The way in which 'Tongues Undone' was made (and is still being made) is illustrative of the way they work together, and produce content. The one piece flows out of the other in an organic process of solo, response, duet and solo. 'The Bait' (1995), a solo written for Jones, was adapted and serves as starting point for 'Songs from Navigation' (1997), a booklet and CD made by Jones and Cheek. This work serves, in turn, as basis for the video 'Tongues Undone' they made with Sercombe. The performance of the same title, which will be given now, is the next link in this chain.

The 'Tongues Undone' video is an integral part of the performance. The video is the result of an interactive exchange between the three artists, where sound is transformed into image, graphic symbols respond to physical symbols, spoken words and words being sung are translated into animated text. It is a partly structured, partly improvised dialogue between the artists using all their forms of expression. In an endless, white space Jones and Cheek have a series of 'conversations' using their voices, physical movements and various musical instruments. Different lighting techniques intensify the dramatic meaning of their performance, while the camera follows its own choreography. Image and sound are manipulated and re-edited digitally in postproduction and a moving text is added.

This kinaesthetic poetry cannot be read linearly like a conventional poem, for in typography and layout it forms its own complete image, which reinforces the meaning of the words. Van Ostaijen did this already early in this century, but thanks to digital animation techniques the physical words can now move through space and interact with the spoken poetry. In addition to words there are also animated abstract symbols. Sometimes they are inspired by the physical movements of the performers, sometimes they are a direct reaction to the sound or are integrated with the kinaesthetic poetry. In the digital montage the identities of the performers are swapped, the face of one disappears into the mouth of the other, and eyes, lips and tongues dance freely over the screen. In this way the flowing exchange and evolution of ideas is seen as well as heard.

The video has four parts. In the first part, 'Paper mache mountains', Jones uses her voice and movement to create an animated abstract landscape around herself. Part two, 'Conversations', examines the formal relationship between the tone of the voice and the spoken words of Jones and Cheek, and their visual, animated equivalents. Next, 'Inside's Out' explores the limits of one breath. 'You see the sights but you don't see the struggle it's a struggle to see, it's kept out of sight' is the last part. This part plays a central role in the booklet/CD 'Songs from Navigation' and it is repeated several times in the performance of 'Tongues Undone'. Physical gestures are coupled to sounds and animated on screen as a symbolic, visual language. These animations form a kinetic field of body parts and fragments of the face; they are the building stones for a reconstructed poem that gradually becomes more and more layered and complex.

All of these elements, which fit together and react to each other, collide and respond, are answered again in the performance. Here, however, we have an added element: the physical space of the Melkweg's main auditorium. The performance is a searching journey through the visual and auditory domains of this large room in the form of a reflection on the musical, poetic, inner and sonic qualities of language. Tension is created between performers and audience, between already existent and live image and sound, between space and light. The performance opens with a conversation between Jones and Cheek, who are sitting at the bar. The intimacy of the situation is emphasized by the lighting. However, the audience becomes a part of this: their personal space is projected onto the array of monitors in the room and their private conversations blare out from the loudspeakers, making the antithesis private/public paradoxical. The conversation gradually becomes more and more fragmented and poetic, while the camera focuses more on small details. Then, Jones and Cheek slowly start to move through the space. This part is based on 'You see the sights but you don't see the struggle it's a struggle to see, it's kept out of sight' from the 'Songs from Navigation' CD. The performers use voice and movement to investigate the room. They clear a path through the audience, who can react directly; their paths separate while they shout or sing at each other. Sercombe follows them with the camera, mapping out their journey. Jones and Cheek finally reach the stage where the last part of the performance unfolds. The video, 'Tongues Undone', is now projected onto the large screen and shown on the monitors in the auditorium. The final sequence of the video loops and becomes the framework for live improvisation by Jones and Cheek. During this interaction between live improvisation and reproduced image and sound the artists use various musical instruments, sampled sound and voice. In the second performance the dynamics between existing material and live improvisation will be even greater, as the tapes from the first performance will be incorporated into the later ones.

– Lies Holtrop