Pollard’s Blog

At The International Museum Theatre Alliance conference in Belfast, Kurt, Lance & Alice, who are ‘responsible’ for curating The Pollard collection initiated a debate on this theme: Stupidity Improves Your Memory. Strangely, they seem to advocate ‘Stupidity’ as a kind of emotional, obsessive and inexhaustible intelligence that is opposed to the dominant notion of Serious curation. As you see from comments to the post below, there was much controversy over this. In particular the issues of explanation and the delivery of information in this field are hot topics. The position of the CMP Soc is that there is as much to be ‘learned’ from emotional, embodied performances on heritage sites. We invite readers to contribute to this debate here. While the presentation itself was indeed baffling to some (one felt that he did not have enough keys to access the meaning of the performance), and while the delivery was troubled by practical obstacles (a delayed start, and an audience number which exceeded the advertised limit), it can be said to have succeeded in addressing a principle of playful risk-taking, the learning that coheres around the discomfort of the unknown, and the limit of failure, all of which are normally excluded from heritage performances. The driving purpose of cultural institutions is generally to maximize the audience attendance and minimize antagonism isn’t it ? So some questions: why is it important for the audience to be comfortable ? Can heritage performers challenge the ideology of the cultural institutional in which they perform ? What kind or style of explanation is effective within a drama ? And does stepping in and out of character really help or does it limit heritage performers to representational performances, rather than a lived, embodied experience (for audience as well as actor) ?

This invitation to debate is perhaps contrary to Lance, Kurt and Alice’s interest in non-serious and playful discussion so please feel free to offer stupid answers and insolent images.

Posted by Pollard

For all those who are attending our workshop in Belfast.
Although you are undoubtedly better occupied, we hope you are able to spare ONE moment to digest our missive, viz ~

we offer one PROPOSAL for the purposes of PUBLIC EXCITATION, viz ~

that we open our technological WINDERKAMMER and SEANCE to a small group of interested delegates at a time, viz ~

a. three Groups of ten Persons to be entertained for a PERIOD twenty minS. each commencing in 1530.
b. a Presentation diversely entitled “QUESTION & ANSWER” or “FRESSEN” - for all guests to digest at
HIS pleasure, commencing in 1655.
c. the cessation of ALL Activity in 1715.

each experiencing individual PSYCHICAL TRANSPORT while all & fundry (hence the total number of delegates is requested) shall experience some intellectual STIMULATION, detrimental though it may be to personal health & fafety.

We are assured you will comprehend our MESSAGE in the profound and sincere anticipation it be acceptable to your esteemed felf.

by Graeme Cruickshank historian, stage manager and actor

Christmas 1882. The Yellow Dwarf a “New and Original Burlesque Spectacular Extravaganzaâ€? is staged at Her Majesty’s Theatre London by the Pandora Company.

DIGEST reviews of ‘Queen Kokottina’, ‘Hymen (Cupid)’ and ‘Aureole, King of the Mines’. MARVEL at the innovation of the ’steam curtain’, CHUCKLE at Lockhart’s elephants and SYMPATHISE with Mdlle Pertoldi, principle in ‘The Dolls Quadrille’.

This post is dedicated to the canary-like midget, Mr Lance F.S., who achieved a comparable disaster with his tribute to Irving Pollard’s version of W.G. Darlington’s extravaganza, Alf’s Button in August 2006.

‘Stupidity Improves Your Memory’, a catastrophe by Lance F.S., Kurt Zarniko & Alice Lesley Pocklington can be seen in Belfast 2007

In honour of Irving Pollard’s Victorian origins, Kurt Zarniko, ‘Die Bartige Dame’, & friends, will perform a seance of dummies inspired by this scene from ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ by Charles Dickens.

Good evening. Irving Pollard was born in 1890, and so spent his formative years in the era which invented childhood. My name is Kurt Zarniko: ‘die bärtige Dame’. Over the next few weeks with Alice Lesley ‘Smallpox’ Pocklington, and our impresario, Lance F.S (The Pubic Muse). You are invited to join us as we conjure the lost child.

Due to unforseen circumstances Troubling the Museum has been usurped. We will tell you the new date if we can soon. Instead this will happen: Triangle’s Work In Times of War 15 September 2-6pm Meet at CV1 5QP - The Herbert This is a free event by Triangle, our boss and representative, which will include a presentation by Triangle on Immersive Museum Theatre. We think it will be good for you. Please come. This event will launch Triangle’s Work in Times of War a new DVD archive which investigates Triangle’s Immersive Museum Theatre method. There will be a buffet, something to drink and entertainment. Speakers and guests include performance specialists, and museum professionals, and expressive art teachers. Daina Harvey, Senior Programs & Events Coordinator, National Museum of Australia Dr Paul Johnson, Lecturer in Drama, Wolverhampton University Robin Johnson, Senior Learning Officer, The Herbert Vince Southcott, Deputy Head Teacher, Leigh Primary School, Coventry Carran Waterfield, Artistic Director, Triangle David Pearson, Palatine, the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Dance, Drama and Music For further details please contact: Triangle Office 02476 785170 info@triangletheatre.co.uk supported by Coventry Arts & Heritage

Saturday, September 15, 2007 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
The Herbert, Coventry

Click For further details . Password is Triangle

Please come to see previously unseen film footage shot on super 8 and standar 8 film. Relive the Pollard Trail and watch as the CMP soc prepare menatally and physically for the ardous challenge that faced them during the hot August month.
A symposium to investigate the intersections between terms such as ‘immersive’, ‘interactive’, and ‘virtual’ as they are deployed in ‘living history’ practice, live interpretation, museum display design, and digital arts and heritage. Lively discussion in an innovative format asking in what ways performance and new media practices are troubling the museum.

In the party spirit of the classical symposium we will be encouraging spontaneity, and combining performance, and screenings, with a celebration, some boasting and rigorous discussion.

This event will launch Triangle’s Work in Times of War a new DVD archive which investigates Triangle’s Immersive Museum Theatre method, registration fees include a buffet, something to drink and entertainment.

Speakers and guests include performance specialists, museum professionals, new media artists, and expressive art teachers.

Dr Ross Parry, Lecturer, Department of Museum Studies, Leicester
and author of Museums in the Digital Age (forthcoming Routledge)
Daina Harvey, Senior Programs & Events Coordinator, National Museum of Australia
Dr Paul Johnson, Lecturer in Drama, Wolverhampton University
Robin Johnson, Senior Learning Officer, The Herbert
Vince Southcott, Deputy Head Teacher, Leigh Primary School, Coventry
Carran Waterfield, Artistic Director, Triangle
The CMP Soc, Independent Curators & Artists
David Pearson, Palatine, the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Dance, Drama and Music

supported by Coventry Arts & Heritage

Hello I participate in Mark McGowan’s living history re-enactment of this extraordinary historical moment. For legal reasons I cannot show so much here. There is more here.

Here are some unarchived entries from Kurt’s diary which has recently been discovered and restored. These entries are from the first exhibition of Irving Pollard’s collection in The Herbert.

We will add images as soon as they come to light.