Occupying Spaces
17/08/10: Looking back on what we had to do over the Spring and Summer, I suppose I must say that many things stand out, for me. The rehearsal process was a long-drawn affair that really stretched me (my capabilities) at times! We kept making things up and, up to the end, added bits here, and lost some bits there. I was quite overjoyed with my role as lecturer, and felt quite challanged, everytime I spoke (fairly loud) in front of the old school house. I watched with interest as that role developed during rehearsals. And the singing . . . It was quite heart-warming to learn 2 new songs. I tried to be the best I could as a crooner during the July performance - but I think I was better at the Nellie song - during the dress rehearsal!! All the other scenes enlivened me - just as much. Being a clown, an office worker, an 'angel' - I seem to find acting a learning process. That's what brings me back to the Bubble, again and again. Well done to all my peers, to Joolz and Peth. Let's do it again some time, soon!
Occupying spaces
27/8/10 What was good about rehearsing was the chance to get outside in the evenings and the chance to enjoy being in the park and by the river. There were lovely sunsets during the light evenings. The dark evenings also had their attractions - the memorable moment when the kayaks came down the river! I now know more about who uses the river.
Asking questions about the spaces was interesting - especially what doesn\'t fit- from this emerged the elephant theme- qite unplanned. For me this raised questions of how elephants were transported - something I had never thought of. I also liked the mainly positive response of the public when we wee rehearsing especially from someone who gave as u \'note\'.
I would like to know what it looked like to the audience and what they took from it. I think a brief introduction would have given the audience a context. Was it clear that we were growing up? What did people make of the last scene?
I was sorry we only did it once. The river is so important to Rotherhithe and London - an obvious fact and acentral feature of the Grandchildren of the Blitz Project.
Again
I believe it is being done at the Ellie Fest ?
Occupying spaces
Doing this again, brought home how interesting doing it was, how challenged I felt , and how challenging it is to be fully involved in something that is possibly slightly daft.
Slightly daft
What I mean is, at odds with world slightly perpendicular to the main narrative of cars trundling endlessly down the Old Rent Road. Pleasurably distracting but also challenging the prevailing logic. Why can't we just dance down the stairs without music, imagine the tower block is an ocean liner and sing to it.
Daft Craft
27/09/10: Just the right amount of daftness! Question is: was it daft enough to be real?!! Real - meaning authentic, convincing, entertaining too - I guess. Must say I was rather shocked, at first, to find that we were to perform virtually on the sidewalk of the deafening New Kent Road! After the initial walk-thru, I guess I started to loosen up. Result: I enjoyed virtually every moment we did our stuff. Loved the children as audience. Amanda might have wished a little sophistication from them - maybe now they'll learn! The smaller BAD group we were had its own appeal - I knew better where everybody was. I was SHOUTING during my lecture - so not just boring my school kids, but alarming them too, I suppose! Enjoyed the singing - the words of the songs began to strike chords in me - from the fun of Nellie's ditty to the heartache round Bonnie. Ah, the joys of theatre and the arts! A sing song and song and dance! Many thanks to Peth, Joolz, Bubble staff & the Ele Festival. Let's do it all again in 2011!
Elefest
For me singing 'My Bonnie' by those flats was very poignant and I haven't got the words to say what it evoked. I thought the playgound scene worked very well as did the new opening scene. The children were great. I didn't think it would transfer but it did with the exception of the dance on the steps. I just think it should have been some where else, somewhere more joyous. I was pleased to discover quiet spaces amid the noise as you usually do in London. I was sorry that the publicity
wasn't effective enough to bring in more local people and shoppers- an Elefest problem. Jools was great getting the children.
Audience at Elefest
28 Sept 2010
Inspite of all the traffic and chaos at Old Kent Road, I found myself completely detached from it. It wasnt hard to focus on the performance at all.. and who would have thought that the hard landscape of Elephant and Castle could hold something so soft and beautiful as the singing of My Bonnie!
The moment when the kids ran to the playground along with the performers was brilliant - it so resonated with them!
Real authentic?
What does authentic or
real mean in this situation? Could it be that
it holds it own against the actual stories. Like the man and his son who came up the stairs angrily before we did look pattern. Not sure how daft it is is what gives it realness ? Views?
More On Real Daft
29/09/10: If it felt like it was substantial, (eg. getting some message, story thru) it was good enough - 'real' enough for me. Something that indicates the daft (daftness) - could smack of originality. The piece resonated out there - but also ran thru my veins - the awakening: felt like I was waking up; the end-dance: I could sense it sending ripples under my skin, so to speak. I was too wrapped up to notice the angry individual in question & that LOOK pattern had daftness - a kind of doing-it-for-its-own-sake maybe. Of course, we did clown with LOOK just minutes before. The Ele version seemed to connect the individual scenes more. Were we telling ONE story, unwittingly?! Or did we do a daft (pleasantly daft!) chain of unconnected bits? In any case, an enjoyable voyage . . .