Devoted and Disgruntled Report Diagrams

These diagrams form my report on the Devoted & Disgruntled website for the session entitled Merge Alert PART 2 (with diagrams): #1 - How Do We Measure Success And How Do You Know When You Have Achieved It? #2 How Do You Get Where You Want To Without Kissing Ass Or Being A Twat? #3 The 4/5* Review: Is This The Holy Grail? 

Alison Farina and I decided to team up and combine our questions as we felt they overlapped. Many questions were answered with further questions, not because there were no answers, but because ultimately the answer to each is dependent upon the individual, only they know what is ‘correct’ for them.

To illustrate the session I have turned my notes into the diagrams below. The diagrams are a mixture of questions, answers and musings from the group.

These diagrams have been created from my notes alone, so it's worth cross referencing with Part 1 of the report, written by Alison.

Flushed at The Bikeshed Theatre

Exeter's Ignite Festival kicks off today and Theatre will take over the city. One of the first shows on the bill is Flushed from Theatre Rush at The Bikeshed Theatre and I recently found myself watching the YouTube promotional video for the production:

As Theatre explores new ways to promote productions and find new audiences, more and more promotional videos are appearing, which is great, but it can be hard to find a way to give an audience a sense of a production, especially when it's new writing and may not even be fully-formed at the time it starts to be promoted. That's why I wanted to highlight the video for Flushed, because I really like the way it manages to give you a sense of the play and the company. It's also enjoyable and nicely shot which made me want to watch the show and share the video.

But if you want to know more, here's the blurb from The Bikeshed Theatre website:

Four women


One bath


Can they fit in?

Flushed delves into the minds of four women who are facing up to their idiosyncrasies. We see moments of madness, insightful reflection and simple confessions that start to unravel their relationship with themselves. Who do you really see in the bathroom mirror?

Theatre Rush was formed only this year following the devised production of ‘Gesig’ which held its debut at The Bike Shed Theatre in December 2011, receiving a warm response by men and women alike. A company of female actors and practitioners shared the vision to deliver the bold truth about women starting with inspiration from Martha Graham’s quote:

‘There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all the time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost…’

Part-comic and part tragic, Flushed offers a window’s view to some of the mysteries women would prefer kept secret. Accessible to both the sexes, Flushed is honest, surprising and in some cases, absurd.

Flushed is on 25th (7pm), 27th (7pm) and 29th (6pm) June 2012 at The Bikeshed Theatre in Exeter.

Links

Flushed Facebook Page

The Bikeshed Theatre

Ignite Festival

Bristol's Sleeping Beauty: Why The Whiteladies Picture House Needs Your Help

The iconic Whiteladies Picture House is under threat as plans have been submitted to Bristol City Council to turn this beautiful building into a set of flats and a gym. But two men and their collective have no intention of letting that happen and they need your help.

It’s been just over 10 years since the Whiteladies Picture House closed its doors and like Sleeping Beauty it’s been waiting for a Prince to come and give it the kiss of life. However, Sleeping Beauty didn’t have a covenant on her that said she couldn’t be used as a cinema or for any other theatrical purpose. Having said that, no-one was determined to convert her into flats with a gym either, but that’s not the point of the analogy here...It turns out, Princes are like buses, and two have come along at once in the form of Alan Mandel Butler and David Fells.

When I turned up at the last Equity meeting, having not been for ages and having not read the emails the branch had sent out (sorry!), I’ll be brutally honest, I was expecting David and Alan, to be in their late 60s with no plan for the building beyond stopping it being turned into flats. Oh how wrong I was:

Alan and David: clearly not in their 60s and they do have a grand plan

My jaw dropped when they started to discuss their grand, yet financially viable, plan*. They intend to turn the Whiteladies Picture House into a community arts centre that consists of a 450 seat proscenium arch theatre, a separate 200 seat cinema/screening room, a large function room, foyer area, private meeting room and film edit suite.

They propose that the screening room/cinema would also be suitable for lectures and stand-up comedy. The function room, which was originally a ballroom (fully sprung), would be suitable for private functions or as a rehearsal space, cabaret comedy venue or as a large meeting room. They are also hoping that it will be put to its original use once again to host ballroom dance classes.

These pictures are from the Whiteladies Picture House campaign website. Click on them to visit the site and see more.

They aim to help local film-makers produce and showcase their work and hope to offer access to and training on film equipment, as well as a stock of owned cameras and access to the film edit suite. Completed films could then be showcased in the balcony cinema before the major features.
What is even more impressive is that they intend to do all of this whilst restoring this Grade II listed building to its former glory. They are both extremely passionate about old cinemas and understand, as well as appreciate, their cultural and historical significance. With this in mind they have been researching the building and sourcing vintage pieces they would love to purchase to restore the building with the love and care it desperately needs.

So what is stopping them from putting all of this into action? Money and Time. Not the covenant, as you might think, but money and the time they need to raise the money. Here’s why: the guys have worked tirelessly and have met with Odeon cinemas who will lift the covenant if The Whiteladies Picture House Ltd (the not-for-profit company they created to oversee the renovation and redevelopment of the Picture House building**) can secure the building. But securing the building is the problem.

The current landlord of the property has expressed no interest in the proposal itself, but would be willing to sell the property to The Whiteladies Picture House Ltd. So Alan, David and the rest of the Whiteladies Picture House Creative Collective (the group of people who have come together because they believe the project is something the city needs) started fundraising, but somewhere in the middle of all this, their hard work reminded other investors that the Picture House was lying unused and suddenly other proposals, old and new, started to creep out of the woodwork. Worse still, the decision to grant planning permission for the flats and gym is pending and will be decided in a few days time on Wednesday 27th June 2012. This is where they need your help:

A cover I created for the Downstage Write Facebook page

If the plans are passed, it’s the end for the Whiteladies Picture House as a community arts centre. So, assuming you cannot furnish them with £1.7million to buy the freehold, you can help them by signing the petition to support their proposal and/or you can lodge an objection to the flats/gym conversion by leaving a comment on the planning proposal. The relevant links can also be found below and on their website.

I really hope that David, Alan and The Collective are successful, because they have a fantastic, community-oriented vision for the Picture House; a stunning, culturally significant building which shouldn’t be consigned to history when there’s an opportunity for it to be part of our future.

I have provided a brief overview of the proposal in this post, but there is a lot more to it, so for further information visit their website.


*They mention the viability on their website, but at the Equity meeting concerns were raised about how they would generate income if they were successful in their plan and make the Picture House financially viable in the current economic climate. The answers they gave demonstrated a clear business plan and quelled the concerns.

** Once restored, this company intends to take on day-to-day operation of the venue.

Links

Whiteladies Picture House Campaign Website (http://www.whiteladies-picturehouse.com/)

The Petition

The Planning Application (If you want to add an objection, you need to click on the 'Comments' tab)

Whiteladies Picture House on Facebook

Whiteladies Picture House on Twitter (@wlpicturehouse)

Whiteladies Picture House Collective on Twitter (@WLPH_collective)

Equity

Fertility Objects: What's it all about?

Fertility Objects is the fourth production from the new-writing company Butterfly Psyche Theatre and starts at the Rondo theatre in Bath this Wednesday (20th June 2012). As I follow some of those involved on Twitter, I thought I'd find out more about the production.

The poster for Fertility Objects

Do you know a couple who are ‘trying for a baby’? Or suspect you know a couple who are? As you get older, the answer seems to be ‘yes’ on most days of the week. Fertility Objects is a play about three such couples who have hit a few bumps on the journey to parenthood and have ‘broken down’. They are trying to keep going and through the course of the play we discover if they will succeed in reaching their destination.

Image ©Lisa Hounsome 2012

The play is written by Alison Farina, Butterfly Psyche Theatre’s Artistic Director, and directed by Hannah Drake, the Rondo's resident Intern Director (and winner of the Elsa Roberts Prize for Directing). It is a deeply personal and delicate subject for many, but, as part of her research, Alison held interviews with men and women who have been affected by fertility issues and she had this to say about the experience:

“I was struck by how many people were affected by infertility and was moved by how many of these individuals were so supportive and encouraging of the project. It is such a personal and even taboo issue, despite its commonality and is rarely discussed openly. The challenge with this kind of subject matter is making a show that’s emotionally engaging without being a sob-fest, but I think we’ve cracked it!”

Alison Farina, Writer of Fertility Objects

Image ©Lisa Hounsome 2012

According to Japanese tradition, if a person can fold 1000 Origami cranes, they will be granted a special wish and designer, Natalie Remington, has incorporated this tradition into the design of the show:

“Our set design is based on the idea of Origami mobiles; since this show is about people wishing for a baby, we thought the idea of making the 1000 Cranes for them was both appropriate and poignant.”

Natalie Remington, Designer for Fertility Objects

The beauty of Theatre is that it allows you to explore emotions and situations that are close to you and also opens windows on to new experiences. Both reactions to a production can inspire questions and after the show on Wednesday 20th June, Butterfly Psyche Theatre are giving you the chance to get some answers. There will be a post-show discussion with the team from the Bath Fertility Centre, including Medical Director, Nick Sharpe Matron/Fertility Services Manager, Helen Kendrew, an Embryologist and their centre Counsellor (this event is free and will take place just after the performance).

Image ©Lisa Hounsome 2012

With a subject matter close to many people’s hearts and a cast consisting of Oliver Millingham, Shane Morgan, Justin Palmer, Jenny Johns, Anna Westlake and Fleur Ward, it’s firmly on my list of shows to see this week.

The show runs Wednesday 20th - Saturday 23rd June (8pm) at the Rondo Theatre in Bath and links for booking and further information can be found below.

Links

The Rondo Theatre

Bath Box Office

Butterfly Psyche on Facebook

Butterfly Psyche on Twitter

Bath Fertility Centre

Hannah Drake

Natalie Remington

Saturday Shorts 3 at The Bristol Folk House

The place to be this Saturday 9th June at 7.45pm is The Folk House on Park Street, Bristol watching Saturday Shorts 3. Tucked away behind the Children's Hospice shop and Nomad Travel (if you’re walking up the hill and you reach the Spar, you’ve gone too far!) you will find a haven of creativity and this Saturday it will be the venue for a showing of 6 new short plays.

The 6 plays have been selected from over 200 entries and will be produced as script-in-hand performances, directed by Pameli Benham and Duncan Bonner. If you’ve never been to a script-in-hand performance and aren’t sure what one is, the plays are performed with costume and props, but the actors maintain the script in their hand as they perform. It may sound distracting if you have never watched one, but when I am in the audience I forget the actors have scripts, they just become part of the action.

It’s a brilliant opportunity to watch new work which may not otherwise have the opportunity to be performed, or before it’s picked up for full performance. It also provides feedback for the writers, who can see how an audience responds to their work and may make alterations based on the reaction.

The actor folk for Saturday Shorts 3: (top row) Alan Coveney, Jason Bailey, Me - Annette Chown, (bottom row) Duncan Bonner, Marie Clifford, Paul Currier

I performed in last year’s Saturday Shorts and I had a great time so I’m really looking forward to this Saturday. The plays selected for 2012 are as follows (the descriptions are from the Bristol Folk House website http://www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk/whatson.php):

'Our Space' by John Yates - A bizarre pair tell us of the life they lead entirely within the boundaries of their own home.

'The Philosopher Barber' by Belinda Dixon - A moving comic monologue about rites of passage, the power of words, and a nice, neat short back and sides.

'Welvis' by Stephen Rhys Gage - A down-at-heel entertainment agency turns out to have a more sinister side.

'Tescoville' by Katherine Mitchell - A tense comedy in which a man is held hostage by his ex-partner who is seeking the child support money.

'Joe. Morag. And an Urn' by Andrzej Wawrowski - A touching comedy in which an estranged couple scatter the ashes of the adult education tutor who brought them together.

'The Hunt' by Alan Harris - A strange and atmospheric tale in which a young man rescues his sister from a life as a hound.

Duncan preparing to be The Philosopher Barber

I will be performing in ‘Tescoville’ and ‘The Hunt’, and at the time of writing this, I know as much about them as you do, but from their descriptions, they sound great, so I cannot wait until Saturday!

Tickets are £6 and available from the Bristol Folk House (T: 0117 926 2987)

http://www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk/whatson.php

'Actual Reality' is a Gripping Yarn

This weekend Gripping Yarns will take place at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) in Exeter, and my monologue, Actual Reality, is one of the twelve pieces selected for performance.

Although I do a lot of writing for different things, I have never written a script or monologue, and submitted it anywhere, because I’m always saying ‘I haven’t got an idea I want to develop’. So, when I turned up halfway through the first scriptwriting workshop, I had no intention of writing a script, I just wanted to say hello to Sheila (Show of Strength), but as I walked around the beautifully refurbished museum, a kernel of an idea started to form.

Front of leaflet advertising the writing workshops for the project

On my list of ‘Interests’ you will find History, and although I have my favourite periods, part of my interest lies in a desire to learn from the past and understand how it affects our present and ultimately our future. This gave me an idea: what if you were in the future, looking back at the present as if it was the past? What defines this period of time? How could things change on a small or large scale?

I still didn’t put anything down on paper, but over the next few weeks a couple of issues came up in the news and suddenly I had a starting point, but no real story. Time was marching on and as I was now considering submitting a monologue I needed to get back to the museum and properly explore the objects on display.

If you’ve been to the new museum and picked up one of the maps, you’ll know that finding your way around is still a bit confusing, but thankfully they have the room numbers on the walls, so, on my second visit, I was determined to visit every room. It was the last, and perhaps the most underwhelming room I tracked down that provided the inspiration I needed.

Room 6, Behind the Scenes, is a tiny room which aims to give you an idea of what happens behind the scenes at the museum, and on the wall you will find copies of catalogue cards for objects in the museum. They have a picture of the item and all sorts of information like, what it is, what it’s made from, where it comes from, etc, etc. As I looked at the cards I found myself wondering how you would fill out the cards if you were cataloguing a human. Suddenly, I knew I had an idea I wanted to develop and no more excuses not to write it.

Without giving too much away (in case you pop into the museum and watch the performance), Actual Reality, explores what it means to be human, my frustration with endless terms and conditions and disclaimers as well as the constant advertising bombardment and privacy intrusion from companies battling for our personal information and touches on some current political ideas. That’s right, I’ve packed all that (and more) into a darkly humorous, five minute (ish) piece holding a mirror up to modern life.

That’s enough about my piece, there are eleven others being performed and it’s going to be a brilliant weekend at the museum. I haven’t seen all of work, but it’s likely that there will be pieces that make you laugh, some that make you sad and definitely ones that make you stop and think.

It’s a similar setup to Show of Strength’s Trading Local, but instead of taking place in local shops, each piece will be performed in the museum. If you’ve never been to Trading Local, think of it as a mini theatre festival that happens in one building and there will be a timetable so you can see find out what’s happening, when and where it’s taking place. Assuming it becomes available online, I’ll post a link to it, when it’s released.

In the meantime, if you want to find out more, there are some links below and I hope you get a chance to visit the RAMM over the weekend and see some of the Gripping Yarns.

Useful Links

RAMM Gripping Yarns Page
Exeter Northcott Gripping Yarns Page
Exeter Northcott Gripping Yarns Press Release
Show of Strength

Right Here, Right Now

I am sent a lot of Press Releases about productions in the South West, so I’m going to trawl through my inbox over the coming weeks, and bring you a selection of shows to peruse. I thought I’d start with a short blog post today highlighting a couple of productions that are on now...

Madhampton.co.uk

Stepping Out Theatre Company  

http://www.steppingouttheatre.co.uk/

The Blurb

‘It isn’t legal or ethical... But it is incredibly exciting and it’s on the internet so that means it’s probably OK!’

A group of online friends have met through ‘second-life’ therapy site madhampton.co.uk., a slightly scary therapeutic community.

Madhampton is a virtual English village with an array of larger-than-life characters. It appears to offer sanctuary for troubled minds but when they meet for real the friends discover it is more complicated than that...

Who is the mysterious figure behind the site and what is his real agenda?
Why are forest-dwelling rebels the Square Wheelers so keen to take it down?
And do they really have to wear tights while they’re doing it?

The friends must decide whether Madhampton is a healing place or a sinister cult... And how far they are prepared to go to escape their painful realities.

My Thoughts

It sounds as mad as the name and I like the poster (yes, I know, never judge a book by it’s cover - although these days I think you can, as the best book covers are designed to communicate the contents or reach a target audience, but that’s a whole other discussion...) so I’m really looking forward to this one.

The Important Info

Where?

The Brewery Theatre, 291 North St. Southville, Bristol

When?

7.45 p.m.
Wednesday 4th - Thursday 5th and Tuesday 10th - Saturday 14th April 2012

How much?

£9/£7

Where do I get tickets?

The Tobacco Factory Theatre
T: 0117 9020344
www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com

APOPO

On The Stage Of The Present 

www.onthestageofthepresent.posterous.com

The Blurb

On The Stage Of The Present (Tom Pritchard) brings a brand of performance improvisation combining movement, dance and text to story tell, reigniting a long standing collaboration with Chloe Whipple. Other special guests will join us over the three night run where a whole new piece will be discovered onstage each night.

So join us for APOPO, a series of 3 performances on the 5th, 6th and 7th of April 2012.

Titles:
5th Night 1) You are not allowed in the past anymore
6th Night 2) The medium is somewhere in between us
7th Night 3) Avoidance of a monochrome disappointment

My Thoughts

I don’t know Tom Pritchard’s work, but I know Chloe is fantastic and I like the titles for each night. It’s also 2 for 1 on Adult tickets, so I reckon it’s worth a watch!

The Important Info

Where?

The Bikeshed Theatre, Fore Street, Exeter

When?

7.30pm
Thursday 5th - Saturday 6th April

How much?

£10/£7 and according to the website a 2 for 1 offer is currently available for Adult tickets.

Where do I get tickets?

The Bikeshed Theatre
T: 01392 434169
http://www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/apopo/

That’s it for today, but I shall highlight more over the next couple of weeks.