One-woman physical comedy ‘The Thesis’ (playing in Melbourne) sees an academic engrossed in their hallowed thesis, navigating writer’s block, distraction, procrastination, perfectionism, and progress.
Circus artist Ciara Thorburn brings this story to life – not only as the show’s performer but also its writer. ‘The Thesis’ embraces the mundane and makes it remarkable, offering audiences a voyeuristic glimpse into the private life of an eccentric polymath.
Procrastination is real – and it’s only natural, in the midst of writing a thesis, to ponder the limitless possibilities of activities outside of the task at hand. And that’s just what ‘The Thesis’ is – a metaphor for the creative process and an exploration of the human condition.
Ciara Thorburn put pen to paper during COVID’s lockdowns – an opportune time to do so with little to no outside world distractions – to write ‘The Thesis’. Here, she does the same as we ask her about the show.
You created this show in a room by yourself during lockdown! Where did the idea come from?
After spending eight and a half years at university writing seemingly endless academic papers (including an exegesis), I started unintentionally formulating comparisons of the mind and process of an academic to the mind and process of an artist. This is where the concept of ‘The Thesis’ was born – the show is actually a metaphor for the creative process. It’s a celebration of inspiration, procrastination, crippling self-doubt, distraction, imposter syndrome, ideas (good and bad) and everything that comes along with them.
For those new to your work, talk a bit about your background and passion for theatre.
I studied for four years at The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) in Melbourne graduating with a Bachelor of Circus Arts (yes it’s a real thing), and then went on to study with Philippe Gaulier (a world-renowned clown master) in Etampes, France. But most of my training comes from experience, on the stage, on the street, and on the training room floor. For the most part of my career, I trained in a room with a Russian clown, who became a mentor and driving force in my day to day. I have always been terrible at acting. Lucky for me (and you) that’s not what this show is about – it’s not about acting, it’s about reacting. This show is rooted in contemporary circus and clown theatre, it’s not your average theatre show. Filled with light-hearted comedy and the integration of circus skills with everyday objects, I touch on subjects that creatives and academics alike are faced with when immersed in a new work.
There’s a theme in the show about being an artist classed as ‘non-essential’ in the pandemic. Why do you think the arts is such an important and effective industry in society?
I do actually believe that the arts has the power to change the world. A lot of what I do is aimed at connecting, relating to, and inspiring the audience. I believe that clowning within itself is a reflection of the human condition. And sure, maybe not everyone will like what I do/get the message – but if I can get through to even just one person per show, whether that be on the street or on the stage, I feel like that’s a step in the right direction.
Accessibility was something taken into account when you were writing the show. Can you tell us a bit about that?
Definitely. So, I was lucky enough to get some support during lockdown from Creative Victoria with their Sustaining Creative Workers Program. As a silent physical theatre performer, I decided I wanted to start learning Auslan to take steps towards making my show more accessible. I’m now in my second semester with Expression Australia, and it has been quite a learning curve to finally see how the arts can and should be making theatre that is a level playing field for all people. As a driving force for my show, I thought about any text/script used within my show and how I can make that more accessible. Through the use of shadow screen projection and LED screens integrated into the set, I’ve been exploring live captioning collaborating with a graphic designer and cinematographer to make some really cool content.
How are you wanting audiences to feel watching this performance?
I am mostly wanting to connect and relate to my audiences each night, by tapping into the universal thoughts and roadblocks that come up with new projects and ideas. The ideas behind my show are all inspired by real life events and situations, and I want people to know that all ideas are worth having – good and bad. They are all part of the process of what makes something beautiful.
There are moments in the show that involve some improvisation and audience reaction. How have you been able to include those?
That’s where the clown part comes in – it’s not acting, it’s reacting. There is one point in my show where I am attempting to get on with my work, in which a problem is discovered by the audience. I then give the audience as a whole the option to play the game and encourage the distraction/procrastination of my work, or they can cut the act short and I move on. We will see what happens each night!
What has been the biggest challenge in crafting a one-woman performance?
During lockdown I had no access to tech or stage managers, I had to control the lights and sound all by myself – which we all know is a job that should be left to techs and stage managers! I had no ability to gather my creative team in one room, I worked a lot via Zoom with other creators and directors. But there is a silver lining that comes with that – I realised that I can Zoom in to people all over the world, not just those based in Melbourne, and it was no longer weird. This gave me the opportunity to work with (and perform snippets to) a lot of my most inspiring creators and mentors.
Is this something you’ve done before and would be willing to do again?
Oh, this isn’t over, I don’t feel like I’ll ever be finished. I’m going to keep developing, in fact I have an exciting residency coming up for creatives right here in Melbourne, that’s what I’ll be doing for the next six months. I intend on making my show tour ready, refining some of the more complex elements of design, then packing it all into a road case and heading to NZ. I want to make sure that when the world opens up, after the apocalypse, I’ll be ready.
Why do you think this show should be seen?
This show is made for artists and academics, to give hope, and to acknowledge that we are complex beings and we are not alone in this process. To celebrate failure, to connect, to find the pinprick of light, and create. Art needs to survive this pandemic. Artists need to survive this pandemic, and we will.
‘The Thesis’ plays Alex Theatre (Melbourne) 17-25 September.
