Tracing the Madness

Victoria Oftestad

As a tourist in London during the late 17th century, it was mandatory to visit the House of Bedlam, the biggest mental institution in the city. The patients, being considered completely unreasonable, were attributed animalic characteristics, which was reflected in the brutal treatment behind the bars. The ultimate mirroring of the culture of exposing madness could be found in the theatre. Composers for the theatre, in wanting to explore the inability of reason in humanity, wrote The Mad Songs, where the madness is reflected in quick shifts in emotions. These songs have been my tool to gain access to a broader palette of expression in singing. I have developed a handbook of historically informed techniques and documented my process of embodying them, using sources such as Le Brun's "Conférence (...)" (1698); Walter Charleton's "Natural History of the Passions" (1701); Aaron Hill's "The Art of Acting" (1753); and George Vandenhoff's "The Art of Elocution" (1846). My quest for madness has also become a quest for genuinity. When Charles Le Brun conveyed his theory of expression on canvas, he strongly distinguished the difference between painting tense muscles and painting genuine expression. This has become a guideline for my research: in order to gain genuinity, one has to channel a reaction and produce an impulse. This study is an attempt to bridge the gap between now and then, allowing for a deeper understanding of the Mad Songs, as well as encouraging others to dive into theatrical repertoire on its own premises.

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My supervisors:

Wouter Verschuren

Cora Burggraaf

Bart van Oort

For Supporting my Research and Visit to Bedlam Royal Hospital

Stichting De Zaaier

For Introducing Me to Rhetorical Acting:

Laila Cathleen Neuman

João Ferreira Santos

João Luís Paìxão

For Showing Me the Archives of Bethlem Royal Hospital, and Patiently Answering my Questions:

David Luck

For Reading Through my Exposition:

Eivor Oftestad

For Inpiring my Research With Wonderful Content

Jed Wentz

Dolly MacKinnon

Jennifer Montagu

Anthony Rooley

My Dear Main Subject Teacher for Always Understanding:

Noa Frenkel

For Always Making Wonderfully Mad Music:

Agata Sorotokin

Tineke Steenbrink

Luka Stefanovic

Jeremy Bass

And to You: Thank You for Reading!

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Victoria Oftestad - Tracing the Madness - 2025