The Premise of Gripping the Wall When You’re Upset

(2021)

Toot Performance’s first film, The Premise furiously considers the uncanniness, pragmatics, and tiny politics of the actor’s thoughts while acting and the audience’s thoughts while watching. Whose impulses and judgements are these? The Premise unfurls a dramaturgy of the mind-in-performance, and presents an ensemble of characters scarred by the effects of continuously coping with fictional circumstances. Suspension and disbelief sing a discordant duet.

Premiered June 2021

Presented in and developed for Red Eye Theater’s New Works 4 Weeks Digital Festival 2021

Created, written, and directed by Eric Larson

Created with and featuring Sabrín Diehl, Sam Aros Mitchell, Em Rosenberg, and Jeffrey Wells

Production assistance and makeup by Haley Mosley

A parallel research process instigated with Kelly McKay and Saulaman Schlegel branched off into a separate project during the development of this work.

A performer wearing a boldly-patterned shirt and a sequined scarf stares directly at the camera. They are a glasses seller and this is their shop. There are racks of eyeglasses, two lamps, pictures of eyes, and assorted tools on the counters. They ho
Two performers wearing vibrant vintage clothing sit in an art studio, one on a leather couch and one in a red chair. They are both looking up at the ceiling with their mouths open.
A performer in a knitted rose-themed sweater and sweatpants is talking directly to the camera, caught making a funny face. He is in a studio and in front of them is a table with some rope contraptions and a metronome. Around his head is wrapped a con
A performer looks directly at the camera, grimacing. He is wearing lots of patterns on their vest, sweater, and skirt. He sits in a house with flowers decorating the wall, and fancy decorations on a small table, including a fruit bowl and more flower
A performer wearing a green turtleneck and flowing patterned pants is standing in front of a metal warehouse door and a wall of plastic, wood, and metal components. They are in motion, pulling a super-imposed, semi-transparent, snakelike strip across
Two performers in vintage colorful clothing look at each other. One of the performers is showing the other one his hands in a sassy manner, which are covered in purple marker. They are in a rehearsal studio.