I want my show to begin with a big statement. This will be done via lights and sound bursting in together. But the issue came in how I should do this. Because I want to use a few audience members I have been exploring ideas of selection, first randomly and then by myself.
The idea I had was to use a seating plan of the performance and mark off four random seats which would represent the four random audience members that will be used in my performance. I would project the image of the seating plan on the back wall of the performance area so the audience could see.
Simultaneously, a spotlight would flick onto the audience member corresponding to the shotgun marked seat on the seating plan, accompanied by the sound of the shotgun;
I would then proceed to take the audience members who were lit and place them one in each spotlight.
This would include the audience in the performing destroying a barrier at the beginning in a similar way to Tim Crouch. Eventually as the play developed each audience member will be used as a prop. Hopefully awkwardness will drift in and out as the selected member becomes conscious they are on view even if the focus is not on them. Also starting at a high energy will engage the audience from early on, which I believe in such a short piece is vital.
The problem with this idea is that if the piece was not sold out and the necessary chairs were vacant, there would immediately be an awkward flow to the show.
As a sold out show cannot be guaranteed, I now need to find alternatives to ensure I have an impact at the start to my show.