Oogly Boogly
Performance Reviews || Monday, 24 April, 2006
Oogly Boogly; part crèche, part science project, was developed by Guy Dartnell, Tom Morris and the latter’s baby daughter. The game was born when Guy managed to keep the young lady entertained with the game for a whole hour, no small feat as toddlers are a notoriously challenging audience, prone to throwing tomatoes when displeased.
Taking place inside an inflatable den created by the ‘Architects of Air’, parents sit with their little ones and a small, enthusiastic team of adult performers who switch their focus between the children, imitating their movements and echoing the noises created.
The game is demanding for the performers playing along as they attempt to faithfully mirror as many of the children’s movements as possible, drawing attention to the incredible amount of energy that kids have to expend.
The charming thing about Oogly Boogly is that none of the action is contrived and everything happens at its own pace. Some of the babies don’t become involved at all in the game, preferring to watch from the safety of their guardian’s lap. There are no toys in the space and the adults sit back from the action and don’t get involved other than to offer parental reassurance to their infants. Background music is unobtrusive, used to denote the start and end of the game rather than as a mood setter. The minimalist setting highlights the interpersonal relationships in the room and if the babies don’t start the game it doesn’t start at all.
The babies’ actions demonstrate the connections that already exist between pre-speakers and ‘grown ups’, and how much these children already understand. Some cotton on really quickly to the fact that they control the game, with hilarious results and an atmosphere of palpable glee in their manipulation of the adults, and enjoyment in being watched.
Oogly Boogly will continue to evolve over time, affected by the performers involved and the unexpected results yielding from play sessions. Many of the performers volunteer to be involved after witnessing the game as guardians, and all share a mix of playfulness and observance that makes them fascinating to the children.
With its honest and unlimited exploration, Oogly Boogly was the perfect foil to the other (non-verbal) performances of BDE, a touching reminder of how we can lose sight of our bodily freedom in the quest to embody a technical ‘perfection’.
For more information on Oogly Boogly visit their website.
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