Pulse 2015 brings gore and horror - The Ted Bundy Project
What is it about morbid curiosity? What is it about something so horrid that we can’t resist, that we reach for more … and then wish we hadn’t? This was the theme for this evening’s Pulse performance, The Ted Budy Project.
As with everything we have seen so far in this year’s Pulse the performance was unique, refreshing and provocative. Greg Wohead came across the Ted Bundy’s confession tapes whilst searching online. Once discover he found that he could not stop listening. This was the start of his curiosity around this serial killer.
This solo performance see Wohead telling the story of Ted Bundy, widely regarded as one of the world’s most notorious serial killers. Having murdered at least 30 young women between 1974 and 1978, the audience is told how Bundy often used props such as slings and crutches to give the impression to his victims of being helpless. After asking for them help in carrying an item to his car he would then know them unconscious before bundling them into his car. What happens next is not necessarily know, except that his victims are raped and murdered.
Wohead’s performance, which weaves between the current and the past, in character as Bundy and as himself, this is a disturbing performance, highlighted by the showing of a reaction video, something that I was not previously aware of…. in fact seeing the example video made me realise that I didn’t want to know any more about reaction videos, juxtaposed the power of curiosity that lies within all of use.
A dark and disturbing performance, but nonetheless worthy of a giving a positive review, and recommended to others. Just make sure you have a strong stomache, and that you have no aversions to ice picks.
