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Table top performances: The principle of self containment - the idea that one performer can do everything. In The Attack of the Killer Cheese (1995) and Monopoly (1997) the PA system was a small cassette player on the top left hand side of the table. Lighting was provided by an angle poise lamp on the opposite side of the table. Both were operated by me. This was not a compromise (traditionally, these mundane things are kept out of sight), but a technique to contribute to the dynamic of the performance in that the act of operating these items would punctuate the work. In Killer Cheese, short bursts of cheesy horror movie music were provided with the play/pause button of the cassette player, and a simple on/off switch of the light to depict the scary part in the film where all the lights go out. These basic states of on/off, light/dark, sound/silence are suddenly more pronounced, running through the structure of the work like a spine. Admittedly there are elements of megalomania in this approach, but there are other advantages. For instance, no technicians saying this or that 'can't (or won't) be done'. I find this transference of responsibility paradoxically gives me less to worry about. Ultimately if a lighting or sound cue is missed, this is my fault, and my fault alone, so I'm not kicking myself when things go wrong because I didn't explain things properly to a third party who couldn't give a shit anyway. The idea of self containment expanded to the use of space. Hence, the 'stage' was the surface of a table and the 'protagonists' were a series of props (mostly food based) that are available from any supermarket. There are however, certain complexities in making the 'right' purchases. Buying the chunk of blue stilton for example - often I would visit the delicatessen counter, and none of the cheese on display would have enough veins. This is important though, as it won't look right otherwise.

Shopping list: 1) A pack of Kraft cheese slices to inhibit blood flow. 2) Three Edam 'Baby Bel' cheeses, small enough to stuff three in the mouth. 3) One thick slice of Emmenthal cheese, with plenty of holes for resuscitation. 4) A triangular lump of Danish Blue. The bluer the better. 5) One tube of Primula cheese spread, to be applied copiously on open wounds.