Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts presents Jenny Minton’s immersive installation: Interlude. Ahead of the show, we speak to the composer about the creative processes behind making this intimate and interactive experience.
Why make Interlude an intimate experience by having one audience member at a time?
Being alone in the space is absolutely integral to the piece. I want to give people a moment to themselves, and for them to feel completely uninhibited. This is your space to play, you are the audience and the performer all at once. It’s just an empty stage without you and you’re in control. And by choosing your own route around the space, you are making your own unique musical arrangement. While it’s still ‘audience participation’ this time it’s not so scary, you can feel completely free in there, it’s just you and no one is watching!
How would the audience move around the space?
Well, we don’t know! But people have told us they’ve danced, skipped, ran… Some people move very slowly between the lights and listen to each vocal line one at a time, some people might turn all the parts on very quickly and listen to all the singers at once, some may even stay still. It’s completely up to the individual and the resulting piece of music is different for everyone.
For you, in what ways do light and music interact?
The music is composed and arranged in such a way that it doesn’t matter how the audience member moves around the space, and in what order they visit the lights, all combinations of the composition fit together. There will be infinite different possible arrangements from a single lone voice to all the voices joining in, in different sequences and at different times. The lights and sound interact entirely, but only at the ‘command’ of the audience member, by their movement in the space.
What is the significance of naming this installation Interlude?
It’s about having a moment of pause for yourself, a bit of breathing space, an interlude in your day. The singers are singing the words of Rupert Brooke, W.H. Davies, A.E. Housman and Edward Thomas, words that reflect solitude, peace and renewal. I hope Interlude is a unique, playful and uplifting experience for audiences.
Created by Jenny Minton and Steve Wald.