Foursome, a radio work in which I invited four choreographers to translate Beckett’s wordless movement piece Quad for a radio audience. They performed various attempts: describing in words as they watched the piece and then from memory, moving in space and on the page, circling around a microphone and then the microphone circling around them.
The empty center which is avoided at all costs in Quad is here embodied by a piece which surrounds another without ever taking hold of it. Foursome is a disorienting, disordered, and disarticulated narrative where mis-interpretation is foregrounded. A quadraphonic quadrangle where voices, paces, and noises are intertwined to concoct a radio portrait of a most un-radiogenic work. Each episode traced its unique trajectory, always meandering and provisional.
Commissioned by the Tate Online Radio Art Commissions of the Intermedia Art division (now defunct) of the Tate in conjunction with Resonance 104.4 FM. A bit more info here. Launched as part of UBS Openings: The Long Weekend 2007. Broadcast on Resonance in four episodes on May 26 and 28, 2007.
Recorded at The Pines (now defunct) by Dave Bryant.
The transcript and drawing on the right were published (the latter as book cover) in Beckett and Musicality, eds. Sara Jane Bailes and Nicholas Till (Ashgate, 2014).
Scroll down for REVIEWS.
Foursome (or Blind Drawings by Four Choreographers of Beckett’s Quad)
Foursome (or Blind Drawings by Four Choreographers of Beckett’s Quad) [detail]
EPISODE 1
Tammy Forsythe: Play, pause. Press play. Ok, there alright. Quadrat I + II, von Samuel Beckett. Ok, sorry, movement four, never mind. Ok, around the edges, squared.
One comes in, two comes in, three comes in, four comes in. Then they disappear in the dark. Let’s see. Pivot 1.
Marie-Claude Poulin: They walk, quite fast, like someone is behind them or more led by a thought, a single thought, which is carrying them from one place to the other.
Dana Gingras: A square, one figure, diagonal line, a circle, black center spot moving around the center avoiding the center up to the outside.
k.g. Guttman: An empty space. Quad 1. I think it is wood. By Samuel Beckett. There is only light on the square. And a figure appears. Figure 2. Starts walking in a steady rhythm.
Light only lit. Figure 2, two figures. Around the border and square. So, defining the space through him walking or walking. I think the focus is…
MCP: They walk, quite fast, like someone is behind them or more led by a thought, a single thought, which is carrying them from one place to the other. Insects or I don’t know like
destiny is decided already. They cross each sometimes, coincidence. The circle in the center. Changing direction. Head down. The thought is leaving nothing behind. No past.
Feet, quick feet, and joined hands, head down. Heavy heavy back. Curved upper back. Invisible walls. Corners. Only the corners blocked by the walls. The mental, mental is very
present. The dress is floating on the floor. Shadows. Together, but very alone. More alone than together. Parallel. Avoiding, only avoiding. Going only forward. Nothing backwards. Infinite.
There’s like a dance sometimes, like a dance, a conscious dance. Shadows. Four people, four shadows. The white center. Dirty, dirty floor. A space which is square, which is not too big.
Like suspended in the dark. Like if the dark was infinite, so a square which is defined by its color. And, it’s maybe grainy, maybe a bit yellow, brown. There’s light on it. And it’s finishing
where the darkness starts. I think there’s four people, maybe three. but I think four. And they are are occupying the space, they advance. I don’t know if they walk, but they are not static.
They move very slowly and their path is also defining the limits of their space. They are quite regular in their speed. And they make me feel the presence of time, or the unfolding of time.
A bit like sand which is falling into an hourglass. I think they have a costume. I think each of them is dressed in a monochrome costume. I’m not sure. I feel the four corners of that space.
They stop, maybe. And they start again. I can watch forever. I feel that this space is suspended in a bigger space, but also suspended in time. I don’t know from where the light is coming.
I don’t know who are these people. And they go forward. I don’t think they go backward. I think they can only go forward. They have something on their head, each covering their hair.
We don’t see the hair. We see… I don’t remember if we see the faces. It’s like I remember the face but without nose, mouth and eyes. I think one is blue and maybe the other is red, and
the other yellow. But I’m not sure, maybe they are also only dressed the same color like the floor. I don’t remember exactly. I think they are more walking than anything else. I think they
look… they stop their eyes somewhere like a punctuation in their trajectory. I don’t know if they go lower, if they sit or they walk down. I don’t think, I think they just walk. They are walking
around or they are walking along the borders. And maybe they overpass sometimes each other. Maybe they walk together sometimes. I don’t know if they look back. Maybe the space is
bigger, because they need space, they are four people. But at the same time the space appears small to me. Because the outside space is very present. I don’t know if they are moving
maybe their hands, their fingers, small gestures, like their eyes which stop. And it’s like they are sliding very slowly on the surface of the floor, like they would be transported without effort.
TF: Blue screen. Press play, pause. Circle.
KJG: A figure appears, walking in a steady rhythm.
TF: Ok, never mind.
KJG: Around the corner. Defining the space through.
TF: Ok, never mind. Around the edges, square.
DG: Diagonal, straight, circle. Second figure.
TF: Ok. One two three. Pivot. Their arms are folded.
KJG: I would say there is a kind of steadiness to it.
DG: Bigger moves, two figures moving around the center point.
TF: There doesn’t seem to be any set pattern. One two three stop.
KJG: Focuses down. Figure 2. Figure 2, two figures.
TF: A square.
DG. Shadows. Figures.
KJG: Pivot.
DG: There’s something in the center. Avoiding.
KJG: One orange figure.
One two three four five. One two three four. One two three. One two three four five pivot. There is no eye contact between. There’s no visible stuff along. Keeping track. Figures. Pivot.
Immediacy. Approach. There’s all this darkness around the square. Avoiding. Pattern. Bodies leaning forward. Coming from. In a consistent pattern. There’s a grid. Shadow. Fluidity. Avoiding.
Pivot. Four figures. Looking down. Lonely. Pivot. Wait a minute. Made for television. One figure. Back to the exterior, go the edges of the quadrant. One two three four. Two figures. Go through
the edges. Pivot. Counter-clock. Steady, firm, circling halfway. A map.
Go forward. Two figures, three figures. Corners. Torture. Around the outside. Pivot. Wait. Top of it. Center. One two three four. One two three four five. An incompletion. Pivot. Twice. Ok. Wait.
Move. Ok. Steady. They are going, they’re going. Steady. Semi-circle. Sharp corners. Figures one two three and four. No circling. Small, together. Pivot. They seem to be falling forward. They
are moving slower.
Together. Pivot. Coming together. Impossible to describe. I don’t know how big the square was. Pivot. Corners, face down. Towards the center. Pivot.
Pivot. Pivot. One two three four five six. Corner. Exterior. Where they come from. Four figures behind. Pivot one two three four five six. Wait.
Falling forward. In front of the body, lilting, lurching. A body walks. Makes a triangle, pivots. Avoids white figure. Avoids yellow figure. Sometimes it’s more acute, more sharp. Kind of cultish figure.
Looks cultish. Quite bright. Avoiding the center. Always avoiding. Lugubrious. Bowing.
Silent steps.
EPISODE 2
An empty space, Quad
1, I think it’s wood, by Samuel Beckett, there’s only light on the square and a figure appears, figure
2, starts walking in a steady rhythm light only lit, figure
2,
2 figures, around the border, on square, so, pivot, defining the space through, approach, him walking or her walking, there’s no pausing, I think the focus is down, black perimeter, or I imagine the
focus to be down, pivot, I would say, pivot, there’s kind of a steadiness to it, and the second figure, black rim, catches on to the steadiness, there’s, entering the system, one orange figure, focus
is down,
1
2
3
4
5, spine is curved,
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5, staring at feet, avoid the circle, the two figures don’t look at each other I would imagine, there are three figures, around the center, they are quite equidistant apart, shuffle around, they are only on
the edges, they are magical feet, three figures, and the third figure, crossing, would enter into that kind of, crossing three figures crossing, the entrances are not noticeable, this is all going way too
quickly, shadow on the figures, getting ahead of myself, yellow figure, focus is down, leaning forward, there’s no eye contact between the figures, figures in a triangle, only looking down at the feet,
pivot, there’s no taking, around the outside, there’s no, pivot, planning, ok, turning quickly, fourth box, four figures, absorption with the space, case down, getting mixed up which, pivot, who is which,
pivot, which is which, looking down, who is who, there’s an approach, kind of a lozenge, and a retreat, shoulders hunched, many times, shadow, so much so that approach looks like, crossing, the
retreat, and the retreat looks like the approach, avoiding each other, again looking down, tips, I wonder if any, pivot, turn, at any time any of the figures look up, towards the tips, I think that is not allowed,
constant, in the system, away from the center, towards the tips, burning, everyone is wearing shoes, loud shoes, four figures, each at a corner, maybe that’s why everyone’s looking down, slowly, and
the fourth figure emerges, avoiding the center, there’s kind of a fluidity, one approaches, to their movements, one retreats, one exits two are left, and it’s quite,
1
2
3
4
5
6, amazing that they are all looking down, around the perimeter walking, retreating, blue figure leaves, facing each other and then, counterclockwise, pulling at the last minute, shuffle yes shuffle, looking
down, maybe they can see each other’s heels, one figure, steady, around the perimeter, shuffle, always around the perimeter, pivot, two figures facing each other, triangle after, near the center, insistence,
around, around outline, I don’t know on what, no circling, straight lines, kind of insistence, to the work, turning the corner shuffle, yellow figure, pivot, maybe insisting on, cross the center turn, approaching,
yellow figure has disappeared, corner are big, white figure has disappeared, they make the perimeter, crossing, they fix the perimeter, blue, go forward, as a shadow turns, red has a shadow, upper left hand
page, pivot, turn, four steps, it’s not broken, they’re going they’re going, it’s incredibly, pace is steady, steady, faces down, and loud, there’s no light on the perimeter, ya I would say the piece is really loud, last
box, one figure, retreating, no it’s quite quiet, blue figure, there’s a kind of silent inner, turn, approach and retreat, and going away, back up, avoid the center, approach and retreat, walks turn coming together
now, coming together, figures
1
2
3 and
4,
1
2
3
4
5
6, all have sharp corners, perimeter, corner
1
2
3
4
5
6, then crossing the square, corner, I imagine they cross the space completely but sometimes they have to stop, towards each other, and, two figures, turn only 90 degrees so they don’t, turn it around, backs
into each other, quite complete, so it is always, towards the center, an incompletion, medium fast ya, across the space, no gaze, steady, bottom right, towards incompletion, steady incomplete, quite quick, sharp
corners, gaze down, figures
1
2
3 and
4,
1 silent,
2 silent,
3, blue figure,
4 turning clockwise,
5 steps,
6 maybe, very steady, there’s no increase, there’s no crescendo, figures are direct, there’s an accumulation of figures
1
2
3 and
4, across the space, they don’t walk backward, pivot, blue figure and strangely, corner, I would say, approach the center, towards the corner, avoid the center, it’s not about the center, the perimeter, it’s about the
lines, the white figure, no it’s about the feet,
1
2, they look down,
4 figures behind, they turn corners, exited, the feet keep walking, red figure following blue figure,
1
2
3 towards the center, pivot, in hard shoes, I’m not doing this in the right order, I can’t imagine the ending, walking, pause, I have no idea what the fuck the ending is, turn, the tempo is medium, tempo, there’s an acceleration,
is medium, and the figures meet, no circling, and cross, approaching center, but generally tempo is medium, makes the triangle, I am imagining the, just triangles, sometimes, and squares, pattern that each figure makes,
yellow figure, sometimes, red figure, it is a 90 degree corner, avoids blue figure, there are no faces, avoids white figure, shoulders and feet mostly, avoids yellow figure, more acute, corner not the center, figures are tall just
shoulders and slim, he distinguishes the center from the corner, more sharp, sluggish, but there’s a steady rhythm, ahead of retreating blue figure, in each step, corner, tracing the square not the center, so corner, no matter
what, white figure is, sometimes the body shifts more acutely, yellow figure behind red figure, sound is loud but steady, because the weight, red figures behind blue, is heard, going forward, turning, through each step, four
bodies, there’s not an attack necessarily, center’s lit, against the floor with the foot but there’s a, quite bright, kind of solid landing, avoiding the center, it’s about contact, three figures, full foot contact, sluggish, I would say
that the gaze looking down, approaching the center, creates a curve in the spine, but hesitant.
A square
one figure diagonal line
a circle black center spot moving around the center
avoiding the center up to the outside
moving around the outside straight line
diagonal into the center around
moving to the opposite corner diagonal straight circle
second figure enters I can’t remember if the color is blue, red, yellow or white
a hooded figure
lit so that there’s a shadow in front of the figure as the figure moves
two figures moving around the center point
moving around each other moving around the outside
triangles a square circles
numbers four three two
a third figure enters
moving in the same pattern
frantic stepping
moving around
moving around a center point
there’s something in the center
they avoid something
avoiding
not sure what the intention is
pivoting
pivoting around
pivoting around the center
avoiding the center
there’s a fourth figure
a fourth figure enters
again I can’t remember the color if it’s blue yellow red white
huddled hurried
they’re moving around each other
keeping
keeping track
keeping track
it continues
we’ve lost a figure
we have three figures in the space
there’s an urgency
very very clear parameters
a border an outline
I started to think about the space outside of the square
there’s all this darkness around the square
triangle within a square
the veiled hooded figures huddled marching moving
there are shadows
shadows outside of the box
where did the figures come from?
is there a backstage?
where did they come from?
they come they enter they leave
I want to know what’s outside of the box
they move in a consistent pattern
tense tension an elastic pulling equidistant
space in between figures
the negative space the shapes colors
obsessive
what’s in the center?
we’ve lost a figure
three figures two figures one figure
it starts again
one two three four around the center
out to the edge around
what is it about the center?
what is it about the center that is so compelling?
steady steady firm
a map there’s some kind of map
an inner logic
so the figures continue doing this pattern
it continues.
And it’s like they are sliding very slowly on the surface of the floor like they would be transported from… without that they have to make an effort.
step step step step
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
center
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
turn step step step step figures one step step step step avoid center step step step step
ououououououououououououou
center step step step step pivot three figures step step step step
around the border
focus is down
spine is curved
staring at feet
there’s no eye contact between the figures
only looking down at the feet
they stop they stop they step they stop
maybe
and they and they and they start again
maybe maybe
and they start again
again looking down
and they start again
ouououououou ouououououou ouououououou
there’s kind of a fluidity to their movements
insistence
maybe insisting on approaching and retreating
they fix the perimeter
it’s incredibly steady and loud
I would say the piece is very loud
approach and retreat
turn back up
approach and retreat
turn go forward
there’s no crescendo
so it’s constant
and strangely, I would say, it’s not about the center
it’s about the lines
they turn corners
the feet keep walking
they look down
I can’t imagine the ending
I’m not sure what the ending is
when the figures meet and cross
the tempo is medium
there’s an acceleration
sometimes the body shifts more acutely
but there is a steady rhythm
in each step
no matter what
step step step step corner step step step center around the center avoid center
step step step step
enter fourth figure
step step step step
corner
step step step step
through center
step step step step
step step step step
step step step step
go around and pivot
step step step step
corner
step step step step
fourth figure exits
step step step step
center
step step step step
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
corner
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
step step step corner corner
around the perimeter
black exterior
lit center
step step step
approach look down
step step step step
start retreat
corner step
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I see a square a space which is square which is not too big like suspended in the dark
like if the dark was infinite so a square which is defined by its color and its maybe grainy maybe a bit yellow brown there’s light on it and its finishing where the darkness starts I think there’s four people maybe three
but I think four and they are occupying the space they advance I don’t know if they walk but they are not static they move very slowly and their path is also defining the limits of their space they are quite regular in their
speed and they make me feel the presence of time or the unfolding of time a bit like sand which is falling into an hourglass I think they have a costume I think each of them is dressed in a monochrome costume I am not
sure I feel the four corners of that space they stop maybe and they start again I can watch forever I feel that this space is suspended in a bigger space but also suspended in time I don’t know from where the light is
coming I don’t know who are these people I think there’s women and also men and they go forward I don’t think they go backwards I think they can only go forward and sometimes take pauses they have something
on their head which covers their hair we don’t see their hair I don’t remember if we see their faces it’s like I remember the face but without nose, mouth and eyes.
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
step step step step step step step step step
avoid center go around
step step step step step step step step step
go go go go go
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
around the center
ououououououououououououou ououououououououououououou
A square in the center of the image—a white hooded figure moves around the square—now there’s a second person dressed the same but in blue—they move along the lit square in the center of the image—
they move along the sides of the square—then towards the center—they avoid each other—then go back to the corners—then along the edges then back to the center—avoid each other at the center—now there’s
a third one that comes in red one—so there’s red blue and white—along the edges—towards the center—avoid each other—back into the corner all in unison—now there’s a fourth one that just came in at the top right
—so a yellow a blue a red and a white—along the edges—they all walk towards the center—avoid each other—turn around—back to the edges—center—corners—walk along the edges of the square—towards the
center of the square—avoid each other to the corners—walk along the edges center—now the white one left—so there’s just three the yellow red and blue ones—they go towards the center—avoid each other—
go to the corners—walk along the edges—then into the center—walk towards the corner—then along the edges—the blue one just left at the bottom left of the screen—so there’s just the yellow and red left—they
walk along the edges—walk towards the center—avoid each other—go towards the corner—walk along the edges—walk towards the center—avoid each other—go towards the corner—walk along the edges—walk
towards the center—walk towards the corner—the red one has left—so it’s just the yellow one by itself—walks towards the center—avoids the center—walks to the corner—walks along the edges—walks towards
the center—corner—edges—center—walks to the corner—walks along the edges—back to the other corner—the white has just come in—it’s the white and yellow now—they walk towards the edges—from one
corner to the other—back towards the center—avoid each other and the center—into the corner—walk along the edges—now walk towards the center—they walk towards the corner—walk along the edges to the
other corner—now walk down to the center—avoid each other—go back to the corner—the red one just came in at the bottom right of the screen—they walk towards to the center—walk into the corner—walk
along the edges—back into the center—back into the corner—walk along the edges—towards the center—into the corner—walk along the edges—they all walk around at the same speed—you hear the shuffling
of the feet—the fourth one just came in at the bottom left of the screen—so there’s four of them now—blue red yellow and white—walk towards the center—they go to the corners—walk along the edges to the
other corner—back to the center—avoid each other—they go into the corners—walk along the edges—back into the corner—they go towards the center—walk along the edges—back into the corner—the yellow
has left—the three of them now walk along the edges—go towards the center—and walk along the edges—from the corner going into the center—avoid each other—go back into the corner—the move back into
the center—into the corner—the white one just left from the top left of the screen—it’s just red and blue left—walk along the edges—into the center—avoid each other and the center—and go to the corner—walk
along the edges—back towards the center—and to the corner—and the edges—back towards the center—avoid each other—into the corners—the red one just left at the bottom right of the screen—so it’s just
blue left—walk along the edges—to the corner—go into the center—avoid the center itself—go to the other corner—walk along the edges—back towards the center—walk towards the corner—along the edges
now—back towards the center—avoid the center—yellow one just came back from the top right of the screen—yellow and blue walk towards the edges—now towards the center—avoid each other—back into
the corner—walk along the edges—back into the center—they go back towards the corner—walk along the edges—back into the center—avoid each other—go back to the corner—the white one just came in
at the top left of the screen—go into the corner—walk along the edges—walk towards the center—avoid each other and the center—go into the corners—walk along the edges—back into the center—avoid each
other—go into the corners—walk along the edges—back into the center—back into the corner—the bottom right of the screen the red one just came in—there’s four of them blue red yellow and white—walk along
the edges—into the center—back into the corner—walk along the edges—back towards the center—into the corners—walk along the edges—back into the center—out to the corners—the blue one left from the
bottom left of the screen—three of them left—walk along the edges—towards the center—out into the corners—walk along the edges—into the center—out towards the corners—walk along the edges—into the
center—out to the corners—the yellow one left from the top right of the screen—two of them left red and white—walk along the edges—into the corner—walk along the edges—towards the center—out into the
corners—walk along the edges—into the center—out towards the corners—top left of the screen the white one left—so it’s the just the red left now—walk along the edges—in towards the center—out to the
corner—walk along the edges—in towards the center—out to the corner—walk along the edges—in towards the center—out towards the corner—the blue one just came in from the bottom left of the screen—
so there’s two of them now—red and blue—towards the center—out into the corner—walk along the edges—in towards the center—avoid the center—out into the corner—walk along the edges—in towards the
center—out into the corners—the top right yellow just came in—there are three of them red yellow and blue—walk along the edges—in towards the center—out into the corners—walk along the edges—in towards
the center out towards the corners—walk along the edges—in towards the center—out towards the corner—top left of the screen the white came in—so there are four of them white yellow red and blue—walk along
the edges—in towards the center.
Sharp turnsaroundthe corners, neverlookingat each otherthered figure. Hasenteredrepeating a patternagainpattern going nowherethatstays that maintainsitselfhurried figures—cloakedfiguressharp figure contactneverlooking
to eachotherhooded. Figure andoutagain hurried, figurestheblue figure hasjustentered the spacesteppingcoming together; movingapartand out againconstantmovement pattern thatgoesnowhere. Stepping awayonetwo,
one, twoboundaryone, two magnetsarecoming together. Threefiguresin the spacenothinghas changed. Patterncontinuesone two threesteppingaround, hurried. Figurescloackedfigures no eyecontactwe: have fourfiguresin
the squareboundarycoming together, andsteppingaway and outagainwe are backtofour. Figures nothinghaschanged (boxed inconstantstepping), one twoonetwo. One twoperimeterboundary. One twothreecoming together
inpatterncontinues. Three figuresworkingopposite sides ofthespaces, following shadowssteppingemptiness of thecenterof, the squarefigureone. Two: threefollowingthe (nothing haschangedcontinues) we haveawhite and
redfigureleft moving. Soundbalancingthe space, everythingmovestowards the centerpointof the space.
Around.
Around.
In never.
Space.
Towards the center.
Around.
Out.
In.
Around.
Out.
In.
Never reaching the center point.
Falling forward.
Lilting lurching.
Black on the screen.
Slow steady steps.
Moving much slower.
Wait.
Two figures.
Lilting lurching.
Slow heavy steps.
Same pattern as before.
Two white figures.
Following each other.
Hunched over walking.
Space between the two.
Slower rate.
Hunched over.
Fourth figure.
Pattern same as before.
Rotation.
Third figure has entered.
Three figure left in the space.
Rotation diagonal.
Time continues as before.
Repetition.
Metronome pulse .
Two figures.
Pattern continues as before.
A metronome.
A pulse.
And now the screen is black.
I lost track of the figures.
The screen is black.
Lost track of the figures.
REVIEWS
• Samuel Beckett Today/Aujourd’hui, No. 23, 2011, pp. 153-155, on Foursome in “Transpositions de l’œuvre de Beckett dans l’art contemporain au Québec”, by Carla Taban
L’œuvre d’art audio/radiophonique Foursome que Christof Migone a créée pour le programme Intermedia Art du musée Tate en 2007 (Web) se veut une transposition auditive, en quatre épisodes, de Quad. L’artiste a employé des sons et des bruits de nature différente dont il a altéré les qualités (volume, ton, timbre, durée, rythme, etc.) et qu’il a agencés dans un site sonore ‘dé-centré’ où la pièce télévisuelle de Beckett fonctionne, à l’instar du centre dans Quad, comme principe générateur mais inatteignable de l’œuvre. Migone a demandé à quatre femmes chorégraphes de regarder Quadrat I et II et de décrire, interpréter, voire exprimer, par la suite de mémoire ce qu’elles se rappellent avoir vu, entendu, pensé et/ou ressenti lors du visionnement. Les tuent la composante sonore ‘humaine’ de foursome, composante qui est exploitée non seulement dans sa dimension verbale, en tant que médium de la parole, mais aussi dans sa dimension vocale, en tant que médium de la parole, mais aussi dans sa dimension vocale, en tant que médium de production: i) des sons articulés autrement que linguistiquement (notamment musicalement), d’une part; et ii) des bruits inarticulés, d’autre part. A part les voix, Foursome inclut des composantes générées par des instruments musicaux acoustiques et électroniques, voire des synthétiseurs audio, ainsi que des bruits animés et non animés enregistrés du monde réel. L’œuvre configure ainsi un espace sonore complexe qui confond les habitudes auditives de l’écouteur, en réorientant son attention du verbal vers d’autres dimensions acoustiques, grâce principalement à deux procédés: l’interchangeabilité du verbal et du non verbal comme ‘figure’ et ‘fond’; et la décomposition-modification du verbal au-delà de toute compréhension sémantique possible.
Bien que l’autoréférentialité de Foursome opére le plus explicitement dans la dimension verbale de l’œuvre, elle affecte toutes ses composantes et leur configuration. Verbalement, les chorégraphes non seulement discourent sur Quad, mais elles méta-discourent aussi sur la difficulté de mettre la pièce en mots, autrement dit sur les embarras du processus de discursivisation lui-même. Leurs interjections expriment, à la limite du linguistique, cette même difficulté et assurent la transition vers des éléments vocaux – tels que des bruits inarticulés ou des constrictions respiratoires – qui connotent, dans le contexte établi par Foursome, l’impossibilité de verbaliser Quad. En fait, les dimensions auditives non-verbales et non-vocales de l’œuvre se voient pourvues à leur tour d’une fonction autoréflexive, non seulement parce qu’elles finissent par attirer l’attention sur elles-mêmes en tant que phénoménes sensoriels/ sensations sonores, mais aussi parce que leur soidisant ‘cacophonie phonique’ (donc littérale) pointe simultanément et contradictoirement: i) vers la métaphorique ‘cacophonie discursivisante’ de Quad et ii) vers la possibilité que la pièce de Beckett se laisse transposer auditivement autrement que discursivement. Cette possibilité d’une transposition sonore ‘autre’ de Quad, qui contourne la discursivisation, semble être sérieusement mise en doute par le fait qu’elle est explicitement énoncée, donc méta-discursivisée (autrement dit, circulairement ramenée au discours), par Migone lui-même, à un niveau autoréflexif qui emboîte les précédents. Encore est-il que Foursome continue à connoter la probabilité de la possiblité citée par le fait que ce nouveau niveau autoréflexif non seulement emboîte méta-discursivement les autres mais les miroite aussi performativement (donc par son faire), dans la mesure oú l’artiste traite sa propre voix exactement de la même manière dont il traite tous les phénomènes phoniques de Foursome, c’est-à-dire en en faisant ressortir en tout premier lieu les qualités acoustiques qui, dans le cas de toute voix articulée verbalement, sort d’habitude obscurcies par nos automatismes d’écoute ‘pour le sens.’
En travaillant sur son matériau sonore disposé ‘autour’ de Quad, Foursome fait et défait, autoréférentielles dans un processus théoriquement sans fin, dans une ‘mouvance signifiante’ analogue au mouvement incessant connoté par les quatre figures de Quad. L’œuvre de Migone n’explique point celle de Beckett, mais finit par en souligner encore plus les caractéristiques formelles et médiatiques qu’elle suggére responsables du conditionnement interprétatif du spectateur-écouteur, de sa propension à vouloir discursiviser Quad (même si seulement ou principalement sous le mode interrogatif), done à vouloir spéculer que ce qu’il y voit et entend doit signifier en fait quelque chose d’autre que ce qu’il y voit et entend.
