A novel piece that captures the eeriness of being on show
Digital Village is an ambitious performance by fourth year Royal College of Music student James Madrilejo. Whilst this piece would not necessarily appeal to every audience, nobody could deny how innovative and engaging the piece is. It is a digital showcase, combining on screen live performance, pre-recorded videos of puppet shows, nature and actors performing stories. It is an overwhelming experience, the three walls around the traditional performance space are home to the projections. A red light darkens throughout the piece illuminating that empty space.
Madrilejo is focused primarily on storytelling, splitting up the piece into chapters, each focusing on a different story from Filipino folklore, from a range of ethnic groups, told in a different style, from dramatic monologue to the style of a TikTok get ready with me. I found this an effective and novel exploration of folklore. It is surreal, bordering on Lynchian, where the feeling the piece generates is more important than understanding each individual line.
The piece is short, and is meant to be overstimulating, the music underneath many of the stories is eerie and discordant. He is able to create a soundscape that effectively replicates how uncomfortable the prospect of putting yourself on show and being seen can be. The cameras are placed in a way that viewing the performers feels like they are being surveilled. I found myself wishing that the team had taken it one step further, and placed the audience inside the performance space. It would have further heightened the overstimulation, and become truly immersive, removing the distraction of the empty space at the centre. The projections are well designed and interesting, though it would be nice if curtains had been put up over the doors in order to give a flat background to prevent the projections being disrupted.
There are moments of levity and charm, a particular highlight is the monkey story, where the bouncy score and adorable monkey puppet make for a welcome break from how ominous the rest of the piece feels. The TikTok get ready with me was similarly funny, though was undercut as the projection was partially obscured by the doors.
Whilst Digital Village is not perfect, Madrilejo is a student at the start of his career, and has managed to create something different and interesting. I personally am looking forward to seeing what he does next.