Chapter 13
Christof Migone
EPISODE 1
TAMMY FORSYTHE: Play, pause. Press play. Ok, there alright. Quadrat I + II, von Samuel Beckett. OK, sorry, movement four, never mind. OK, around the edges, squared. 1 comes in, 2 comes in, 3 comes in, 4 comes in. Then they disappear in the dark. Let’s see. Pivot 1.
MARIE-CLAUDE POULIN: They walk, quite fast, like someone is behind them or more led by a thought, a single thought, which is carrying them from one place to the other.
DANA GINGRAS: A square, one figure, diagonal line, a circle, black centre spot moving around the centre avoiding the centre up to the outside.
K.G. GUTTMAN: An empty space. Quad 1. I think it is wood. By Samuel Beckett. There is only light on the square. And a figure appears. Figure 2. Starts walking in a steady rhythm. Light only lit. Figure 2, two figures. Around the border and square. So, defining the space through him walking or walking. I think the focus is … .
MCP: They walk, quite fast, like someone is behind them or more led by a thought, a single thought, which is carrying them from one place to the other. Insects or I don’t know like destiny is decided already. They cross each sometimes, coincidence. The circle in the centre. Changing direction. Head down. The thought is leaving nothing behind. No past. Feet, quick feet, and joined hands, head down. Heavy heavy back. Curved upper back. Invisible walls. Corners. Only the corners blocked by the walls. The mental, mental is very present. The dress is floating on the floor. Shadows. Together, but very alone. More alone than together. Parallel. Avoiding, only avoiding. Going only forward. Nothing backwards. Infinite. There’s like a dance sometimes, like a dance, a conscious dance. Shadows. Four people, four shadows. The white centre. Dirty, dirty floor. A space which is square, which is not too big. Like suspended in the dark. Like if the dark was infinite, so a square which is defined by its colour. And, it’s maybe grainy, maybe a bit yellow, brown. There’s light on it. And it’s finishing where the darkness starts. I think there’s four people, maybe three. but I think four. And they are occupying the space, they advance. I don’t know if they walk, but they are not static. They move very slowly and their path is also defining the limits of their space. They are quite regular in their speed. And they make me feel the presence of time or the unfolding of time. A bit like sand which is falling into an hourglass. I think they have a costume. I think each of them is dressed in a monochrome costume. I’m not sure. I feel the four corners of that space. They stop, maybe. And they start again. I can watch forever. I feel that this space is suspended in a bigger space, but also suspended in time. I don’t know from where the light is coming. I don’t know who are these people. And they go forward. I don’t think they go backward. I think they can only go forward. They have something on their head, each covering their hair. We don’t see the hair. We see … . I don’t remember if we see the faces. It’s like I remember the face but without nose, mouth and eyes. I think one is blue and maybe the other is red, and the other yellow. But I’m not sure, maybe they are also only dressed the same colour like the floor. I don’t remember exactly. I think they are more walking than anything else. I think they look … . they stop their eyes somewhere like a punctuation in their trajectory. I don’t know if they go lower, if they sit or they walk down. I don’t think, I think they just walk. They are walking around or they are walking along the borders. And maybe they overpass sometimes each other. Maybe they walk together sometimes. I don’t know if they look back. Maybe the space is bigger, because they need space, they are four people. But at the same time the space appears small to me. Because the outside space is very present. I don’t know if they are moving maybe their hands, their fingers, small gestures, like their eyes which stop. And it’s like they are sliding very slowly on the surface of the floor, like they would be transported without effort.
TF: Blue screen. Press play, pause. Circle.
KJG: A figure appears, walking in a steady rhythm.
TF: OK, never mind.
KJG: Around the corner. Defining the space through.
TF: OK, never mind. Around the edges, square.
DG: Diagonal, straight, circle. Second figure.
TF: Ok. One two three. Pivot. Their arms are folded.
KJG: I would say there is a kind of steadiness to it.
DG: Bigger moves, two figures moving around the centre point.
TF: There doesn’t seem to be any set pattern. One two three stop.
KJG: Focuses down. Figure 2. Figure 2, two figures.
TF: A square.
DG. Shadows. Figures.
KJG: Pivot.
DG: There’s something in the centre. Avoiding.
KJG: One orange figure.
One two three four five. One two three four. One two three. One two three four five pivot. There is no eye contact between. There’s no visible stuff along. Keeping track. Figures. Pivot. Immediacy. Approach. There’s all this darkness around the square. Avoiding. Pattern. Bodies leaning forward. Coming from. In a consistent pattern. There’s a grid. Shadow. Fluidity. Avoiding. Pivot. Four figures. Looking down. Lonely. Pivot. Wait a minute. Made for television. One figure. Back to the exterior, go the edges of the quadrant. One two three four. Two figures. Go through the edges. Pivot. Counter-clock. Steady, firm, circling halfway. A map.
Go forward. Two figures, three figures. Corners. Torture. Around the outside. Pivot. Wait. Top of it. Centre. One two three four. One two three four five. An incompletion. Pivot. Twice. Ok. Wait. Move. Ok. Steady. They are going, they’re going. Steady. Semi-circle. Sharp corners. Figures one two three and four. No circling. Small, together. Pivot. They seem to be falling forward. They are moving slower.
Together. Pivot. Coming together. Impossible to describe. I don’t know how big the square was. Pivot. Corners, face down. Towards the centre. Pivot.
Pivot. Pivot. One two three four five six. Corner. Exterior. Where they come from. Four figures behind. Pivot one two three four five six. Wait.3.528
Falling forward. In front of the body, lilting, lurching. A body walks. Makes a triangle, pivots. Avoids white figure. Avoids yellow figure. Sometimes it’s more acute, more sharp. Kind of cultish figure. Looks cultish. Quite bright. Avoiding the centre. Always avoiding. Lugubrious. Bowing.
Silent steps.
EPISODE 2
An empty space, Quad
1, I think it’s wood, by Samuel Beckett, there’s only light on the square and a figure appears, Figure
2, starts walking in a steady rhythm light only lit, figure
2, two figures, around the border, on square, so, pivot, defining the space through, approach, him walking or her walking, there’s no pausing, I think the focus is down, black perimeter, or I imagine the focus to be down, pivot, I would say, pivot, there’s kind of a steadiness to it, and the second figure, black rim, catches on to the steadiness, there’s, entering the system, one orange figure, focus is down,
1
2
3
4
5, spine is curved,
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5, staring at feet, avoid the circle, the two figures don’t look at each other I would imagine, there are three figures, around the centre, they are quite equidistant apart, shuffle around, they are only on the edges, they are magical feet, three figures, and the third figure, crossing, would enter into that kind of, crossing three figures crossing, the entrances are not noticeable, this is all going way too quickly, shadow on the figures, getting ahead of myself, yellow figure, focus is down, leaning forward, there’s no eye contact between the figures, figures in a triangle, only looking down at the feet, pivot, there’s no taking, around the outside, there’s no, pivot, planning, OK, turning quickly, fourth box, four figures, absorption with the space, case down, getting mixed up which, pivot, who is which, pivot, which is which, looking down, who is who, there’s an approach, kind of a lozenge, and a retreat, shoulders hunched, many times, shadow, so much so that approach looks like, crossing, the retreat, and the retreat looks like the approach, avoiding each other, again looking down, tips, I wonder if any, pivot, turn, at any time any of the figures look up, towards the tips, I think that is not allowed, constant, in the system, away from the centre, towards the tips, burning, everyone is wearing shoes, loud shoes, four figures, each at a corner, maybe that’s why everyone’s looking down, slowly, and the fourth figure emerges, avoiding the centre, there’s kind of a fluidity, one approaches, to their movements, one retreats, one exits two are left, and it’s quite,
1
2
3
4
5
6, amazing that they are all looking down, around the perimeter walking, retreating, blue figure leaves, facing each other and then, counterclockwise, pulling at the last minute, shuffle yes shuffle, looking down, maybe they can see each other’s heels, one figure, steady, around the perimeter, shuffle, always around the perimeter, pivot, two figures facing each other, triangle after, near the centre, insistence, around, around outline, I don’t know on what, no circling, straight lines, kind of insistence, to the work, turning the corner shuffle, yellow figure, pivot, maybe insisting on, cross the centre turn, approaching, yellow figure has disappeared, corner are big, white figure has disappeared, they make the perimeter, crossing, they fix the perimeter, blue, go forward, as a shadow turns, red has a shadow, upper left hand page, pivot, turn, four steps, it’s not broken, they’re going they’re going, it’s incredibly, pace is steady, steady, faces down, and loud, there’s no light on the perimeter, yes I would say the piece is really loud, last box, one figure, retreating, no it’s quite quiet, blue figure, there’s a kind of silent inner, turn, approach and retreat, and going away, back up, avoid the centre, approach and retreat, walks turn coming together now, coming together, figures
1
2
3 and
4,
1
2
3
4
5
6, all have sharp corners, perimeter, corner
1
2
3
4
5
6, then crossing the square, corner, I imagine they cross the space completely but sometimes they have to stop, towards each other, and, two figures, turn only 90 degrees so they don’t, turn it around, backs into each other, quite complete, so it is always, towards the centre, an incompletion, medium fast yes, across the space, no gaze, steady, bottom right, towards incompletion, steady incomplete, quite quick, sharp corners, gaze down, figures
1
2
3 and
4,
1 silent,
2 silent,
3, blue figure,
4 turning clockwise,
5 steps,
6 maybe, very steady, there’s no increase, there’s no crescendo, figures are direct, there’s an accumulation of figures
1
2
3 and
4, across the space, they don’t walk backward, pivot, blue figure and strangely, corner, I would say, approach the centre, towards the corner, avoid the centre, it’s not about the centre, the perimeter, it’s about the lines, the white figure, no it’s about the feet,
1
2, they look down,
4 figures behind, they turn corners, exited, the feet keep walking, red figure following blue figure,
1
2
3 towards the centre, pivot, in hard shoes, I’m not doing this in the right order, I can’t imagine the ending, walking, pause, I have no idea what the fuck the ending is, turn, the tempo is medium, tempo, there’s an acceleration, is medium, and the figures meet, no circling, and cross, approaching centre, but generally tempo is medium, makes the triangle, I am imagining the, just triangles, sometimes, and squares, pattern that each figure makes, yellow figure, sometimes, red figure, it is a 90-degree corner, avoids blue figure, there are no faces, avoids white figure, shoulders and feet mostly, avoids yellow figure, more acute, corner not the centre, figures are tall just shoulders and slim, he distinguishes the centre from the corner, more sharp, sluggish, but there’s a steady rhythm, ahead of retreating blue figure, in each step, corner, tracing the square not the centre, so corner, no matter what, white figure is, sometimes the body shifts more acutely, yellow figure behind red figure, sound is loud but steady, because the weight, red figures behind blue, is heard, going forward, turning, through each step, four bodies, there’s not an attack necessarily, centre’s lit, against the floor with the foot but there’s a, quite bright, kind of solid landing, avoiding the centre, it’s about contact, three figures, full foot contact, sluggish, I would say that the gaze looking down, approaching the centre, creates a curve in the spine, but hesitant.
A square
one figure diagonal line
a circle black centre spot moving around the centre
avoiding the centre up to the outside
moving around the outside straight line
diagonal into the centre around
moving to the opposite corner diagonal straight circle
second figure enters I can’t remember if the colour is blue, red, yellow or white
a hooded figure
lit so that there’s a shadow in front of the figure as the figure moves
two figures moving around the centre point
moving around each other moving around the outside
triangles a square circles
numbers four three two
a third figure enters
moving in the same pattern
frantic stepping
moving around
moving around a centre point
there’s something in the centre
they avoid something
avoiding
not sure what the intention is
pivoting
pivoting around
pivoting around the centre
avoiding the centre
there’s a fourth figure
a fourth figure enters
again I can’t remember the colour if it’s blue yellow red white
huddled hurried
they’re moving around each other
keeping
keeping track
keeping track
it continues
we’ve lost a figure
we have three figures in the space
there’s an urgency
very very clear parameters
a border an outline
I started to think about the space outside of the square
there’s all this darkness around the square
triangle within a square
the veiled hooded figures huddled marching moving
there are shadows
shadows outside of the box
where did the figures come from?
is there a backstage?
where did they come from?
they come they enter they leave
I want to know what’s outside of the box
they move in a consistent pattern
tense tension an elastic pulling equidistant
space in between figures
the negative space the shapes colours
obsessive
what’s in the centre?
we’ve lost a figure
three figures two figures one figure
it starts again
one two three four around the centre
out to the edge around
what is it about the centre?
what is it about the centre that is so compelling?
steady steady firm
a map there’s some kind of map
an inner logic
so the figures continue doing this pattern
it continues.
And it’s like they are sliding very slowly on the surface of the floor like they would be transported from… without that they have to make an effort.
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EPISODE 3
step step step step
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centre
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
turn step step step step figures one step step step step avoid centre step step step step
ououououououououououououou
centre step step step step pivot three figures step step step step
around the border
focus is down
spine is curved
staring at feet
there’s no eye contact between the figures
only looking down at the feet
they stop they stop they step they stop
maybe
and they and they and they start again
maybe maybe
and they start again
again looking down
and they start again
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there’s kind of a fluidity to their movements
insistence
maybe insisting on approaching and retreating
they fix the perimeter
it’s incredibly steady and loud
I would say the piece is very loud
approach and retreat
turn back up
approach and retreat
turn go forward
there’s no crescendo
so it’s constant
and strangely, I would say, it’s not about the centre
it’s about the lines
they turn corners
the feet keep walking
they look down
I can’t imagine the ending
I’m not sure what the ending is
when the figures meet and cross
the tempo is medium
there’s an acceleration
sometimes the body shifts more acutely
but there is a steady rhythm
in each step
no matter what
step step step step corner step step step centre around the centre avoid centre
step step step step
enter fourth figure
step step step step
corner
step step step step
through centre
step step step step
step step step step
step step step step
go around and pivot
step step step step
corner
step step step step
fourth figure exits
step step step step
centre
step step step step
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
corner
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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step step step corner corner
around the perimeter
black exterior
lit centre
step step step
approach look down
step step step step
start retreat
corner step
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
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I see a square a space which is square which is not too big like suspended in the dark like if the dark was infinite so a square which is defined by its colour and its maybe grainy maybe a bit yellow brown there’s light on it and its finishing where the darkness starts I think there’s four people maybe three but I think four and they are occupying the space they advance I don’t know if they walk but they are not static they move very slowly and their path is also defining the limits of their space they are quite regular in their speed and they make me feel the presence of time or the unfolding of time a bit like sand which is falling into an hourglass I think they have a costume I think each of them is dressed in a monochrome costume I am not sure I feel the four corners of that space they stop maybe and they start again I can watch forever I feel that this space is suspended in a bigger space but also suspended in time I don’t know from where the light is coming I don’t know who are these people I think there are women and also men and they go forward I don’t think they go backwards I think they can only go forward and sometimes take pauses they have something on their head which covers their hair we don’t see their hair I don’t remember if we see their faces it’s like I remember the face but without nose, mouth and eyes.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
step step step step step step step step step
avoid centre go around
step step step step step step step step step
go go go go go
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
around the centre
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
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EPISODE 4
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A square in the centre of the image – a white hooded figure moves around the square – now there’s a second person dressed the same but in blue – they move along the lit square in the centre of the image – they move along the sides of the square – then towards the centre – they avoid each other – then go back to the corners – then along the edges then back to the centre – avoid each other at the centre – now there’s a third one that comes in red one – so there’s red blue and white – along the edges – towards the centre – avoid each other – back into the corner all in unison – now there’s a fourth one that just came in at the top right – so a yellow a blue a red and a white – along the edges – they all walk towards the centre – avoid each other – turn around – back to the edges – centre – corners – walk along the edges of the square – towards the centre of the square – avoid each other to the corners – walk along the edges centre – now the white one left – so there’s just three the yellow red and blue ones – they go towards the centre – avoid each other – go to the corners – walk along the edges – then into the centre – walk towards the corner – then along the edges – the blue one just left at the bottom left of the screen – so there’s just the yellow and red left – they walk along the edges – walk towards the centre – avoid each other – go towards the corner – walk along the edges – walk towards the centre – avoid each other – go towards the corner – walk along the edges – walk towards the centre – walk towards the corner – the red one has left – so it’s just the yellow one by itself – walks towards the centre – avoids the centre – walks to the corner – walks along the edges – walks towards the centre – corner – edges – centre – walks to the corner – walks along the edges – back to the other corner – the white has just come in – it’s the white and yellow now – they walk towards the edges – from one corner to the other – back towards the centre – avoid each other and the centre – into the corner – walk along the edges – now walk towards the centre – they walk towards the corner – walk along the edges to the other corner – now walk down to the centre – avoid each other – go back to the corner – the red one just came in at the bottom right of the screen – they walk towards to the centre – walk into the corner – walk along the edges – back into the centre – back into the corner – walk along the edges – towards the centre – into the corner – walk along the edges – they all walk around at the same speed – you hear the shuffling of the feet – the fourth one just came in at the bottom left of the screen – so there’s four of them now – blue red yellow and white – walk towards the centre – they go to the corners – walk along the edges to the other corner – back to the centre – avoid each other – they go into the corners – walk along the edges – back into the corner – they go towards the centre – walk along the edges – back into the corner – the yellow has left – the three of them now walk along the edges – go towards the centre – and walk along the edges – from the corner going into the centre – avoid each other – go back into the corner – the move back into the centre – into the corner – the white one just left from the top left of the screen – it’s just red and blue left – walk along the edges – into the centre – avoid each other and the centre – and go to the corner – walk along the edges – back towards the centre – and to the corner – and the edges – back towards the centre – avoid each other – into the corners – the red one just left at the bottom right of the screen – so it’s just blue left – walk along the edges – to the corner – go into the centre – avoid the centre itself – go to the other corner – walk along the edges – back towards the centre – walk towards the corner – along the edges now – back towards the centre – avoid the centre – yellow one just came back from the top right of the screen – yellow and blue walk towards the edges – now towards the centre – avoid each other – back into the corner – walk along the edges – back into the centre – they go back towards the corner – walk along the edges – back into the centre – avoid each other – go back to the corner – the white one just came in at the top left of the screen – go into the corner – walk along the edges – walk towards the centre – avoid each other and the centre – go into the corners – walk along the edges – back into the centre – avoid each other – go into the corners – walk along the edges – back into the centre – back into the corner – the bottom right of the screen the red one just came in – there’s four of them blue red yellow and white – walk along the edges – into the centre – back into the corner – walk along the edges – back towards the centre – into the corners – walk along the edges – back into the centre – out to the corners – the blue one left from the bottom left of the screen – three of them left – walk along the edges – towards the centre – out into the corners – walk along the edges – into the centre – out towards the corners – walk along the edges – into the centre – out to the corners – the yellow one left from the top right of the screen – two of them left red and white – walk along the edges – into the corner – walk along the edges – towards the centre – out into the corners – walk along the edges – into the centre – out towards the corners – top left of the screen the white one left – so it’s the just the red left now – walk along the edges – in towards the centre – out to the corner – walk along the edges – in towards the centre – out to the corner – walk along the edges – in towards the centre – out towards the corner – the blue one just came in from the bottom left of the screen – so there’s two of them now – red and blue – towards the centre – out into the corner – walk along the edges – in towards the centre – avoid the centre – out into the corner – walk along the edges – in towards the centre – out into the corners – the top right yellow just came in – there are three of them red yellow and blue – walk along the edges – in towards the centre – out into the corners – walk along the edges – in towards the centre out towards the corners – walk along the edges – in towards the centre – out towards the corner – top left of the screen the white came in – so there are four of them white yellow red and blue – walk along the edges – in towards the centre.
Okpress playa squareand rollinggoing outsidethe perimeter, quadratone andtwo bysamuel beckettsecond. Figureenters pressplay goingaround theoutside ofthe perimeterstep inby samuelbeckett. Intothe centreavoiding centretwo figureshunched overgoing aroundthe outsideof theperimeter, intothe centrestepping ared figureenters thesquare. Threefigures secondfigure intothe centreavoiding thecentre, aroundavoiding thecentre, almostcoming togetherbut notquite. Hunchedover threefigures steppingavoiding thecentre – allone twothree onetwo threeone twothree fouralmost comingtogether butnot quitehunched. Overone, twothree, onetwo, threeone, twothree, onetwo, threefour alongthe outsidesavoid thecentre. Onetwo, threealmost, comingtogether butnot quitehunched overinto. Thecentre: onetwo, threeone, twothree, onetwo, threeone, twothree, andfour.
Sharp turnsaroundthe corners, neverlookingat each otherthered figure. Hasenteredrepeating a patternagainpattern going nowherethatstays that maintainsitselfhurried figures – cloakedfiguressharp figure contactneverlooking to eachotherhooded. Figure andoutagain hurried, figurestheblue figure hasjustentered the spacesteppingcoming together; movingapartand out againconstantmovement pattern thatgoesnowhere. Stepping awayonetwo, one, twoboundaryone, two magnetsarecoming together. Threefiguresin the spacenothinghas changed. Patterncontinuesone two threesteppingaround, hurried. Figurescloackedfigures no eyecontactwe: have fourfiguresin the squareboundarycoming together, andsteppingaway and outagainwe are backtofour. Figures nothinghaschanged (boxed inconstantstepping), one twoonetwo. One twoperimeterboundary. One twothreecoming together inpatterncontinues. Three figuresworkingopposite sides ofthespaces, following shadowssteppingemptiness of thecentreof, the squarefigureone. Two: threefollowingthe (nothing haschangedcontinues) we haveawhite and redfigureleft moving. Soundbalancingthe space, everythingmovestowards the centrepointof the space.
Around.
Around.
In never.
Space.
Towards the centre.
Around.
Out.
In.
Around.
Out.
In.
Never reaching the centre point.
Falling forward.
Lilting lurching.
Black on the screen.
Slow steady steps.
Moving much slower.
Wait.
Two figures.
Lilting lurching.
Slow heavy steps.
Same pattern as before.
Two white figures.
Following each other.
Hunched over walking.
Space between the two.
Slower rate.
Hunched over.
Fourth figure.
Pattern same as before.
Rotation.
Third figure has entered.
Three figure left in the space.
Rotation diagonal.
Time continues as before.
Repetition.
Metronome pulse.
Two figures.
Pattern continues as before.
A metronome.
A pulse.
And now the screen is black.
I lost track of the figures.
The screen is black.
Lost track of the figures.
1 Prelude. In 2003 I was working with choreographer Lynda Gaudreau to devise a workshop for P.A.R.T.S. in Brussels. Briefly stated, we established a series of visual and textual sources that the students would then be asked to translate into movement. For one of those triggers I placed myself in front of a camera, close-up on my face, and proceeded to describe the movement of a performance of Beckett’s Quad I was watching on a monitor (not visible to the camera) – this was the 1982 version, Quadrat 1 + 2 for German television. My description was matter-of-fact, a Dan Graham-like deadpan (featured in Episode 4 below). I was simply trying to keep pace with the movement of the four players as they move around and through a square.
2 In 2007 I was invited by Kelli Dipple of the Intermedia Art division (now defunct) at the Tate Modern to produce a work as part of the event, ‘The Long Weekend 2007’. The piece would be on-line and on-air on Resonance FM. I was keen to develop further the translation of Beckett’s wordless piece into sound through various descriptive strategies, so I produced Foursome, a radio work in four episodes featuring four Montreal-based choreographers (Dana Gingras, k.g. Guttman, Tammy Forsythe and Marie-Claude Poulin) translating Beckett’s piece for a radio audience. In a sense, the choreographers replaced the four percussive instruments of the original: drum, gong, triangle, woodblock. Where in the original each instrument followed one player, here the following was more generalized and exhaustive – and thereby bound to fail. They performed various attempts: describing in words as they watch the piece and then from memory, moving in space and on the page, circling around a microphone and then the microphone circling around them. The empty centre which is avoided at all costs in Quad is here embodied by a piece which surrounds another without ever taking complete hold of it.
3 Each episode traces an always meandering and provisional trajectory. Foursome is a dis-orienting, dis-ordered and dis-articulated narrative where failure in interpretation is foregrounded. A quadraphonic quadrangle where voices, paces and noises are intertwined to concoct a radio portrait of a most un-radiogenic work. Quad might be wordless but it is not soundless. The percussion which accompanies the original however was not used in Foursome. The reasons are in part practical: when the choreographers’ voices were recorded at the same time as they watched Quadrat 1 + 2 on a video monitor it was important to capture only their voices and also to have them untethered by headphones. The other consideration was the conceptual strategy to focus on the translation by the choreographers of the gestural into the aural. While Foursome uses Quad merely as a departure point, it could perhaps function as an alternate soundtrack for Quad, albeit one that injects out-of-synch aural subtitles or proposes a distracting and unnerving commentary.
4 The transcription is accurate insofar as it attempts to represent the multivocal radio work. It works under a predilection for the prefix dis- mentioned in the preceding note. The tempo of the various sections of each of the episodes, as well as the various layered and interrupted voices, are conveyed in text in a manner that accentuates the repetitive patterns of Beckett’s original. As for meaning, the ekphrastic method is featured here to convey what I would call a naked opacity – not to give words to a wordless play, but to rhythm the pieces (both Foursome and Quad) on the page through wordless words, words that abide by the always sidestepped centre. Here the challenge is to produce a somatic presence in the midst of the semiotic. The original audio works can be heard on.