Maquette Theater Company 1989-1998
In 1989 Maquette Theater is founded by M.A.Stokes, Dirk Hendrikx, Robert Bennett, Ulrike Koennecke and Guillaume Panneau. They move to Sandwich, Kent where they convert a round arch shed into a studio, where they push the envelope on Theatre and Film. In December 1989 they perform 'Cartels Primitifs' and 'Cylindre Non-Ligné' for an audience of family and friends, followed by the shoot for the super-8 film 'Cylindre Non-Ligné'.
Lily of Quex
Dream Sequence from Lily of QuexThen, in februari 1991 Maquette starts shooting what would be the film for 'Lily of Quex' on location in Cumbria and Kent, and in the Powell-Cotton Museum in the Quex'house in Birchington.
Following a residence in 'De Fabriek', in Eindhoven (the Netherlands) Maquette performs 'Lily of Quex' ( A Masque) on April 19. The play based on poetry of M.A. Stokes is acompanied by a double asynchronous projection of the film 'Lily of Quex'. Maquette relies on non-Actors to fullfil the roles of the Helpers of Death, as a contrast with the formed actors. Y.Geunes starts as the Archiva for the Maquette material.
Dead Lead(forgetme)Nod
In 1993, M. A. Stokes starts writing on DEAD LEAD(forget me)NOD. It's an intense period for the company: M.A. Stokes travels between Brussels - where he resides with Dirk and his wife - and Eindhoven - where the Archiver transcribes his work in a digital format. The mauscript is naively translated to Dutch and read by Herwig Ilegems (the Heroic (...a clerical misprintDA....!)
During november 1993 the film for DEAD LEAD(forget me)NOD is shot by Patrick Otten. They use shims to obtain the format required for the projection screen which is 3m wide and 12m high.
The sound is recorded using a IBM 486 computer with a 20MB harddisk using ported Atari software to process it.
Then the manuscript is processed using the LATEX typesetter, printed and manually enhanced by M.A. Stokes.
The play is performed on a huge stage in the Great Hall of de Kriekelaar, which is turned into a black box. Again Maquette has a team of
The dark, surreal 50' performance leaves the astonished audience open mouthed.
Wake
In 1994 Maquette Theater Comany starts preparing for 'Wake', a film based on a performance with the same name.
Maquette invites the audience to witness a new unveiling each month in their studio in Brussels:
- Whale - 20 May
- Bull - 20 June
- Bird - 20 July
- Mole - 20 August
- Horse - 20 September
- Catoptric Deity - 20 October
- Don Jon de mon Contour - 20 November
These unveilings result in a series of performances on 10-20 December:
Great Wake (One Righ’ Lil’ Pick-me-up fer the Ol’ Road me Young Bloods) (One Folly.)
(A Masque);
The performance takes place in the presence of an audience in the Great Hall of 'De Kriekelaar'. Where 'Dead Lead(forget me)Nod was black, 'Wake' is white. 3.000 kg of white flower is spread out on the floor, the walls are covered with old clear colored canvasses. Relevant parts of the performance are filmed on Super 16mm-film.
1995 is used to review all the collected material and start the montage of 'Wake', in 1996 followed by research and recording of 35mm scenes for 'Wake'. The burning of the costumes on the cliffs in Kent is filmed, and additional scenes are filmed during the Exhibition in 'De Rode Poort' in the Museum for Contemporary Art in Ghent.
The first versionof 'Wake' is presented: Adrift on the Remains of a Grand Piano’ plays at the opening of KunstenFESTIVALdesArts 98, combined with an exhibition.
With George Charlier - a printer/photographer - Maqutte starts working on their book. In May 1998 the artbook 'Juggler and the Juggled Joy' is presented. Maquette has another exhibition in Het Provinciaal Museum van Limburg' in Hasselt and at Deweer Gallery in Otegem in July 1998.
Maquette splits. M.A. Stokes leaves to live in the USA, Dirk stays in Brussels, Guillaume, Robert and Ulric continue their lives in France.
The year of Perfect Vision was not to be...