Interview with Daniel Nodder

Theatre has always been about imagination: transforming empty spaces into entire worlds and proving that the smallest ideas can sometimes create the biggest impact. In Only Bones, creator and performer Daniel Nodder pushes the boundaries of physical theatre, clowning and visual storytelling to create a mesmerising solo performance that explores movement, illusion and the endless possibilities of the human body.

With no need for elaborate scenery or traditional storytelling, Only Bones invites audiences into a world where every movement, gesture and moment becomes part of the narrative. Ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe, I caught up with Daniel to discuss the inspiration behind the show, the physical demands of creating such a unique performance and how limitations can sometimes unlock the greatest creativity.

I’d love to start at the beginning. What first inspired you to create Only Bones, and where did the original idea come from?

The restrictions (one light, no words, no set, no props, no narrative, all within 1m2) were pretty crucial in developing the work – having to only rely on the bare minimum to create a show really pushed us to be creative and think outside the box. The image of a single body floating in a vast abyss with a single light above was one of the initial thoughts that inspired the ‘outer space’ theme. From there, I did a bunch of research about space, physics and read a bunch of sci-fi novels to come up with a set of scenes that created a story around that floating body.

The title itself immediately creates curiosity. Why did you choose Only Bones, and what does that phrase represent within the world of the show?

Thom probably has his own reasoning for the name, but for me Only Bones connects to the act of stripping theatre down to its barest essentials. Peel away the script (skin), the set & costumes (muscles), the traditional narrative structure (tendons), and you’re left with something basic and simple at its core: the bare bones of performance.

Physical theatre relies on the body telling the story. How did you discover the movement language that became the foundation of this performance?

It was actually pretty easy to start creating stories with my body, and in some ways I have found it a lot easier than working with text. I’ve been a mover since I was a small child, and have years of training in street dance, karate and a more recent stint into clown, which all have helped with this. I like to think of my movement style as a kind of live-action claymation – exaggerated gestures and faces, weird wobbly twists and contortions that seem impossible and tiny details that hold it all together! It was super fun finding ways to turn my various movement disciplines into storytelling for the theatre, and you can definitely see the influences in the final product.

The show creates the feeling of a much larger world despite being a solo performance. How did you approach creating something so expansive within such a limited space?

One thing about having only a single light source is that people’s eyes really only have one thing to focus on, and that has really helps with drawing people into the world that’s being created. Every little movement, expression and sound can become so much more because people’s attention and imaginations are completely focussed on that one thing. That means that I can build a whole universe of weird creatures and stories with just a look, a wobble and a little noise, and take people’s imaginations to entirely other worlds!

Was there a particular performer, art form or piece of theatre that inspired your approach to movement and storytelling?

Well, obviously I was hugely inspired by Thom Monckton's Only Bones v1.0, which started the whole project back in 2016. I saw it back when I was a student at the New Zealand Fringe Festival 2019 and immediately knew that I wanted to create something in the same vein – so when Thom invited me to make my own version in 2023, it was mind-bogglingly exciting! Other than that, I am inspired by Scrat (the little squirrel in the Ice Age movies), Shrek 2 (of course) and the niche 1993 cave men sitcom Gogs.

Physical performance requires incredible discipline and preparation. What has been the most challenging physical aspect of creating this show?

This show is pretty hard on the body sometimes, so I’ve built up a huge warm-up routine so that when I get onstage, I’m already warm and ready to go. My main parts to get warm are my fingers (for lots of wiggly waves), my face (for cartoonish expressions) and my back (for contortion twists).

In terms of creating the show, there’s one bit in the show where I am perched upside down on my shoulderblades. It’s pretty uncomfortable, and I remember when we were making it I had to stay up there for almost an hour while we tested a bunch of movements to see what worked. Staying like that for so long was absolutely ridiculous and I think I had a sore neck for that whole month. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

Comedy, emotion and physical storytelling can be incredibly difficult to balance. How did you find the right tone for the piece?

I think like any good solo show, I found the right tone by presenting an honest version of myself on stage. I love to laugh and to do jokes, but also love things to be beautiful, soft and pensive. It actually came quite naturally over the course of the show's creation period, I followed what felt right and stuck with it. If I had to get all empirical about it, I’d say it’s about 35% jokes, 35% movement, 15% emotion and 5% knees.

Without relying heavily on words, how did you discover ways to communicate ideas and emotions with audiences?

I use all sorts! Little weird noises, mime, embodiment of items, creatures and ideas. It’s a really fun challenge to get across your point without words, and I feel like sometimes it resonates more emotionally with people because they feel it rather than understand it. There’s something primordial about it - like sitting around with your cave-man buddies and watching an epic tale told only with grunts, movements and shadows cast by the light of a single campfire. You don’t really need any cultural context or backstory to understand what is happening - it’s simple, fascinating and engages the imagination, no matter who you are or what language you speak. I think it’s very cool.

The human body is the main storytelling tool in this production. Has creating this show changed the way you think about movement?

This show has made me really love and be more and more in awe of my body with each season. There’s one particular moment, right past the most physically demanding section, where I finally have a moment to breathe. I always think “thank you body!” in that bit, and I genuinely feel quite emotional about it. Our bodies do so much for us, and so many people have strange relationships with theirs because of the world we live in. I’m so grateful to love the body I live in, not because of what it looks like or what it can do for me, but simply for carrying me through my life and being a constant companion for life.

What do you think audiences will be most surprised by when they experience Only Bones for the first time?

How small a 1m2 performance space really is! Or maybe the guest appearance of Lady GaGa.

Looking back over the creative process, what has been the biggest lesson you have learned as an artist?

Get weirder. Try new angles. Embrace the parts of you that are different, because art dies when it gets boring.

Edinburgh Fringe audiences are known for embracing unusual and innovative work. Why do you think this festival is the perfect home for Only Bones?

I think Edinburgh Fringe is one of the few places where more experimental stuff is really appreciated. This show is just the right amount of unusual, with all of the entertainment value (and more) that you’d expect from a “normal” night out at the theatre. Where else but the Fringe can you see David Attenborough fight a wolf, or a brontosaurus made of a hand, or a tongue-ballad rendition of Memory from CATS all in the same show? I think people will always love performances that challenge the traditional “4th wall theatre" format because, in reality, nonverbal performance like this is actually far older than the proscenium arch or even the amphitheatre.

Once audiences leave the theatre, what feeling or image do you hope stays with them?

I hope they feel blown away at just how many stories, ideas and laughs the human body is able to hold. And that they remember my singing knees.

I'd like to thank Daniel Nodder for taking the time to speak with me about Only Bones. It was fascinating to discover the creativity, discipline and imagination behind a production that proves theatre doesn't need a huge stage or elaborate effects to create something unforgettable. I wish Daniel every success during this year's Edinburgh Fringe and look forward to seeing audiences experience this unique celebration of movement and storytelling. Only Bones is at the Edinburgh Fringe at Assembly from 5 – 30 Aug (not 19) at 8.20 pm.