Buzzcut is a performance festival that premiered in Glasgow earlier this year and that describes itself as ‘a celebration of live art in all its idiosyncrasies’.
Bringing experimental performance on a ‘DIY Punk ethic’ to the fringe, Buzzcut epitomises the essence of the Fringe and goes someway to fill the gap left by the Forest Fringe in this year’s programme.
Performing on the evening I went were the artists Richard Dedominici and Louise Orwin. Dedominici gave a presentation of his work; beautifully subversive, it questions our attitude to life in a succinct and hilarious way. The most topical piece of work he presented was quite recent and featured him making his own Olympic Torch tour of the country complete with home-made torch. His intervention into the spectacle came at the pivotal moment after the Olympic sponsor vehicles had passed through the crowds, and before the real Olympic torch bearer had appeared. The audience at Summerhall watched footage of confused onlookers question whether Dedominici was the real torch bearer and why his torch didn’t have a flame. Entertaining and political, this piece perfectly fulfilled Dedominici’s aim in creating ‘the kind of uncertainty that leads to possibility.’
Uncertainty and possibility are two words that could also be used to describe Orwin’s performance, Humiliation Piece.She started her performance by saying she didn’t like to be the centre of attention so she was going to use the evening to decide if this was the career she should pursue. She explained that the audience would dare her to do something with any of the objects on stage- the small stage was covered in items someone might use for a party, among them Lambrini, a padding pool, custard and cake - and she would then ask us a question. Thus followed fragile moments of action including Orwin reading an intimate section from a teenage diary and skipping while singing the words ‘I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo’. Through her masochistic actions and conversations with the audience, Orwin’s personality was slowly revealed. A potent mix of awkwardness and openness, she is certainly a performer to watch. Keep an eye out for Buzzcut; they are certainly producing some interesting work you might want to watch.
