Ron Athey: Gifts of the Spirit – Manchester Whitworth Hall, June 27

Acclaimed American performance artist Ron Athey’s latest project uses hypnotism and suggestion to explore the idea of a collective unconscious. The piece utilises organ music, dissonant piano and autobiographical readings to create a suitable atmosphere in which 16 volunteers, under hypnosis, create ‘stream of unconsciousness’ text on scrolls laid out on the floor of the hall. These texts are typed up and delivered to readers on the altar-like high table, and reincorporated into the performance.

The stated aim of the piece is to explore the possibility of a group unconscious, through the power of hypnotism and suggestion. The effects are certainly dramatic – the combination of funereal music, murmuring voice and manual typewriters is irresistible. The first half of the performance is structured and formal; Mr Athey, sat on a table on the stage with five accomplices, reads aloud; as he finishes each piece, the hypnotised volunteers on the floor begin to write their response. This is repeated three times, as the writers move towards a central point in the hall.

The intensity is suddenly cranked up - the organist dons boxing gloves, and begins hammering at an old piano; the typewriters clatter ever faster, and the performers at the stage erupt into a call and response demonstration of glossolalia, jerking backwards and forwards in their chairs, howling and barking. The writers respond accordingly, some creating elaborate patterns for their words, others scribbling frantically.

It’s strange to experience an experiment such as this with no possibility of judging the outcome; without being able to examine all the writers’ efforts, we have no way of knowing whether any sort of group experience was created. Sad to say, the written output was probably the weak point of the piece. I have a low tolerance for stream of consciousness, and the main themes I could see were a lack of relative clauses and an obsession with nipples. On the other hand, The Whitworth Hall was a magnificent setting, and the event was dramatic and gripping. An attendance of over 100 was heartening as well.

This was an interesting performance, and gave an insight into the use of music and text to influence the unconscious mind as practiced in various religions down the years; the call and response structure of the readings and the low drone of the organ were closely observed from Mr Athey’s religious upbringing. The outbreak of speaking in tongues added another element of religious fervour to the event.

It will be interesting to see what uses Mr Athey has for the writings, and what conclusions he can draw.

Gifts of the Spirit