OCCUPYING SPACES

Occupying Spaces was an experiment set up to consider how Bubble performers might best use outdoor spaces to make theatre ? questioning the need for words and even stories. The central issue was what can be communicated when human bodies use rhythm, energy and physicality to divide and focus public spaces. The outcomes will be used in the way we make and style our future outdoor community projects.

You can see a short film about the project here

If you were a participant, a leader or a member of the audience - indeed if this provokes any thoughts in anyone, please let us know by going on the message board here.

Part One - Occupying Rotherhithe Spaces

If you were around the Rotherhithe area a couple of Saturdays ago you may have encountered a group of people taking plastic milk bottles for a walk. Slightly earlier you might have caught a wedding taking place by the river or teenagers displaying captions in a Bus shelter and later on your quiet pint outside the Angel might have been accompanied by the strains of Nellie the Elephant sung by a group of performing adults.

This was Occupying Spaces, a project led by artists from London Bubble Theatre Company and performed by 4 troupes of participants who had been asked to choose, and then animate, a space in the Rotherhithe area.

First up were the teenage group who had chosen to work the area around a bus shelter - typical habitat for this species. The group inhabited the shelter, shaping their attitudes, moving fluidly between an everyday pose to a more challenging shape that questioned our reading of young people in this context. Between sections the group moved to the grassed to hold conversations with trees overlooking the shelter. Then they would return to the glass frame. I particularly liked the words printed on cards that suggested different readings of the partly obscured scenarios we were glimpsing in the shelter.

Half an hour later the first Adult group whisked us along, past the Mayflower to a public garden overlooking the river. A soundtrack accompanied a wedding from which the reluctant bride took flight. We followed her through her travelling fantasies as she escaped in a beautiful transition with performers silhouetted against the skyline. The use of the audience throughout was key - we were confined to a circle, then subdivided into groups, then invited to observe and think about particular features, or consider the therapeutic properties of earth when rubbed into the skin. Finally we arrived back at the wedding and a volunteer bride was sought. Step forward audience member Tanya who, I understand, is now living in wedded bliss with jilted groom Alex.

The 6-8's group were the ones responsible for the milk bottle dogs. Posing as guerrilla party organisers they escorted the audience (and their dogs) to the park behind the Bubble. And basically a party took place. There were games, a Pinata full of recycled rubbish, puppet making, and follow the leader. Watching a huge audience playing what I know as 'Hunt the thimble', passionately screaming 'Hot' or 'Cold', or slightly over-enthusiastically playing over and under in teams was extraordinary. This space occupation was very different to the others - relaxing and fun, and a perfect contrast to what had gone before and was to follow.

Last up were the second Adult group. Starting outside the old school by the church, a tour guide tried to command the attention of a group of children and failed. The group escaped to a playground and on to the river where their imaginings about the origin of the name Elephant Lane, led to singing, processings and a beautiful sequence of riverside longings - My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean sung under balconies with the backdrop of Tower Bridge was the first of a series of powerful evocations. This then smacked into dancing on the steps, with a rogue performer, joining in without spilling a drop of his Special Brew, then on to a high risk sequence played outside the Angel Pub. This was a hot hot day and a lot of people were slaking their thirst as the sun beat down. The performers worked between tables, ignoring the amazement of the audience (aka the general public) and using the space to hurtle their bodies and sculpt shapes in the sun.

Jonathan Petherbridge

See images from Occupying Spaces in Rotherhithe here

Part Two - Occupying Forest Hill Spaces

...and so... one week later, on a beautiful Friday afternoon, the Lewisham resident groups Occupying Spaces began. 10 young people from Brent Knoll School took up their opening positions in a retelling of the life of the Sheriff of Nottingham. The narrator greeting the audience from the high up in an ancient hollowed out tree and actors with drums and whistles leading the promenade to the Sheriffs castle, the viewing platform of the Bowling Green, a perfect horseshoe staging area complete with a grand stone balustrade. 90 young people and teachers from the school were enthralled by the exquisite acting of the Queen as she called out in the midst of a game of Grandma's footsteps 'Off with their heads! The audience that afternoon included Community Police Support Officers, a park keeper* and some passers by.

Later that evening after some frantic last minute rehearsals and the setting up of a mini Bubble front of house area the performances continued. Approximately 90 friends, family and fellow performers made up the audience as we occupied the Park with three performances.

First up - our 9-12 group. Gathering the audience by benches near to the entrance to the park we were treated to beach scenes, comedy police officers, and the family tea party that you would never want to be at. Led around by Lifeguards, pets and a walking tree, the audience of family and friends were drawn into a surreal summer world with repeated chants and offers of ice-cream.

Then the Brent Knoll group?s second performance of the day, with the narrator greeting us from high up in the tree 'Welcome to the London Bubble...' the audience picked up their seating and travelled across the park. Repetition, choral speaking, chants and drama games all helped the audience to follow the story, to recognise the characters and to enjoy the humour.

As the applause subsided the audience were led once more back across the park and settled around a huge old tree and as gentle music played the teenage group offered a series of scenes, things that wouldn?t happen in a park. Amongst the scenes we were treated to; an old man sweeping the leaves in a hopeless battle against the wind, a young woman washing, and two youth lowering their hoods and dancing in friendship. As the sun set the evening came to an end, costumes, props, technical equipment and the Front of house was packed up and Mayow Park was left with only a feint memory of what had gone before.

Saturday and Forest Fest, hundreds of people mill around the grounds of Forest Hill school in the areas community festival. Both the 9-12's group and the teenagers now present the same work in the bustling noisy environment of a festival. With bands playing next to them and the PA calling out, slightly nervously they steeled themselves and gathered their audience as close as they could to present the work again before going off themselves to enjoy the rest of the festival.

*The park keeper deserves a special mention here, going beyond his duties to sweep, clear and sanitise all the areas of the park we wanted to perform in, smiling and welcoming he helped to make us feel at home- thank you.

Adam Annand

See images from Forest Hill Occupying Spaces here