This is the wiring diagram of Electric Unconscious.
Each box represents a technical object (guitar pedal, loudspeaker, computer) and their connections. The diagram excludes the house lighting system as well as the PA system, which varied depending on the venue.
This object is a leftover from an earlier stage of the process, when these loudspeakers would have had a more prominent role. Nevertheless, they impose their presence throughout the show, both as installation elements and as “pyrotechnic” devices—especially during the fake technical problem, when the Tic Tac (originally conceived as using real Tic Tacs, but eventually replaced by the cheaper option of painted beans) “explodes,” amplifying the exaggerated theatrical effect.
The Art of Making a Technical Problem Feel Real
The tangle of technical objects on stage is symbolic of both the abundance of technology and the fragility of such a system: when a technical problem occurs, the sheer complexity of the network itself seems to justify it.
Creating a believable technical problem was one of the most exciting aspects of Electric Unconscious. In the thesis, I detail how this was achieved through simple strategies, such as framing the performance with short speeches that raised the audience’s expectations.
A crucial element in this illusion was power distribution, as shown in the wiring diagram. The Genelec monitors on stage amplifying the instrument played a key role. Their small green power lights, which clearly indicate whether the monitors are on or off, became a central part of the dramaturgy. When the simulated technical problem occurs, these green lights turn off, signaling the loss of power. This was something that, for some audience members, served as convincing proof that the malfunction was real. However, these green lights were controlled from my computer which sent DMX signals to a DMX power distributor, cutting the power off Genelecs at the right moment.
Perhaps the most complex part of this “spaghetti” setup was how the instrument’s signal was routed and amplified in 3 different stage controlled by the musicans with their ABC pedal. The final wiring configuration evolved over a long period of experimentation, largely because of the need to integrate the staged technical problem. For this reason, the instrument’s amplification had to be routed through my audio interface, allowing me to cut the signal directly from the computer.
The drawing above shows one possible configuration. It is interesting to note how the final version emerged in coevolution with the development of the dramaturgy.
I present this diagram to highlight that, although the fridge/amplifier is at the center of the piece, the performance as a whole is supported by a vast array of technical objects.
The panels were an important element of the stage design. Mounted on both sides of the stage, they stood like the fridge, as white monoliths.
Spray-painted on their surfaces were images of electrical plugs from different countries.
These often resembled faces, symbolizing for me the agentic quality of electricity.
These panels became especially significant toward the end of the show. By passing through them, the performance entered the realm of the electric unconscious: a world of dreams and lullabies, of machines eternally trying to start and restart but never fully switching on.