2012 Overview

Research

Papers

Walton, R & Oliver, J, “Disrupting The Gaze: Transdisciplinary Reflections On Mobile Media And Theatre Production, Through Alma Mater (2011)”, The Second International Conference on Transdisciplinary Imaging at the Intersections between Art, Science and Culture, University of Melbourne, Australia, 23 June 2012

Oliver, J & Walton, R, “Domesticating Performance in the Digital Age: Alma Mater (2011) and the Using Mobile Video in Theatre-Making”, Somatics and Technology Conference 2012, The University of Chichester, UK, 23 June 2012

Keynote

Walton, R, “Digital Media in Community Performance: A New Model for Participation”, Theatre Planning Network, Olympic Centre, Tokyo, Japan, 5 June 2012

Publications

Walton, R, “3 days in Japan as a guest of the Theatre Planning Network”, Theatre and Policy (Issue 74), published in japanese translated from english by Kaori Nakayama, Theatre Planning Network, Japan, August 2012

Performances

Alma Mater @ Scotland Street School Museum, Friday 28 – Saturday 30 September 2012, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Scotland Street School Museum, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Alma Mater, 26 May –  2 June 2012 theaterszene europa 2012, studiobühneköln, Cologne, Germany

Alma Mater, 1–12 May 2012 Battersea Arts Centre, London, England, UK

Alma Mater, 18 April – 13 May 2012 Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne, Australia

Press

Australian – Overview here

Bailey, J, “liberation and/or annihilation”, RealTime issue #109 June-July 2012 pg. 24

Dawkins, U “The Blank Slate Comes Alive: Fish & Game’s Alma Mater”, Arts House commissioned article, online, April 12 2012.

Powers, L “Ushering in a new intimacy”, The Age, 7 April 2012

Weber, KE, “Alma Mater – Spine-tingling iPad Theatre In The Confines Of An Intimate White Room.”, TheatrePeople, online, 6 April 2012

Gill, R, “iPad takes theatre into creepy, spooky new dimension”, The Age, 18 April 2012

Braybrooke, S, “Alma Mater” ArtsHub, online, 20 April 2012

Robert Walton and Elidh MacAskill also discussed Alma Mater in features on live radio interviews for ABC 774, Radio SYN FM and RRR.  Alma Mater was also featured on Channel 10’s The Project live on 20 April 2012, seen by 1 million people across Australia.

Alma Mater was Critic’s Choice in Time Out and featured in a number of other publications as previews, articles or reviews, including mX, Catalyst, Melbourne City Weekly, LaLa, Theatre Alive, The Australian, Around You, The Drama Teacher, The Melbourne Leader, The Music, Aussie Theatre and Beat Magazine.

German – Overview here

Linden, T, “The Body Becomes Dough”, Kölnische Rundschau, (German) (translated by studiobühneköln), 29 May 2012

Bos, C, “A Display That Means The World” Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (German) (translated by studiobühneköln), 1 June 2012

Engagement

Workshops

Intimate Spaces: Horror, Wonder, Desire and the Perception of Presence Full day workshop for professional dancers, theatre makers and digital artists at theaterszene europa festival, Cologne, Germany. 31 May 2012

Facilitating/Chairing Public Events

Fight The Landlord – Arts Centre Melbourne Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series Pan Pan Theatre (Ireland) and the Beijing Square Moon Culture Company (China). Post-show discussion with performers, artistic director and writer Sun Yue and designer Gao Yiguang.  31 August 2012.

Clouds Above Berlin – Arts House Melbourne – Post-show discussion with performer/choreographers Anthony Hamilton and Melanie Lane.  8 March 2012

Zombatland! – Arts House Melbourne – Post-show discussion with Suitcase Royale.  14 March 2012

Boards

NextWave Curatorial Advisory Committee 2012-2013, selecting artists for the Kickstart programme and the NextWave Festival.  Representing Theatre and Live Art/Performance.

Learning and Teaching

Introduced the new Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre Practice) at the Victorian College of the Arts which commenced in February 2012.

Subject Coordination

  • Acting and Performance Making 1A
  • Performance Practice 1A
  • Acting and Performance Making 1B
  • Performance Practice 1B
  • The Actor’s Process

Social Gaming – International Collaboration

Skype based performance project in collaboration with 1st year BFA Theatre Practice students, Arts Centre Melbourne’s Digital Hub, Amitesh Grover (New Delhi), Sapidah Kian, Rosie Hinde and The Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series.  The students created intimate one-to-one performances for an Indian audience who accessed their work via live Skype link-up.  The students also led local teams of participants who played with and against live teams in New Delhi, India.  As guest artist Amitesh Grover gave tutorials and feedback on student performances via Skype from India.  October/November 2012.