SOIREE and SON OF SOIREE
SOIREE. Performed by Mara Ravins and Caroline Mardon (Static Interference) and Simon Jacobs on violin, at the Cabana Room, Spadina Hotel, April 10, 1982.
This is a performance about birth, death and etiquette to the accompaniment of live violin music.
A table with red roses sits by three chairs. A dead rabbit sits in the centre chair. (homage to Joseph Beuys). Ten pounds of chicken feet spilling from an evening bag border the performance area.
Caroline and Mara roll in a watermelon. They saw it into small pieces and offer some to the rabbit. Mara monopolizes the attention of the rabbit with a banal monologue, while discreetly removing smelts from her brassiere. Caroline insists on interrupting with her suicide attempts which eventually bring her gasping to Mara’s feet. Caroline tears at Mara’s dress, complimenting it voraciously. Mara takes off the dress and throws it at Caroline, who goes into labour. Mara eats roses. Caroline gives birth to a large fish. Mara goes into reverse labour and pushes the rabbit inside her. Caroline talks incessantly to the fish, now seated in the rabbit’s chair. Mara bites off the head of a rose and aborts the rabbit with the stem.
Silence. Caroline and Mara turn toward each other, inflate transparent balloons and exit.
SON OF SOIREE. Performed by Mara Ravins and Caroline Mardon (Static Interference) and Simon Jacobs on violin at Cafe Concert, April 15, 1982.
Same performance but we added the following: We hung two large, muddy windows in front of the chairs. Caroline and Mara excuse themselves from the company of the rabbit and go up to the windows. Caroline checks herself for body odours and mimes a series of social gestures while Mara removes a large smelt from her clutch purse, tears off its head and ecstatically dabs it over her breasts and neck. Caroline returns to her seat and unsuccessfully tries to entice the rabbit with her rehearsed social mannerisms.
