a multi-media performance incorporating poetry, music, visuals and dance.
(a critical reflection on time)
— a provisional version, open to improvement! —
Backdrop (either a real prop or a pre-fab projection onto a big screen):
a giant clock with 2 people tied to the hands of the clock, which move sometimes slow, some times fast, eventually then stops and moves backwards, which allows the captives to free themselves and dance a tribal dance of freedom)
Choir:
intro: playback of “Time” demo version by Pink Floyd, eventually fades into
a choir of interwoven spoken and sung:
Chronos eats soul ! – Tempus Edax Rerum!
ending with a “crash-endo”
(short silence, interrupted by a metronome
leading into a simple monotonous 4/4 percussion piece)
Watch it and clock out (male rap)
measuring time is a crime
the clock has disturbed our natural rhythm
and only because we grew up as we did
we don’t know what we are missing
the clock is the violation of the true vibration
every wristwatch a shackle and chain
the clock imprisons body and soul from inside our brain
(choir)
my mind has been polluted
my energy diluted
I’m feeling all deluded
I have been excluded (or: my soul has been intruded)
(female rap)
I’m out of sync
I’ll soon be extinct
if I don’t restore
my (natural) instinct
(choir)
my mind has been polluted
my energy diluted
I’m feeling all deluded
I have been excluded (or: my soul has been intruded)
(female + male rap)
finally I must speak out
watch out – watch out
and never never mind
never mind the crowd
(female rap)
I make my own choice
I sound my own voice
I claim my own rhythm
I feel what I am missing
(male rap)
I get on my bike
I do what I like
it’s entirely my decision
and I give myself permission
(simple monotonous 4/4 percussion piece changes into a lively improvisation and eventually stops)
Time Out In Time
(live painters in the background (or a projection of them) start writing: “your session has timed out!”)
(simple 6/8 background rhythm)
(male narrator, in an outgoing manner with expression)
Chronos, the god of time has not been appointed
by the 2-legged animals on the third rock from the sun
but there are rumours he might have created the universe
with the help of a serpentine
be that as it may
it does not really matter
but I can tell you
Chronos doesn’t care how the body feels at any time
Chronos doesn’t even consider any feelings or the soul
the problem is this:
Chronos never stops
Chronos didn’t even notice the invention of the clock
because he never stops – he never stops!
Chronos does not hear tic nor toc of billions of clocks
he just does not listen at all nor does he take any notice
how everything unfolds and closes in
and even a secondhand second hand
fixed to a broken inherited clock
is a razor sharp and bloody sword.
(simple 6/8 background rhythm plus KlingKlongs)
we have to stop to console ourselves
and make a conscious choice
to raise our voice
and shout out loud
“it is not too late – we will change our fate!”
we can wake ourselves up
and stop staring at the rectangular omniverse
of the prescribed media on the screens
in our cozy and comfortable dying rooms
we can wake up, get up, open the door
and step outside.
(live painters in the background (or a projection of them) finish writing the sentence: “your session has timed out!”)
Sorry, your session has timed out a long time ago
and the simple reason for this is
that we just did not notice
when the mechanical clock was invented
and that it would eventually spread like cancer even to the most remote corners of the earth
but no-one was alarmed at the time
(simple 6/8 background rhythm stops)
(a scary clown stumbles on stage, loughs hysterically and recites repeatedly:)
die zeit die luft im sauseschritt
Eins, zwei, drei, wir laufen mit
(stops and shrugs and says: “I know that was not helpful!”)
(narrator:)
now we, the 2-legged animals, are slaves
we have to watch out and clock in
we better function in order to justify our existence
as we always did since hundreds of years
we don’t want to obstruct the holy clockwork!
or do we? – do we?
well, there is a thought that even feels right
(choir in a rhythmic way:)
maybe we can stop the time terror
maybe we can stop this time error
and get rid of the terror time
and just stop – yes stop!
(a moment silence)
(percussionists start “expanding” KonKeLo bells and one drummer playing AfroWaltz as reference, dancers move playing shakers
(narrator:)
why not?
can you imagine!
why obey any longer and whom actually?
we can go back to our natural rhythm
we are 2-legged animals
we are capable
we can walk – we can drop
we can talk – we can stop
it’s our own decision
we can go back to the natural rhythm
day – night
dark vastness – bright light
we are not mechanical
we are multi-dimensional
we are alive!
(KonKeLo AfroWaltz improvisation, eventually stops))
Cut myself loose
(female + male rap over simple 4/4 DeGeDoGo drum piece)
I shout out loud
what about
time out – time out
count me out
don’t tie me
don’t time me
don’t tie me
don’t tie me down
I can’t be tied down
I need to be free
free, free, free
(the 2 people free themselves by cutting the ropes that ties them to the hands of the clock and dance a tribal dance of freedom)
(choir in a melodic way:)
and finally, finally, finally
I am free, free, free
I open my 3rd eye
what a surprise
we crossed the abyss
timeless bliss!
(dance and percussion 4/4 improvisation plus jaws harp + flute)
Animal Sense (Think Body)
(male singer, maybe TW ?)
before we get rid – of every -ism
we need to intensely practice animalism
we can sense what we’re missing
it’s a simple and earthy natural rhythm
when finally all the numbers run into one
the mind stops thinking and bodies are having fun
our souls enjoying themselves in the warmth of the sun
a new life has just begun
(chorus sung by choir)
think with your body – feel with your mind
think with your body – feel with your mind
let your nose and feet find the way
always – anytime – each and every day
let your nose and feet find their way
right now and each and every day
(Bamboo-phone, log-phone, shakers)
Magic Forest (spoken by several speakers)
(little written notes – or: small posters?, given to various members of the audience to read out loud or hold up)
long time ago
the 2- legged animals lived a simple life
in the magic forest
magic times long time ago
we better strive to be alive
to get on with living life.
listening, moving, grooving
to the eternal rhythm
inside the the cosmic prism
dancing forever
in any weather
free and easy
moving slowly
in flow motion only
it’s a long dance
it’s a chance
to go slow and flow
is the eternal way of letting go
_________________________________________________________________
(Maybe it could END here or it could carry on, I’m not sure at this stage)
(=) (sung)
yaaaaoooown – a new dawn
yawn – a new dawn
(=) (Bougarabou starts again in 3s)
(=) (caxixi + temple block)
we wake up centuries ago
back in Africa – back in Africa
no printed words – no printed numbers
no watch, no clock – no tick tock
tick tock – tick tock – no tick tock
centuries ago back in Africa
(=) (caxixi + temple block stop)
(=) (spoken)
when God made time
he made plenty of it
and it’s getting more all the time
no media back then, no screens back then no distractions – just life itself
(=) (goat hooves start)
just nature – plenty of it
roots and fruits
and spirits – plenty of them
the spirits of the ancestors
the ones that came before us
our creators – the ancestors
without the ancestors
there would be no creation
always remember
remember the ancestors
(=) (sung)
they speak thru drums
they speak thru bells
animals and plants
they speak as well (2x)
they speak mysterious words
mysterious words
(=) (spoken)
mysterious words
in another language
in a foreign tongue
(=) (goat hooves stop) (=) (sung)
I know – I don’t know (Bougarabou stops)
I know – I don’t know…
(=) (KonKeLo on red dead bell)
(=) (spoken)
the eternal language of always
for ever and ever and ever
always
plentiful, fearless and timeless
timeless, fearless and plentiful
always
language of the soul
no aim – no goal
for ever and ever and ever
(=) (sung)
being all one
here and beyond the sun
eternal waves, unstoppable rhythm
feel and listen – feel and listen
(=) (KonKeLo stops)
(=) (Bougarabou starts 4s – degedogo)
(=) (sung)
everything is moving – grooving
everyone is moving
(=) (caxixi) (=) (kind of rapping)
all are listening
taking in – listening
inside out – outside in
let’s begin – let’s spin
(=) (chanting)
around and around
in spirals and circles
around and around
spiraling out of control
no wanting anything
no aim – no goal
just feeling the body
and freeing the soul
around and around
and upside down
blissful smiles – no need to frown
around and around
in spirals and circles
around and around
loose your mind
all around
there’s so much to find
loose your mind
never mind – never mind
we can leave it all behind
when we choose to loose our mind
there’s so much to receive
there’s so much to retrieve
c’mon everybody join in
it’s communal healing
re-born with a new feeling (2x)
__________________
(put this in also ???)
???Reduction??? (stop the wicked over-creation)
I’m very unhappy
I’m feeling really crappy
that’s when the program kicks in
the program kicks in
the program kicks in
I must go shopping
shopping – shopping!
I’m feeling low
and here I go
I’m shopping for love
for a little love
but love is not for sale
shopping will always fail
need less, buy less
re-cycle more
is my own guess
I look out of my window
I look out of my door
I step outside
I look all around
and feel my feet
on the ground
where our ancestors walked
let’s appreciate what we got
there’s so much we can do without
that’s certain – without a doubt
let’s spend less money
for things we don’t need
things that won’t make us happy
we can reduce – we can re-use
there’s really nothing to lose
no need for greed
no need for speed
speed is often simply greed
go slowly – take your time
and please don’t take mine
time is yours – time is mine
let’s work less to earn money
let’s taste our own honey
let’s not buy unnecessary things
that soon will end up in the bins
it’s enough to enjoy just to be
money only for an emergency
for our essential and real needs
we can make things ourselves
we can re-use and invent
no need for abuse and to over-spend
there’s a lot we can do
we – that is me and you