Lucy's notes - 2nd Performance

I was almost more nervous coming into the second performance, the first time around I think the audience had a bit of shock factor over the set up, this time as we had had some detail leaked over what to expect, the audience seemed more prepared and willing to get involved from the start. 

I spoke with Paige and Daniel beforehand, we could have sold it out twice over easily but we had agreed to keep the numbers down to a manageable level. We only had time for one single practice session before this performance, so they perhaps were a bit cold coming into it. They each have their challenges in this piece and so every performance takes a lot of courage and concentration, I thank them again for their unwavering commitment. 

We had 15 in the group, 9 female, 5 male, 1 non-binary, probably a younger crowd than first time around, our youngest participant was just 20 whilst the oldest just 44. As usual it was the female participants who were first to get involved, reaching for a selection of the massager props and beginning work on the models' bodies. 

I was delighted with the spirit and energy that developed early on in this performance, there was a real happy and free vibe in the room, everyone feeding of it. I could see in Paige and Daniel's faces that they were enjoying it too, it seemed more relaxed. 

some of the new items got a work out too, the tuning forks proved very popular and seemed to create immense sensory responses for both the audience and performers. The elcetronic stimulators were well used too, having been almost ignored first time round. It provokes certain responses in both Paige and Daniel when the sound of the electronic devices start, there is a strange emotion that comes over both of them, that knowledge of the extreme possibilities of such items, creating an excited fear in both. 

It was more an even split this time too in terms of focus on the models. The first performance had veered more towards Paige but this time round if anything Daniel probably had more activity to deal with. He remarked to me afterwards he had stayed lucid throughout, feeling the room and trying to anticipate and work with the participants. 

I think every inch of Paige and Daniel's bodies got some activity this time, which was beautiful to see. They are becoming more resigned and comfortable with the fact their intimate areas may be appealing to the audinece. There is still a stigma here, perhaps more so for engaging with a male model, the concern that a certain touch may result in unwanted arousal a challenge for both the audience and performer to overcome, indeed - this has not been as issue as yet. 

I will continue to develop, to keep it fresh and exciting, introducing more and more props and refining the technology and setup. Ultimately this striving for the perfect experience may be futile but we can but try.

Q&A with the performers

After our performance on the 4th July we will be hosting a one hour Q&A session with Paige and Daniel. If anyone would like to submit questions in advance I will endeavour to include as many as I can in the forum. Please respond to this post or email lucifers@saintly.com.

Thanks, Lucy

Review - 20th June performance

Emma, 26

I attended the performance with my partner and felt a full range of human emotion thoughout the course of the evening. As the live models prepared themselves and took their positions the director explained what she wanted from the audience, to be creative, to be brave and to open our minds and souls, I paraphrase but she spoke of uncovering a deep sensory energy within ourselves, and I for one can say I found this.

I was shaking at the start, equally through fear and excitement, I was in awe of the two models who had the bravery to perform such a piece. I spent the first few minutes just gazing over their skin, watching their breathing, so calm and controlled, it challenged me. Most of the early activity was around the female model, I could almost sense what she must have been feeling as the audience used the various props to tap and touch at her body. 

As a result, my partner and I started with the male model. He was so calm, his body so inviting, we selected a couple of props, myself I used a wooden twin ball massager. I began to roll it around his chest and shoulders watching for reactions on his face, was he enjoying it, I couldn't tell. I listened intently through my headphones to the clicks and strokes that were picked up from the micrphones, it touched me somewhere deep down, I was now in tune, every turn of my massager, every twist, every time moved it I could hear it inside me, I could almost feel it on the same areas of my own body. 

I had tuned into his body somehow, and so I explored him some more, working my way down to his legs. I used the massager on his thighs and down to his knees and shins, all the way feeling it in my own legs. My partner worked on his other leg, glancing at me as we developed a syncopated approach, we didn't speak to each other aloud, but we knew we were feeling each others movements. She then started to play on his feet, I could feel it! I had to check no one from behind had actually stroked my own foot, but they hadn't. 

As the group moved around the models we took our chance to move to the female. I could sense her vulnerability as she lay exposed, feeling the touch of so many strangers. I held her hand and squeezed to which she responded in kind, it was the most powerful handshake I've ever felt, I was giving her every good wish I could muster and she sensed it and thanked me. My partner and I then sat across her, together using the gel pack to move across the model's stomach, edging out up and down, I knew it must feel good, we moved into erogenous zones, I guess we wanted to give her a bit of pleasure, I hope she could enjoy it, we certainly did!

Under Our Clothes - An immersive ASMR experience...

About

Director/Facilitator - Lucy Springhall

Under Our Clothes is an immersive sensory art experience designed to stimulate ASMR responses in both the live performers and audience members. Patrons will be invited to interact with the live models and listen with clarity through state of the art technology.

Please note this performance includes full nudity, 18+ only and discretion is advised.

Dates and times vary, please contact lucifers@saintly.com or more information.

 

What it feels like for a girl (Paige)

This is my second collaboration with Lucy, but the first involving an immersive, performance art piece. When she first described her idea for the concept to me it was exciting but also daunting. To put myself in the position of actually being naked and being touched by a group of strangers filled me with both fear and delight. 

Rehearsing, or practising is maybe a better word, with just Lucy and Daniel has been great. I enjoy working with both of them so much, and we have developed a lot of trust together. We spent many hours becoming very intimately aware of each other, Lucy developing the piece through different props and fabrics, Daniel and I just laying back and trying to absorb as much of the stimulation as we could.Yes, if I'm honest, doing this in our small group was a joy for me. 

The first time doing it with an audience was terrifying. I thought it may have been more median but fear certainly won over delight in that first session. That said, the thrill and sense of accomplishment I felt at the end was incredible. During our rehearsing I had reached full brain tingling and even physical arousal at times, it's such a sensuous piece that it can do that to you, and hearing the reaction of some of the audience, they seemed to feel this way. But performing it I didn't seem to allow myself to get to those places, something stopped and I don't know what, I was on edge throughout the whole performance. It's something I hope I can become the master of, I want to feel all the good things about the piece whilst it's in flight. 

What struck me most about the audience was the tentativeness that gradually gave way to eagerness, it was quite interesting from a psychological viewpoint. I spent the first 10 -15 minutes seemingly just having my feet played with, certainly this was the majority of my interactions. I guess they are the far extreme of the body, like it must have seemed ok for the group to touch my feet and lower legs, like that was not invading my personal space! (and I usually hate people touching my feet!) But as the hour went on more and more people focused on my top half. I had some lovely sensual touching on my forehead and across my shoulders. And some did even use some of the props on my breasts, this was a weird feeling, like it was almost foreplay but I just knew instinctively that it wasn't. 

I can't want to do more performances and see how I develop with the piece, if I can get lost in it, if I can find my ASMR responses, it would be beautiful to feel that as part of a group. I'm not as scared approaching the second performance, I think I'm comfortable with how the group will react and how Lucy will manage and direct, so I do expect to enjoy it more this time.

What it feels like for a guy (Daniel)

I've been working with Lucy for over a year now, we've done a couple of variations of a stage play (The Temptations of Adam and Eve) together and also had a long run with a shorter piece for a burlesque club. Also, in the last year, I've had the privelege of being part of Marina Abramvic's residency at the Royal Academy, which I'm sure will remain a highlight for the rest of my life. 

But I must say, Under Our Clothes has the potential to eclipse Imponderabilia for me, regardless of what others think, or what critics may say, I don't know - that's not for me to say, but as a performer they both require a level of stoic concentration which is transportative for a performer, I genuinely feel like I am moved to another plane during the experience. 

Probably the biggest challenge for a male model doing a performance like this is training yourself not to react to certain stimuli, I am specifically talking about getting an erection. When I did Imponderabilia it was made known to us (the male models) that it was a public place and so not appropriate and that the performance could be stopped if it looked like we were getting aroused. This presented a big challenge, and those first few sessions I was so aware of every loose item of clothing, or worse, body parts that were thrust into me, a several times I did feel a stirring begin which I had to overcome. 

Unde Our Clothes has the same potential. When rehearsing, Lucy would always test the water with me, at different points I would feel a new prop coming into contact with my genitals, I had to train myself to focus and not react naturally. Unfortunately it doesn't become any easier! And the first night performing to a group I had several people focus on this area, utilising different props to generate sensations and sound, I could sense there was a curiosity about it, perhaps they expected to see a reaction, I don't know. Luckily, I was able to keep focused and stay soft, but it is still a challenge for me. 

Other than that, I had no real concerns about it, I am aware Paige did, I suppose it is different for a female model in such a situation. I enjoyed the feeling of touch all over me, and the multiple sets of hands at times that worked on my body, it almost felt like a multi-hands massage at times, what's not to enjoy! 

I'm a really looking forward to exploring the piece further, hopefully we can do the 100 performances Lucy is hoping for, that seems a good number, then we can reflect. Imponderabilia will stay with me forever, but I'm fortunate to be doing this so soon after, who knows, I may come to love it even more. 

Feedback from anonymous particiant #1

I was touched to receive the following from someone who attended our first performance...

 

Female participant, 39

 

I attended the performance alone, I've been to audience participation events in the past and sometimes not felt altogether comfortable. But Lucy ensured everyone was happy and everyone could get involved to their own level of comfort. I was in awe of the 2 live models, they wore robes initially until everyone was in place, then took their spots in amongst us, disrobing and laying on their back as if offering their bodies to everyone in the room. Lucy then laid out all the props and and handed out the headphones, the crisp clear sound they provided imeediately made my tingling start. She then set up the microphones around the bodies, and invited the group to start our exporation. I was sat near the male models hand and so I took a hold of this, touching and stroking him with a sponge, then a phone case, then some crepe paper, Lucy repositioned one of the mics so I could hear better, it was incredible. I could have sat there with his hand for hours, I would have been in my element. But something took me further into his body. I began to feel around his hip and stomach and up to his chest, this time picking up a piece of fabric. initially I was careful not to touch his genitals but after noticing another participant roll a toy car over him I thought why am I being so prudish! It was part of the fun, it was a body part and perhaps should be treated no differently. So I ventured there, to my own astonishment, this was way beyond what I felt I would be doing tonight. but it was incredible, I listened through one of the stethoscopes to his heartbeat as I stroked a piece of faux fur around his most intimate areas. I could hear his beating become more pronounced, this created a similar reaction in me. I must admit I wondered if he would become aroused, it seemed like it would be a natural reaction. But as I continued it dawned on me I was the one getting aroused. I could feel a sexual rush growing in me, as well as my brain tingling from the ASMR, it was an ethereal experience, not something I could ever have envisaged happening. And it was exactly as Lucy had described, the sensations applied to the models could be reflected in our own feelings. All my time thinking I was going to make the model turned on, all that happened was I turned myself on! Or perhaps it was him. I am blushing at the whole thing now, but sitting there it was pure euphoria. If only it could be bottled!

Thursday 6th June - Performance #1

Lucy's notes

I am touched, blessed and forever greatful to those who came along tonight, such a special collective experience and which will never be forgotten. If we do this another 100 times, we may never reach the level of electricity we created this evening. 

I've been working with Paige and Daniel for some time now, and they have indulged me my every whim, putting their bodies in my trust. But tonight for the first time they extended that trust to a wider group. Their beauty and bravery touches my soul. 

We kept the number to 12, I think this was perfect. I didn't know where to set it, what would be too much, what would be too few, I think 12 found that balance. I explained the performance and introduced the models, they lay in position, the headphones were distributed and we began.

The group were timid at first, and for an invited group I didn't expect this. they worked the extremities of the models, becoming intimately acquainted with their hands and feet. But even in doing this you could feel the energy in the room build. Some of the group seemed visibly moved by listening by what they heard and experienced. 

The youngest in attendance, a male/female couple, were the first to explore the bodies fully. They seemed to enjoy the sensations they provided to Paige with their exploration of her breasts. This encouraged the wider group to perhaps come out their own shells. 

An older couple, again male/female, focused on Daniel. stroking around his upper thighs with an array of items, watching his reactions and listening intently to his heartbeat. Before long the entire group were keen to see how much they could push not only the models, but themselves. 

It's amazing how the time moves during this piece, it's very slow to start, but once everyone gets involved it flies by. Before we knew it the hour was over. Some of the group didn't know what to do, one woman weeped, tears of beauty and joy she said. Another claimed she had reached levels of ASMR she didn't think to be possible, willingly telling me she had felt an arousal so powerful this caught her completely by surprise. 

Daniel and Paige got a lot from the experience too, their initial fears and concerns subsided to an evening of pure simple joy.

Lucy

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