Blades of Grass is an immersive theatre experience based off the play The Man with the Flower in his Mouth. The title stems from the Man’s final monologue, where he instructs the Customer to find a tuft of grass and count the blades; that’s how many days the Man will have left to live. The request, unsettling at the least, reflects the uncomfortable atmosphere the performance aims to create. In this performance, the Customer is played by the audience. They are free to move about an immersive environment, where it is initially unclear who is an actor and who is not.
Costume Design
The costumes of the Man and the Woman aim to represent an outdated style of dress that could be still considered a normal form of everyday dress. However, dated clothing acts to visually separate them from the actors and audience members once it is realized that their role is different in the performance. Contrasting color schemes reflects the severe differences in personality between the Man and Woman.
Set Design
This piece tests the perimeters of perception by having small, out-of-place details that are intended to be experienced subconsciously. For example, a doorknob being an inch or two too high may create a minimal level of discomfort for audience members. The sum of all these elements is intended to be a generally uncomfortable environment, where visitors are unable to pinpoint the exact cause of their unsettlement. In this way, the perimeters of perception, or the unconscious, is invoked to create a certain environment of the performance space.