tender Young Creatures is an immersive experience, each audience member has a unique experience as the harmonies fall around them, and cast speak directly to them. Please keep in mind the recordings below are rehearsal tracks and do not convey this experience, they are included to give a sense of the music and do not include text.

WHISPERED:

A girl walks. She walks alone night.

When she ran, the world watched.

What big eyes they have. 

Our Daughters run with wolves, and we throw them to the dogs

 

SUNG:

Surround yourself with friends

Beware when the day ends

Never talk to strangers

Think of all the dangers

Keep your alert

For anyone that could hurt

Never stray from the path

This night might be your last"

moment 1: mothers' advice

Mother's AdviceThe House that Dan Built
00:00
Mother's Advice

Mother's Advice

Play Video
I love to walkThe House that Dan Built
00:00

moment 2: i love to walk

This is sung in cannon, each girl joining in turn.

I love to walk, with the stars shining bright

I love to walk, without a care at night

I hear the wind a whispering, I feel the breeze so light, 

I see the moon a glistening oh what a pretty sight

I love to walk with the stars shining bright

I love to walk, without a care at night

moment 3: all is mine

All is MineThe House that Dan Built
00:00

This is in 4 parts with 4 glocks

My world, my forrest, my mind, my heart

My world, my forrest, my mind, my heart

 

All is mine

All is mine

All is mine

All is mine

moment 4: flowers

With delight the cast move and explore 3 things, then get hand picked flowers to the audience. Lots of movement. Lightness.

FlowersThe House that Dan Built
00:00
Flowers Moment

Flowers Moment

Play Video

yes they are pretty

should i be straying

There is a red one

I shouldn’t be staying

Rose of pink velvet

colours in my head

These blooming blossoms

They are the cause of

Yellow daisies

on the horizon

if i keep going

maybe i’ll find them

scattering petals

float as the wind blows

further from my path

pull at my heart and

Come on little flower, wont you come and grow.

Come on little flower grow grow grow

Stars, beautiful stars, beautiful stars

ALL TOGETHER:

Stars, beautiful stars, beautiful!!

Turning Turning      (Step, then turn)

Turning Turning      (Step, then turn)

Turning Turning      (Step, then turn)

Turning Turning      (Step, then turn)

And then the wind changed

And then the wind changed

And then the wind changed

And then the wind changed

Don't go into the unknown 

But if you ever must

Any place you ever roam

Stay with those that you trust

Always follow your instincts

And always be aware

That the wolves of our small world

Are always waiting there

RED MEETING THE WOLF JAZZ STYLE

W: Hey pretty thing you doing OK? I wouldn't  want a lovely young girl like you lost on the path.

R: I know the way, I'm going to visit my grandmother's house. 

W: your grandmother hey ? what a nice young thing you are.

R: she's sick and in bed.

W: Well we can't have you straying then.  There is an easier path down this way, no way to stray off that one 

R: I've walked this path a thousand times. Mother says not to wander. 

W: there are orchids down that way too. Come on love, have some fun.

SONG:

Ahhh ah ah ahhhh ah ah ahhhh ahhhhh

Ahhh ah ah ahhhh ah ah ahhhh ahhhhh

Ahhh ah ah ahhhh ah ah ahhhh ahhhhh

Don't touch red don't touch red, don't touch  5 x

Jump jump, look look.

Jump, jump look look. Just to get to hiding spot.

moment 5: the wolf

The WolfThe House that Dan Built
00:00
Wolf Moment

Wolf Moment

Play Video

moment 6: GRANDMA

GrandmaThe House that Dan Built
00:00

Once upon a time

A wolf spied a girl

He listened to hear voice

Grandma was home

He sent her off track

Where flowers would grow

She did not know where he would go

He entered the house 

As quiet as a mouse

As his jaw grew wide

Poor grandma cried ...

Then she died

Once upon a time 

A wolf ate her whole

In the lick of a lip

He devoured her soul

Fear ran through her 

from her head to her toes

She did not no how this would go

He entered the house 

As quiet as a mouse

As his jaw grew wide

Poor grandam cried

Then she died

moment 7: shivers

When the hair on the back of your neck starts to stand on its own. This is a cut section of the rehearsal track. It evolves into a song cycles in 6 parts.

Shivers rehearsal track cutThe House that Dan Built
00:00

big eyes

watching

through the

windows

big ears 

listening

through the

cracks

big eyes

watching

through the

windows

big ears 

listening

through the

cracks

(2 part) 

big nose

lying

about

big nose

lying

about

LIAR x11

(HIGH)

Shivers

Shaken

Whispers

Is there anybody there

(LOW)

Shivers

Shaken

Whispers

Is there anybody there

(HIGH)

Shivers, Shivers down my spine

Shaken, shaking all around

Whispers, whispers in my head

Is there anybody there

is there anybody there

(LOW)

Shivers, Shivers down my spine

Shaken, shaking all around

Whispers, whispers in my head

Is there anybody there

is there anybody there

Together

Shivers, shivers down my spine

Shaken, shaking all around

Whispers, whispers in my head

Is there anybody there

is there anybody there

Shivers

Shaken

Whispers

Is there anybody there

Shivers

Shaken

Whispers

Is there anybody there.

moment 8: RUN

Run Moment 8

Run Moment 8

Play Video
RunThe House that Dan Built
00:00

RUN. Fight of flight. Here the drums take over the space. The girls are now running all their movement and harmonies with cues from the live drums. This culminates in a pecking order being found and a girl hunted. Circled using the audience as a barrier to move in on her.

moment 9: WE SEE BLOOD

This moment is fractured with drums, chanting, and text.

SPOKEN:

Aye, we see blood. And our screams are not of horror.

Do not shelter us from that which we crave, lust after, need, with croaked pretences of protection.

We need none of it. Do not turn our faces away, crying for our lost girlhood, for we will bite the hand that cradles us.  (CHANGE CAPES TO RED)

 

You will not encircle us in your arms and hold us back. We will tear free, our hair will shake loose. We will not be pretty. 

We are not assassins or cats or pieces of art or dolls to be leered at.

Sweat drips from us, slicking our hands and hair and feet.

We are fierce, not sultry.

 

Our war cries have been building in our heads every time you silence us. You mistook it for blankness, for submission. But here we are at the foot of your bed and you never even heard us open the door. We are not assassins. We are berserkers, warriors, whirling arms and legs and claws that will *rip the shadow of fear to shreds. 

 

And when the killing is done, you will see that we do not shy from blood.

Nay, we drink it in, we coat ourselves in it, we wear it as ornamentation.

It slips down our throats and noses and ears and melts down to our heart.

It covers our eyes so we see through a sanguine veil. Crimson coloured glasses of the best kind.

 

AYE. We see blood.

And if you do not stop your feeble protests, it will be yours.

Drums infiltrate the AV. Every hollow space and cavity in the space is found to create a whole environment that reverberates. Call and response chant. UNISON.

SUNG:

Fear will swallow you whole

moment 10: we will not stop

Will not stop x 4

Girls made of age old oak

Stone covered by red silk cloak

long hair under thorny crowns

watch as red turns into hound

Footsteps continue

Shadows continue

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