Function

Description:

Function was a performance by Bruce Barber that was composed of two parts.

To begin, actor John Jewell walked through the audience and threw his hat and trench coat on a television monitor positioned on the stage. He sipped whiskey and smoked a cigarette while watching a hypnotic video of train tracks in motion. Meanwhile, Barber and his co-performer Jori Woodman waited in the wings and were visible through the plexiglass doors of a custom made revolving door. They entered and exited the stage, following a rigid path that crossed in front of the television. The end of this first portion was marked by a timer on the screen, that signaled Jewell to turn off the tape. He exited the stage the way he came, stumbling through the audience with his empty whiskey bottle in hand.

The second half of Function featured a performance by Charles Gauthier, who was a regular downtown Vancouver street busker. He performed harmonica with a homemade amplification system, raising questions around what happens when a "public" performance is moved from the outdoors to a more traditional concert venue. 

Function featured lighting by Elizabeth Chitty, sound by Patrick Ready, and scenography by Eric Metcalfe and Hugh Pole.

Rehearsal footage for Function is available upon request.