IQC - IDENTITY QUOTIENTS CALCULATOR in Magdalena Aotearoa October Vol 36

The second part of a  two part series I wrote about working in performance and video, published on pages  15 -16 Magdalena Aotearoa Newsletter, Issue 36 October 2010. Puts my own artistic practice in the context of the development of women working in film, and disability arts practice both in Aotearoa and Canada. Particularly the mentoring role pf women who came through Canada's Studio D, feminist film  studio;  and my inventing the IQC - Identity Quotients Calculator - a tool for the multiply marginalized! Download the Magdalena Newsletter 36 PDF here. 

Here's a sneak preview:  'Frustrated at times by a lack of understanding of my work, even within/between the various marginalized communities I belong to, I analyzed my work to discover in what context different disciplines have been presented 1999-2009. This resulted in the invention of my Identity Quotients Calculator – IQC ©. If mainstream society of the dominant culture defines ‘normal’ as male, European, middle-class, heterosexual, able-bodied, the further you are away from that, the least likely your work will be presented, commissioned, funded, reviewed in a mainstream context. This I call the Standard Deviation – how far you are away from ‘the norm’. 
 

The more I am physically present in my work, such as performance I am defined as 60% queer; or radio, audio on the web 100% disabled. In film I am 1/3 female, queer, and disabled/human rights activist. When I work in new media I am 50% disabled, 25% human rights activist, and 25% mainstream -  but neither queer nor a woman. When my poetry is published, and I’m not present I am 40% mainstream, and 20% each female, disabled, queer. Go on get out the calculator, work out your own IQC!'

The Magdalena Aotearoa Newsletter is a great read, this issue includes work from around the globe: Kahuku Empress Stiltdance month long residency and performance at the  Cairns Arts Festival in Australia;  Challen Wilson's residency at the Alaskan Indigenous Synergetic Collaboration: Winter with Cathy Rexford in USA; Madeline McNamara and Jack Trolove on critical race theory in theatre as white artists in Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand; Andrea Arial attends and perform Alfonisna with Auckland LAB Theatre Company at the 2 weeks Magdalena project event Vertice Brasil; Sandra Dempster and Sandra Sarala attend a Teatr ZAR workshop to learn the 2000 year old polyphonic Georgion songs in Brzezinka, Poland.

Magdalena Aotearoa cofounder Madeline McNamara wonders in her review of 2 day long sessions to reflect on 10 years since the Magdalena International Festival 1999, and in looking to the furture: 'If a local Magdalena event can actually exist if there is not an international or cross cultural exchange of some kind?'

July 31 2010 the POWER of the SUIT

Radclyffe Hall

If you have been wondering what I might have in common with writers Radclyffe Hall and Anne Frank, actors Marlene Dietrich and Julie Andrews, painter Frida Khalo, and musicians Patti Smith, Grace Jones, Annie Lennox, the Topp Twins, or  k.d.lang - you can find out Saturday July 31 at 7.30pm at the Roundhouse, as part of the Queer Arts Festival  (July 27  - August 4). I can tell you now it is not my musical ability!

I will be the opening act performing the story The POWER of the SUIT before KONCERT KONTINUUM presents an evening of music Crazy For Cole N Co. Come join my meandering personal and historical journey through the wonderful world of androgyny and suit wearing women! Here's a little taste: 'Whatever it was people saw in me as a child, which did not fit their idea of gender, my sister named it by the time I was 6 – Brian…. People are plagued by the question: what are you? Not who, what….When I wear the suit, I am contained, protected, distinct, a one trick pony, a complete package, entirely suit-able, covered from head to toe. No longer vague, indeterminate, in between. There is no question in peoples minds’, they are absolutely sure, I am whatever it is they see, they desire'

Followed by: 'KONCERT KONTINUUM presents a fabulous tribute to celebrated queer composer Cole Porter and his contemporaries, with a showcase of witty vocal repartee, smooth stylings of the saxophone and playful piano patter.

Transport back to the 1920s through to the 1940s, with Porter's sophisticated, brilliant and daring lyrics, his singable catchy tunes, and provocative social commentary of the times. The program is supported by two of his most famous songwriting peers, Hoagy Carmichael and Irving Berlin - both innovators of what are now jazz standards and whose songs are still "in rotation" today. Koncert Kontinuum will deliver their special mix of audience favorite sing-along’s, gorgeous ballads, comic pieces, and of course a few songs with the unexpected KK twist.'

There will be different performances each night, I recommend you check out Jan Derbyshire in Turkey In The Woods Monday | 09 August | 7:30pm. Jan was the one who encouraged me to write The POWER of the SUIT, last year while she was directing me in my show That's so gay! She is awfully smart and funny, and an electrifying performer!

Here's what Jan is dishing up for dinner this year: 'Hale's lover, Peaches wants to tie the knot. Hale wants to throw in the rope.  On the advice of her questionable therapist Hale, hoping to solve some of her commitment 'issues, decides to go home to her family for Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time in ten years. Hale's mother decides not to have the dinner around the dining room table but outside in the woods, just like the pilgrims. The tract of land she choses for the festivities is surrounded by a rifle range. A burnt comedy for those with a certain type of humor. A drama for others.  Lesbian friendly.'

An art exhibition will be up Tuesday 27 July to Saturday 14 August. Gallery Hours: Weekdays 10am - 10pm | Weekends 10am - 430pm. Apparently us literary types who will be performing before many of the shows, will also have an excerpt of our writing on display for the duration of the festival. So you will be able to check out a poem version of the story The POWER of the SUIT, which appears in my poetry chapbook (in) valid.

Chapbook ( in ) valid

My new chapbook of poetry is now available, ( in ) valid, with the 10 poems from my recent performance - the 'extended mix' versions, and so much more! 26 poems, 40 pages. If you like poems that are sensory, silly, sexy, serious, self-identified or about the south pacific, then this if for you!

Contact megtorwl(at)gmail(dot)com for more information or to order.


Listen to Audio MP3 of Poems - (In) valid and The Best Last Day

A Starfish in the Snow

Just back from performing my interdisciplinary show in Calgary at the Big Secret Theatre. Wow, the lovely people at Balancing Acts sure know how to take care of you and put on a great festival with a diversity of happenings! All went well a part from one touch and go moment when the city coping with day 3 of a howling horizontal snowstorm slid to a sleeting stand still! Getting to the theater for my first performance was a challenge!

The show must go on, and it did! Got some great feedback, people love my Identity Quotients Calculator - a tool for the multiply marginalized, it made them laugh a lot in recognition. Many found the show thought provoking. Others loved the hand-bound books with the poems and stories, wanting to know all about their origins. People were warmed by the purple star fish story and slides - and told me of their guardian animals, raven, horse, tiger. The performance inspired some to tell their own stories; others to write poetry or make films again; to embark on multimedia projects.

‘Your ability to weave so many different artistic mediums and issues connected to being ‘other’ is unprecedented. Thank you for your honesty, risk taking, and your original work. It’s a true pleasure to have you perform'.
- Nicole Dunbar. Balancing Acts Festival Producer 2009

Of a preview performance at VIVO:

'It was WONDERFUL to be there Meg. You are SUCH a performance artist, you were so natural up there, your courage is amazing! Loved the seamless flow of music, video, performance, colours. Beautiful weave of humour and pain, goofiness and insightfulness. Your writing is a gift, wise, evocative, truthful. Thank-you for all of it'.
- Mo Simpson

A big THANK YOU to the good people at Balancing Acts, Stage Left Productions, One Yellow Rabbit/Big Secret Theatre; Carousel Theatre, and VIVO Media Arts, for supporting me and my show. Thanks to T, N, and M for the beautiful handmade books. G for taking wonderful photos. Jan for being a great director.

Balancing Acts Commission

Meg Torwl has been commissioned by Balancing Acts Annual Disability Arts Festival in Calgary, Alberta, December 2009, to do a solo spoken word show of poetry and storytelling. Entitled ‘That’s so gay!’ - about solidarity across lines of gender, sexuality, disability, race; and species - in the case of purple star fish! It's about being the only one, not being the only one, times when you wish someone would drop from the sky and help you in the fight against oppression, - sometimes they do! What do the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, brand new blue boots, influential Maori women, grrls in men’s 3 piece suits, and purple star fish have in common? All will be revealed in ‘That’s so gay! Writer and performer Meg Torwl will be directed in 'That's so gay!' by the fantabulous Director Jan Derbyshire