#myth lab

Myth Lab

A 2-day workshop created by Owen G. Parry (Fan Riot)

with National Theatre Wales and Open Access project

“Experimenting with performing arts and transmedia creation, that is supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.“

Friday 26 June and Monday 29 June 2020

“We need to invent fictions about the future in order to make them real”

– Mark Fisher

A 2-day Laboratory exploring the collective practices of fanfiction, open-source content creation and Live Action Role Play (LARP), and how these methods can be re-employed through live performance and future myth-making with a remote community.

The aim: to construct a fictional universe with new icons set inside but against the dominating languages and myths of the present. The challenge: to uncover new modes of attention, participation and escape in times of social distancing and increased networked surveillance. 

Day 1: Fanfiction

1.00pm: Introduction to Myth Lab and Fan Riot project

Relating to the themes of Open Access, and open discussion on remote participation and zoom.

1.45pm: Building and sharing shrines

Participants are invited to build shrines to a particular subject of their heart’s desire, this could be a concept, idea, significant figure, something they would like to spend the day fantasising about. (Participants will be expected to use materials and some preparatory guidelines will be sent in advance)

2.30pm: Break

2.45pm: Activate Shrines (exercise)

3.00pm: Share activations, discuss, feedback and repeat

3.15pm: Share new versions (amended after group feedback)

3.30pm: Fanfiction as Method

Introduction to fanfiction tropes and “shipping” as creative and critical practice using examples from fan production and my own practice.

3.45: “Shipping” diagrams

Using whiteboard draw possible “ships” (forming 2 groups)

3.55pm: 5 min refresh

4.00pm: “Ship your shrines”

Create a fictional ceremony introducing your ships: combining narratives, elements, to produce a new performance fiction.

4.20pm: “Shipping” ceremony sharing (2 groups)

4.30pm: Feedback and discussion on themes of day including fanfiction, participatory cultures, myth-making and world-building. Discuss Preparing for day 2.

5.00pm: End

Day 2: Fanfictioning the world

1pm: Warmup

LARP, world-building, and collective myth-making exercises

1.30pm: Intro

Reflection on practical exercise and Introduction to LARP, fictioning and Afrofuturism with reference to The 3 Annas project (Latitude Festival) and Helping 2 do stuff with a dance (NTW, Hwacheon, South Korea)

2.00pm: Group Exercises

Entering a Fiction (exploring rules, games, collective energy) and feedback

2.30pm: Break

2.45pm Creating a Fictional Organisation (2 groups)

Something impossible that doesn't exist already... Tasks for building the organisation including: purpose, ethos, who it’s for, what it does, how it will be recognised, individual roles, uniform, emblem, any special rituals?

3.00pm: Sharing ideas and feedback

3.15pm: Developing a Fictional Drinks Reception as your organisation

What happens? Where? When? How? Create a set of rules, repeated actions (a meme or recognisable trope that unites you), ritual, and LARP press conference

3.45pm Break

4.00pm: Myth Lab Drinxx (small public Sharing 40mins)

 Invited audience to a performance sharing including Q and A

4.40pm:  Feedback with audience

5.00pm: Audience leave and de-brief drinks

Invitation | Gwahoddiad

Owen G. Parry: Myth Lab Drinxx

Monday 29 June, 4-5PM | Dydd Llun 29 Mehefin, 4-5yh

A sharing as part of the Open Access lab organised by National Theatre Wales

Rhaniad o waith yn rhan o’r lab Open Access, a drefnwyd gan National Theatre Wales

“We need to invent fictions about the future in order to make them real.” – Mark Fisher

MLDxx is a performance hangout created by Owen G. Parry with participants from National Theatre Wales' Open Access workshop – and you.

The world is burning and we’re holding a fictional drinks reception, so we had better make it worthwhile. Borrowing from the collective practices of fanfiction, Live Action Role Play (LARP), simple dance routines and improvised storytelling we invite you to shift usual habits of spectatorship and to hangout, lurk, and imagine.

The aim: a fictional universe producing new icons, set inside but against the dominating languages and myths of the present. The challenge: to uncover new modes of attention, participation and escape in times of social distancing and increased networked surveillance. Just come for the drinxx!

Please note that you will be required to download Zoom for this event. BYOB.