“That which is above is as that which is below and that which is below is as that which is above, for the performance of the miracles of the One Thing. ” (Webb, Jr. 2009)

Although alchemy never really achieved what it set out to do, it did manage to create and explore many other possibilities. A lot of the research surrounding the idea of Alchemy looks at ideas of things like the planets, gender, sorcery and the 4 elements. Those four elements encompass Fire, Water, Air and Earth, and these 4 elements are often broken down into the masculine (fire and air) and the feminine (water and earth).
When I was younger, my school used to take us on many science museum trips, and one of the most memorable (probably because it was so terrible) was Magna. Magna was a self proclaimed science centre that at it’s heart had 4 ‘pavilions’ devoted to each of the 4 elements. The Air pavilion had stuff to do with wind including a large fan, the earth pavilion consisted of a JCB construction site, the fire pavilion had a fire tornado… which was not working both times we went, and finally the water pavilion which was basically a big pool of smelly water with a path down the centre. As kids we just scooped our hands in and flicked the water at our friends. Although admittedly this place was truly terrible, the aesthetics of the rooms and the 4 elements fascinated me. This idea and aesthetic forms the basis of a performance. Using ideas found in the classical scriptures of alchemy, we can create a performance of physical theatre or movement piece inspired by the four elements. Using epic music (such as this one) we could create an epic multimedia performance viewed through the window of our store. Moving our bodies in time with the music as projections are blasted around and onto our bodies we physically become the elements, until a climactic finish where we end and with our four separate symbols, create the pentagram, thus showing equilibrium or harmony.

Webb. Jr, John Charles (2009) The Emerald Tablet Modern Version, Online: http://www.aloha.net/~johnboy/Etablet.htg/emerald_tablet.htm (accessed 5th March 2014)