Speeches/Monologues

Are you thinking about longer periods of banter with audience, or storytelling/rambling and perhaps a weirder (use of voice effects and pre-recorded vocals) section that advances one of the scenes/stories, but isn't sung... is spoken.

If yes, tell us more.

You don't own me / Portishead

Peter and I were working on one of the new songs yesterday, "You Don't Own Me." I thought I'd post a bit about the how that song has progressed.

I first thought of this song as a sort of Rage Against the Machine-like chant coming out of Uncle Killborn, taking that song's simple mantra (I am Uncle Killborn, I am Uncle Killborn... and if I forgot to mention, I am Uncle Killborn) and pushing it further, using one line over and over: you don't own me.

Then I was out for karaoke one night and heard a woman do a version of "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore. I had forgotten this song existed and suddenly it seemed to perfectly fit with the sentiment I wanted to express there, but within the structure of a totally different song. And something about the way this woman sang it, high and warbly and kind of pitiful, made it more appealing. I wondered if the angry scream I envisioned could morph into these tight girl group harmonies, careening between toughness and vulnerability?

So I worked out a version (it's still not screamy enough to start with) using the new pedal. Then working with Peter yesterday he realized that the chord progression we were using was the same as a Portishead song. He brought it up on his computer and I couldn't believe it, it meshed so well.

Here's the song, Glory Box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WcPJP0XPdA&feature=related

And here's another Portishead song. I feel like their vibe really gels with Undine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg1jyL3cr60

Dude, when do we get to do Undine backed by a symphonic orchestra???

You can listen to Lesley Gore sing You Don't Own Me on the links to the right.

UPDATE: here is another version of Glory Box, from a 1994 show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AbhYEg-srU&feature=related. I love the look of this performance, with the lights and the way the band is arranged.

Undine - ballet by Hans Werner Henze

This is the ballet I listened to a few years ago. I looked it up on Wikipedia and couldn't find the liner notes from the CD but did find interesting info.

It's based on the Motte-Fouque book, but the names are anglicized and there are some slight differences in the storyline. Here's what wiki says:

"The story derives from Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué's novella Undine, the tale of a water-nymph who marries a mortal, but Ashton changes the names of all the characters. Similarly to other 19th century fairy tales, the plot is based on man (Palemon) encountering the supernatural (the water nymph Ondine), however the outcome is rather different than many of the 19th century classics: here it is the man that dies, and the female character survives. Ondine makes her first entrance from a fountain, shivering in the cold air as we would in water. She meets the hero, Palemon, and is astonished when she feels his heartbeat as ondines don't have hearts. Palemon deserts Berta who he has been courting and decides to marry Ondine. During a particularly strong storm while at sea, Ondine is lost overboard. Palemon survives the shipwreck created by the angry Ondines and believing Ondine is lost ends up marrying Berta. Ondine returns and is heartbroken when she discovers Palemon's unfaithfulness. When she kisses him he dies and she goes back to the sea losing all memory of him forever.

Principal Characters
Ondine (Undine)
The title role is undoubtedly the main focus of the ballet. She is a gentle water sprite and simplicity itself from the moment the audience discovers her dancing in the waterfall and then with her own shadow. Her love for Palemon is deep. This is what makes his unfaithfulness so devastating and dramatic.

Palemon (Huldbrand)
The male lead is bewitched by the feminine allure of Ondine. He has never seen a creature as lovely as her and decides to marry Ondine foresaking his betrothed, Berta. In a similar way to the Prince in Swan Lake, Palemon is destroyed by breaking the trust of his intended.

Berta (Bertalda)
She is the perfect female contrast to Ondine. Ondine belongs to the sea whereas Berta is definitely from the land. She is manipulative, possessive and highly demanding while Ondine is gentle and loving.

Tirrenio (Kuhlborn)
He is the uncle of Ondine and also Lord of the Mediterranean Sea. He tries to warn Ondine that what she intends to do with Palemon goes against the what is expected of her. When she chooses not to listen to his advice, he creates the conditions for a shipwreck where she is returned to the sea. When Ondine once again finds Palemon and realises how he has betrayed her, Tirrenio exacts a terrible revenge with his fellow Ondines by causing death and destruction for all Palemon's guests."

Set drawing from April 2008 (Drew)

New order

Here's a list of the songs/scenes -- there's a + by the new ones:

Intro / Overture
Enchanted Girl
+ Wedding Day
Gentle Sister / Shining Star
Uncle Killborn
+ You Don’t Own Me
Cruel Sister (Two Sisters)
+ Going Down [Wedding Day reprise?]
+ Kiss of Death (vision/dream)
+ Big Ending Ballad [Overture reprise?]

I Am Uncle Killborn

... testing, testing... uncle killborn...

:)