at 5 hours 30 minutes every year

Lou made a CD consisting of 3 minutes from the point 5 hours and 30 mins. Jake continued to archive for a few years after she died. Now, as we are making changes, Jake has put them all together on a youtube video with no images, just the date. 

We can hear the work of the recording and re recording that Lou started (based on the work of Alvin Lucier). Lou last sang in 2012, so her singing with herself has been fading.

We might create an image version at a later time. We feel it appropriate to share this, to celebrate Lou's experiment as we are making changes this year.

LINK HERE for a journey through the years

In the second year, Lou was unable to sing in the first half, so she wrote the song in charcoal as a duet to her singing the previous year, the photo is from the cctv footage of the first year

Not just a change of date for 2025

The sound has probably become very strange, especially if you don't spend much time in there - and not every year. For me, as I am there to listen, to body and everything it never seems odd, and the couple of times that are very loud and sharp, in isolation, never seem it in the whole. 

We can hear the work of the recording and re recording that Lou started (based on the work of Alvin Lucier). Lou last sang in 2012, so her singing with herself has been fading. You will hear what seems like church bells if you listen carefully. Even without singing being added, the bells of the breaks, the birdsong, the door banging, people coughing etc are layered on, we have a record of all the years.

Jake and I have talked over the last year or so about having a new voice, if we do, and there is someone who would do it, it would have to be a singing with Lou, not over Lou, we would need to fold up the years and return to an earlier recording.

So this year we will be stepping back in time with the sound.

We need to see how we feel about it....

So this is to let you know, you will hear more of Lou this year.

...It's making me think I'll get out the trousers I wore from the start until 2012!...

2025: May 23rd not 22nd!

with

small world theatre | theatr byd bychan

Untitled holy hiatus 17 DATE CHANGE 23rd May 2025

 May 23 Mai 2025

16:00 – 22.15
Maura Hazelden & Jacob Whittaker

There is a break between 18:50 & 19:05 during which people already in the space may remain if they wish, new people will be admitted after 19:05.
There is a limited amount of people allowed in at any one time but except for the first time, this has not been much of a problem!

Small World Theatre | Theatr Byd Bychan
Bath House Road | Heol Clôs y Bath,

Cardigan | Aberteifi, SA43 IJY

Entry by donation | Mynediad trwy rodd

This six-hour, performative event explores how liminal space is created, experienced and shared, using repetitions of a phrase of movement and a 13th century song developed by Lou Laurens. Untitled 16 will use 15 years of layered recordings giving a unique soundscape. Come to be present within the space created. Use the space for mediation, prayer, contemplation. People who use movement as contemplation or prayer may wish to move rather than sit.

We are tentatively continuing as we have done: Lou’s experiment with sound and space continues. There are distortions, curious new sounds and feedback, but being in the space and listening fully – to the space and to the self - the strangeness does not shock.

Link to further notes to explain the event and your participation

Untitled Holy Hiatus 16

 May 22 Mai 2024

17:00 – 22.15
Maura Hazelden & Jacob Whittaker

There is a break between 18:50 & 19:05 during which people already in the space may remain if they wish, new people will be admitted after 19:05.
There is a limited amount of people allowed in at any one time but except for the first time, this has not been much of a problem!

Small World Theatre | Theatr Byd Bychan
Bath House Road | Heol Clôs y Bath,

Cardigan | Aberteifi, SA43 IJY

Entry by donation | Mynediad trwy rodd

This six-hour, performative event explores how liminal space is created, experienced and shared, using repetitions of a phrase of movement and a 13th century song developed by Lou Laurens. Untitled 16 will use 15 years of layered recordings giving a unique soundscape. Come to be present within the space created. Use the space for mediation, prayer, contemplation. People who use movement as contemplation or prayer may wish to move rather than sit.

We are tentatively continuing as we have done: Lou’s experiment with sound and space continues. There are distortions, curious new sounds and feedback, but being in the space and listening fully – to the space and to the self - the strangeness does not shock.

Link to further notes to explain the event and your participation

please note we might have to start the public participation from 5pm rather than the usual 4pm due to a previous event.

Mae’r digwyddiad perfformiadol chwe awr o hyd hwn yn darganfod sut mae gofod trothwyol yn cael ei greu, ei brofi a’i rannu, trwy ail-adrodd cymal o symudiad a chân o’r 13eg ganrif, a ddyfeisiwyd gan Lou Laurens. Bydd di-deitl 16 yn defnyddio 15 mlynedd o haenau o recordiadau i greu sainlun unigryw. Dewch i fod yn bresennol yn y gofod sy’n cael ei greu. Defnyddiwch y gofod ar gyfer meddwl, gweddïo, myfyrio. Efallai bydd pobl sy’n defnyddio symud fel ffordd o fyfyrio neu weddïo yn dymuno symud yn hytrach nag eistedd.

Ry’n ni’n bwrw ‘mlaen yn betrusgar, fel ag erioed: mae arbrawf Lou gyda sain a gofod yn parhau. Mae yna ystumiadau, seiniau newydd rhyfedd ac ôl-dafliad sain, ond wrth fod yn y gofod a gwrando’n astud – ar y gofod a’r hunan – ‘does dim sioc yn y dieithrwch.

small world theatre | theatr byd bychan

untitled holy hiatus 15 ~ 22.05.2023

Untitled Holy Hiatus is not being advertised publicly elsewhere.

I shall send invites out via Facebook and email. RSVP would be appreciated, also if you know approximately what time you might arrive, please let me know

If you have not received an invite and you have been a regular participant and you use Facebook you can send a message via the Untitled Holy Hiatus page. If you know my email then contact me that way. If you know someone who would like to be there please contact me as above. You can leave a comment here if you don't use Facebook.

A maximum of 9 people in the space at anytime. The original was 6, the number has gone up and down...

UHH 14 2022

last year - 2022

It went gently. It was very comfortable and soft. J wasn't in the space as usual as he had a lot of work to do, T was with me for a lot of the time and no one else came. There were no knotty times of thinking too much about what to "do". 

I listened to the sound and the birds outside for 6 hours and think only once did my mind wander very briefly. T thought my movement was more fluid than he had seen. There was a little "play" with him as he walked around the space on a couple of occasions. 

During one on my own time I found myself moving in a very ballet way - lots of arm and sternum - that rather a Qigong way, it is a feeling that comes when doing some ballet but perhaps more people might understand the Qigong similarity!

Contentment was a feeling that came to me afterwards, and had a really good night's sleep. So a fulfilling, regenerative time. I've often thought I might find it difficult being on my own for a lot of the time and not being disciplined enough or something, but it wasn't the case. Perhaps not having done it since 2019 it was useful to not have other people. 

untitled holy hiatus 14 ~ 22.05.2022

 This year year will be by invitation so not open to the public. 

Last year UHH 13 was recorded - and only Jake was there. I was there for a little while - outside of an open window.

Here are some of the images taken by Jake last year.

If you have not received an invite and you have been a regular participant and you use Facebook you can send a message via the Untitled Holy Hiatus page. If you know my email then contact me that way.