Cake, Avril Lavigne, SHEEP and Wilkinsons

Hey hey Padre

I have been away a long long time, haven’t I? Don’t be sad about it, have some cake. That’s what I’m doing. I’m not actually, I wish I was. I might go forage for some in a bit.

Lots has been happening. I went to Birmingham, and did a little performance there, the beginnings of the hair show. It’s not right yet, I don’t think – I want to make something bigger, and broader, and more musical, and with more GOLD. But there is something warm there, something angry there, something there which makes my heart flutter a bit with anxiety and adrenaline. And that’s where it should be. I shall leave it on a shelf for now, return to it soon.

I’m still a weave maverick, and I’m getting braids next week.

I’m putting together a new work. I can’t really tell you much about it. But I’ve been listening to lots of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqafnxiBAU0 Read the translation of the lyrics below, it will break your heart. Bonus Points if you can tell me where I stumbled across it.

I work with a lady called Emma Beverley. She’s my good friend, and my producer too, as well as working for Dep Arts. Producer means lots of things to lots of different people. To me, it means partner in crime. She’s a joy.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY:

I’m tapping away from all the way up north – specifically, Stockton. So North, and then east a bit. I’m up here with Chewing the Fat! Yay!

I’m up here for a week, revisiting the show, re performing it, and learning a little bit more about how touring will work. it’s a big thing, to tour: because it’s the next logical step once you’ve made a show, I think you can lose sight of that. So Stockton is myself and Emma figuring out and learning how that can work: as well as just performing a show that I love, and want people to see, in a region I’ve flirted with for a bit but never really committed to. This week is me taking the North East out on a date. To the cinema. I’ve bought them chocolates and flowers and everything.

As a part of my time up here, I’ve been spending some time with a couple of groups- one yesterday with some students at Teeside university, and one today, with some ladies that come to Pilates and Ballet at the ARC.Both were beautiful. The first, being with students was much more active and practical: looking at anger and autobiographical performance… people making little moments of movement about being angry with their boyfriends, or wanting spiders to pay rent (!); writing bits of text about rude customers in bars and beaches destroyed by wind turbines. Lovely group. Really enthusiastic and open to everything.

And then today, was a chat, and some tea, and cake with one of the ARC’s silver groups. We talked about bodies – but in quite a loose, roundabout way. It made me quite emotional, actually – increasingly so with hindsight. We talked about the future, and the past. And we talked about the necessity of a spiritual connection with our bodies. Spirituality keeps coming up in conversations I’m having lately. There’s something in that.

This evening Emma’s bringing all the props up, and we’re going to Tesco, and tomorrow we’re teching and dressing. So now, really, is my last time with the words and empty space. I’ve been watching the performance of the performance in February. It’s such a snapshot of that point in my life: my friend Flo, on stage with me, and friends from uni – Tom, Travers and work – Wendy, SJ, very vocal in the audience. Done in my favourite earrings. I’m intrigued and excited to see what it will be here and now, this week, as a performance that is looking back (not that all my issues with food and fat have gone away – just that they are different now) rather than specifically in that moment. I am itching to do it, actually. I thought I was maybe anxious, but now, as I think about it, I want to GO and do it! We asked for some funding, to develop touring the work… to work with lots of people, and do lots of things, and we didn’t get it – which was gutting. But I think it does help you strip back to the essentials of your work, and why you do it, what’s essential to you, and what matters.

Gone a bit introspective. Sorry my bubsys!

Final word – if you are in the North, come, come, come and see my show! I made it for you, I want you to see it. It’s on on Thursday and Friday at 7 both days, but also at 2 on Friday:

http://www.arconline.co.uk/whats-on/drama-and-spoken-word/chewing-the-fat

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