SALT - choreography and critical humor
(2023)
author(s): Elisabeth Lambeck
published in: Research Catalogue
SALT is an exploration of choreography and critical humor,
- through the study of the Avant Garde art movement Dadaism;
- a consideration on humor studies;
- and freedom of speech.
Diving into subversive comedy, the purpose of this research was to be able to come to better contextualization and search for ways to become more bold, more playful, and knowledgeable exploring the critical thoughts that I wish to tackle in my work, through laughter.
SALT, in the simplest explanation of this journey, was my search to become both funnier and more critical at the same time.
For the creation of my final performance, the dramaturgical playfield that I considered had comical and critical potential were Stress, Zebras, and lecture performance.
Searching for ways to deconstruct the figure of a zebra humanoid that I had decided as the main character of the piece, I connected to standup comedy, slapstick, lecture performance and visual arts, to artists such as Ricky Gervais, Charlie Chaplin, Sergiu Matis, Jérome Bel, and Alessandro Gallo, and could appreciate and nurture myself with different approaches to my craft, critique, and humor; questioning, reconfirming, studying, and pushing this research at service of my final performance, a one woman show.
In this journey I also used guided improvisation, inspired by Gaga and Authentic Movement Technique, critical dialogues, DasArts feedback methods, reflective writing, mind mapping, mood boards, and open rehearsals to push for critical thinking.
Through Research Catalogue, I designed a universe in which all the different layers of this process could be experienced textually and visually. Research Catalogue allowed me to take some of the playfulness and boldness that I had nurtured into my artistic practice, onto the screen, and be able to invite my guests to a more immersive, hopefully joyful journey of the tragicomic, absurd universe that eventually became known as SALT.
Through this journey, I reconfirmed the power of humor, that can be used as a powerful “weapon,” to address and revolt against critical issues of our time. Comedy can be an empowering way into heavier material, using any extent of hilarity as a tool for breaking through the audience's emotional boundaries, celebrating and pushing forward creative and critical thinking while visiting awkward, uncomfortable corners of the human truth. Searching for a joke that is not just a joke but can travel beyond laughter and engage with a deeper layer of critical thinking is a very challenging but honorable craft to practice.