Devoted and Disgruntled 5 - What Are We Doing About Theatre?

What can we do about FEAR and DREAD?

2010-05-12T11:10:00.003+01:00

Convenor: Annie Fitzmaurice

Participants: Phelim McDermott , Matilda Leyser and one other man – sorry can’t read his name

Summary:

We talked about the Depression in 1930’s USA – one of the best times for artists.

Fear and dread doesn’t help. Can’t see possibilities.

Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened – remembering this helps!

Finding out what’s happening anyway.

Young Tories are canvassing – who votes for them?

The witnesses/the polls are creating realities, the critics are affecting what happens.

Who understands how to play? The Debate – the papers didn’t notice Nick Clegg. What happens when you see possibility....some people are saying, “Now I know he could win I might vote for him.”

The identity of being “against”. And the “ wanting to be on the winning side”.

We’re all going to wait, what to do?

It’s unknown.

In the privacy of the booth. Voting with your heart not your head.

Not discussing votes – privacy, disclosure, open. Seeing your own identity.

The idea of voting tactically, is about polarity, what about another way? Hung parliaments in Europe. In a hung parliament/coalition government, who’s the opposition?

Where has the present system got us??
There’s a lack of freedom in the system of “joining sides”.

PR is a dodgy kind of factional....nothing gets done. Playing democracy not the real deal.

Maybe the time has come that instead of the idea you’ve got to have a “strong leader” – there could be collaborating and then all the other voices heard?

Democracy is f*cked.

The disenfranchised.

FEAR and DREAD.

Facing fear rather than panic. Twin demons – power (what was the other one?? I’ve only written power – maybe it was power and panic??)

Fear is useful to save you from a snake, a man with a knife, as opposed to anxiety which is not useful, but the process of creating anxiety (for example about immigration etc) creates a situation where you can’t breathe in....

DREAD – inevitable???
Like the news on AIDS in the 1980’s, going back to the Thatcher era, reacting to invented demons. The level of debate – childish and inept....
If David Cameron and his team are at the helm......revealing the f*cked up-ness......
Hung parliament.
Do you really want to win....this election, the system could change with whoever wins, some short term pain, in order to get change.
There’s shit to come – our situation financially, worse than Greece.....

What can we do about it?????
Talking around the kitchen table, airing it.
Not feeling isolated.
Losing hope – not losing hope.
Who are the young Tories? Are they allies........
A conversation that can be had.
A Tory praying to cure gay people.......

Waking up to what we do have.
Awareness of our privileges – we’re free to talk about all of this unlike many place in the world.
Hearing the Lithuania woman present at D+D tonight expressing her perspective on our arts funding system (it’s wonderful!).

It’s crucial to value our freedom.

Deciding who to vote for....

The newness of the situation, the most exciting thing may be a hung parliament.................

Campaign for the Arts, 5th May Report

2010-05-10T15:41:00.010+01:00

These are the issues raised at the Arts Campaign open space, on the evening of the 5th May. Where a report has been typed up, the issue name links to the report.

The invitation is here.

Do you really think that British politicians don’t care about the Arts?’ and ‘What do we want?- A Wish List...

If change funding where from?

What can we do about fear and dread?

An Open Space with famous people issuing the invite? And/or In the House of Commons?

Performance workshops for Politicians? Alternative ways to get government to value the arts?
How can we organise/create an arts event that allows anyone to contribute, making all who input feel validated, heard, satisfied and creative?

Puppet Power! How do we actually make this happen?

How can we as different kinds of arts practitioners use our specialist skills to present our perspectives to government/funding bodies?

Mask Maker artist theatre maker activist – Who would like to work with me?

What is the Arts Campaign?

How is everyone going to repay their debt?

‘Do you really think that British politicians don’t care about the Arts?’ and ‘What do we want?- A Wish List’.

2010-05-10T15:32:00.002+01:00

Convenor: Amelia

Summary:

- No funding cuts

- Let the arts deliver other policies outside the arts policies- embed us in health, education, economy, employment etc.

- The Arts Council to be less wary of commercialism- it is not always a dirty word.

- More sharing of resources between arts organisations.

- Experts in each of the art forms to deliver funding. Job swaps and sabbaticals for Arts Council relationship managers.

- Job swaps between venue managers and small companies

- Funders to encourage and value risk taking.

- Funders to uphold the importance of access and inclusion.

- Encourage diversity by distributing government funding not solely through the Arts Council. Could DCMS give to trusts and foundations?

- ACE officers to train local authority funders.

- A target of number of performances that ACE officers have to see.

- National roll out of the ‘percent for arts’ scheme where building developers must set aside a certain amount of their budget for supporting arts in new communities.

- Performing Arts to be on the national curriculum at key stage 3 as a subject in its own right, not part of English.

- Extension of existing Creative Partnerships to place more artists in schools.

We then got into a bigger, ideological discussion about why every time a new government comes in we have to have to re-establish the importance of the arts. We agreed that as artists we have not made the case to the British public/government that the arts are an incontestable social good.

We discussed advertising campaigns for Theatre as a whole and confidence in speaking out in defence of theatre and the arts.

Jonathan Holmes (jon) is collecting email addresses of anyone who might be interested in joining a policy group that could work on delivering the ideas which have come out of the Arts Campaign D&Ds.

If Change Funding Where From?

2010-05-10T15:19:00.005+01:00

Convenor: Liz Porter

Summary

I called this session as I am concerned that if the Conservatives get in, the Arts Council will become even smaller and I’m concerned we will lose disability arts and that if fear of change. Fear that there will be less support for individuals, lots of pressure to look for corporate funding.

If ACE cut there will be a lack of understanding and would local authorities understand access, how they assess expertise around disability and access issues.

Will we have to tick more boxes?

High levels of competition for small pots of funding

Campaign for the Arts, 6th of April reports

2010-04-09T14:48:00.003+01:00

These are the issues raised at the Arts Campaign open space, on the evening of the 6th of April. Where a report has been typed up, the issue name links to the report.
The invitation is here.

What are the parties' arts policies?

The election is performing arts

What kind of work is being done? How can we get ACE to tell us (collect statistics)

I'm voting tactically- I really want you to too (the Tories will be worse)

Progress in society is mirrored by progress in the arts. What is the best case to make for increased arts funding?

Comments on web pages about arts funding are overwhelmingly dominated by people who thing the arts should not be subsidised. Is it worth doing anything about this?

Is it bad to think that somehow the arts will thrive is pushed out by the politicians?

It's not artists we need to protect, it's audiences

Does giving young people a creative voice matter?

Is a month a long time in arts politics- what can we do now?

Art has forgotten its audience

Did you contact your MP? What was the response?

I'm not sure if I dislike David Cameron or Andrew Lloyd Webber more. Is this connected? Can we do anything?

I feel like a traitor voting labour ant yet...

Unless theatre is radical, it cannot have any political effect

I know those who come are the right people... but where is everyone? Apathy in the Arts

The October revolution?

What are the parties' arts policies?

2010-04-09T14:44:00.002+01:00

Title: What are the parties' arts policies?

Convenor: Kirsty Lothian

Summary

Amelia Bird had done a lot of research- she passed on these links:

Conservative policy:

http://www.shadowdcms.co.uk/pdf/The%20Future%20of%20the%20Arts.pdf

They want to promote philanthropy, and endowment funding, through matched grants from ACE and tax breaks. They also want ACE etc to have no more than 5% overheads, and they want more long term multi-year grants.
They seem to be big on digital technologies, and getting the arts and museums online.
They focus on music in schools- every child is to have a chance to learn a musical instrument, and sing, as well as getting a "solid cultural education"

Lib Dem policy:

http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/PDF/Power%20of%20Creativity.pdf

They want to set up a cabinet committee on creativity and celebrate the arts more in public buildings and government. They will look at easier visas for artists, more money for Grants For the Arts, and are planning more balance between the regions and London, receptions at number 10 for arts philanthropists and tax schemes, Creative Entreprise start-up loans and red-tape simplification, independent regulation for the BBC, apprenticeships schemes for young people, plenty of arts in schools

Labour policy:

http://www.labour.org.uk/policies/culture-and-arts

They mostly talk about what they have achieved, so I assume they plan to carry on much as they are.

Some of the smaller parties:

The SNP's website is having trouble with policies, but they do have some on the arts, I think. They don't like the arts council, and would prefer direct funding. They think traditional arts are currently underfunded, and Scottish Opera is over funded.

Plaid Cymru don't seem to have any arts policies, but Hywel Williams MP does list Arts as one of his main political interests.

The Greens have a lot to say- largely to do with avoiding discrimination, and strengthening artist led communities, and local and regional arts. They want to Zero rate VAT on live performance, but possibly to tax superstar performances to fund small scale local cultural enterprises.

http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/mfss/mfsscms.html

UKIP has very little to say on the Arts- the closest I could find is part of their Restoring Britishness Policy:
(mainly they like the Last Night of the Proms, and the UK theme is to go back on to Radio 4)
https://ukip.org/content/ukip-policies/1447-restoring-britishness-ukip-policy

The BNP don't have anything to say about the arts or culture at all. They do want more competitive sports in schools though.

The Socialist Workers Party doesn't seem to have any specific policies, let alone arts ones.

The election is performing arts

2010-04-09T14:43:00.000+01:00

Convenor: Alice

Participants: Alice, Phelim, Lydia

Summary:

1- Maybe all this "spin" is good! It gets people interested

2- Politicians often have tour managers, make up artists, stylists etc. So do some actors and some artists.

3- Compulsory voting?

I'm voting tactically and I really want you to too

2010-04-09T14:41:00.001+01:00

Convenor: Stella Duffy

Summary

- How do we know where "best" to vote tactically?

The BBC website has useful information, including a list of "battleground" constituencies for each party:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/default.stm

- Paralysed politics

- How sad that we're defensive voting

- One of the problems in arts funding is not enough confidence to stop funding people when they're shit

- Constitutional reform- can we get a written constitution??

- Steven Whinnery- the fox/eggs analogy (Steven compared the parties to foxes- labour will grab the chickens in it's mouth, but will fill up with regret, and will drop the mauled chickens again. If the Tories get in, then there will be no chickens- no eggs under the Tories!)

- Change the architecture of the debating chambers- use the semi-circle instead

- More young people live in varied places, not one place, so it is harder to get involved in local politics

- Write to your MP

- Tories who wouldn't vote Tory <= war?? (someone's Tory parents (retired military) don't want to vote Conservative because of their stance on the war)

- Democracy is not sophisticated (deep democracy might be)

- Jenn: at leat the top issues aren't "gay marriage" and "abortion", at least it's the economy and immigration

- The arts are being discussed differently by political parties

- Labour have put it on the agenda (and has that created arts with agenda?)

- Arts has benefitted, fundamentally changed funding (untrue stuff from Jeremy Hunt on arts funding!)

While it seemed that we were coming from a disillusioned/hopeless perspective to start, we were glad we were having this discussion, it did feel great to be talking about it, and we were reminded by Rebecca that plenty of arts orgs/theatres etc ARE putting on stuff about the election/politics, we're not alone in our desire for a better, more engaged world - or a better, more engaged arts! (And I especially liked the range of ages in this discussion!)

What kind of work is being done? How can we get ACE to tell us (collect statistics)

2010-04-09T14:36:00.002+01:00

Convenor: David James

Summary:

1- The Tories want to push the "American" system of corporate sponsorship/patronage. How do we ensure that this is a partner (Vs a replacement) for Government funding?

2- MPs (from any party) DO want to know how/what is being funded in their patch (ACE, LA, Corporate etc). Who will tell them?
These can be used to lobby for further support- or point out areas of weakness

3- Many parliamentary 'groups' (football, beer, to cite obvious cases) are corporately funded. How can we appeal to parliamentarians to get them more actively involved and passionate about the arts?

Do you think the performing arts matter in this election?

2010-03-19T16:37:00.003Z

In this key pre election moment this is an invitation to come together at Toynbee Studios, London E1 6AB on the 6th of April at 7:30pm to discuss and engage with the important issues raised by this question.

Dear All,

Through a series of annual and monthly events called ‘Devoted and Disgruntled’ (or D&D), hosted by Improbable, a large network of people from the performing arts have been building a diverse and ever-expanding community. From the annual gathering this January, attended by several hundred people, has come a new groundswell of energy and discussion around the issues that will be important in a general election debate and beyond.

As a direct result of this, and of the activities of associated organisations such as Jericho House, in the past few weeks there have been discussions online and in various newspapers about the commitment of each party to the arts. These have led, for example, to Ed Vaizey, Tory spokesman for the arts, committing to the maintenance of funding to the arts; to the Lib Dems making a matching commitment; and to The Culture Show on the 4th of March, in which each party was quizzed on their arts policies by Alan Yentob.

From the last D&D meeting at the start of this month emerged the desire to widen this debate to include politicians, audiences and other stakeholders, to engage with these questions in a way that involves genuine and constructive debate.

This then is an invitation from this community to join in these discussions in a style where everybody will be able both to listen and to have their voice heard. The evening will run using Open Space technology which gives anyone the chance to propose a starting point for discussion, then take part in one of these conversations or flit between them all.

If any of these questions concern you, come along:

Do artists care about politics?
Do politicians care about the arts?
What do performing artists and politicians have in common?
As a politician, would you like the opportunity to listen and be listened to? To meet the community who cares about these issues?
As an artist, what would make a difference and win your vote?
As an audience member, what would win your vote? What are your concerns?
What will it be like to be involved in the performing arts after this election?
How can the cultural Olympiad actually leave the culture enriched?
What matters to you most about the future of the performing arts in this country?

It would in particular be terrific if policymakers and prospective ministers were to attend and to participate in a genuinely grassroots exchange of perspectives in an environment not dominated by the usual ‘us and them’ structure of staged panel debates.

We would, in short, love YOU to come and discuss and engage with these vital issues!

Hope to see you there,

Phelim McDermott and Improbable
Jonathan Holmes and Jericho House

DETAILS:

If you cannot attend but would like to be kept in touch email office at improbable.co.uk

The evening runs using Open Space technology which gives anyone the chance to propose a starting point for discussion, then take part in one of these conversations, flit between them all, or head to the bar.

This event is free! No need to book, just turn up on the night, but an RSVP is nice.
Artsadmin at Toynbee Studios: 28 Commercial Street | London | E1 6AB.
Map at: http://www.artsadmin.co.uk/contacts/ For further information or to discuss access requirements get in touch with Lucy at lucy at improbable.co.uk or at the office on 0207 240 4556. Hope to see you there.

112 Speaking Doubt to power: How could theatre play a greater role in policymaking?

2010-02-09T15:47:00.002Z

Convenor:Joe Hallgarten, who carrying out some research you can read about on his blog - http://armslengthstate.blogspot.com/2010/01/speaking-doubt-to-power.html

Participants: A small and perfectly formed group of 10-15 A-list D and D-ers, most of whom stayed for most of the session.

Summary of discussion:

Apologies for this random collection of points – I was too busy listening and talking to make good notes!

• Title of session reminded one participant of the solo piece Nagging Doubt
• Artists as civic leaders – if you want public money, should you be expected to engage in the public realm
• Need for a broker between artists and policymakers
• Reminded of the book ‘the gift’
• Would need to ‘timetable’ arts experiences into the policymaking process
• Examples include Blackwatch being seen by the Scottish parliament, civil servants (mainly from DCMS) often coming ‘informally’ to see Barbican shows
• Performing Arts Lab (PAL) may offer a possible model – Susan Benn
• EU parliament has used theatre in this way
• Example of a minister (in an unnamed country) who, having seen Death of a Salesman, ‘went home and changed his country’s pension policy’.
• Matarasso – rural and community spaces
• Theatre needs to be ‘as simple as possible, no simpler’
• What about film? Why is The Wire having so much influence? Or is it?
• Theatre as collective experience
• Forum Theatre
• Kinnock etc influenced by Absence of War
• Maybe we should influence policy MAs etc – how do these emerging policy wonks engage in the arts?
• www.haringwoods.com
• Creating doubt needs space
• Policymaking used to scenario planning/modelling. Arts and theatre could play a role in this – even around dystopias, since scenarios don’t have to be realistic to be useful
• BAC – Coney Show and Home Sweet Home
• Concept of Timenos – From Senate

111 Keeping the space open online

2010-02-09T15:38:00.001Z

Jen Toksvig gathered email addresses and used that list of people to set up the DandD E-List, which is now up and running. Members of the Ning have also been invited to join it. If you’re not on the list but want to be, you can email Jen via devotedanddisgruntled at gmail.com or you can contact Improbable in any one of the online ways, and you’ll be added.

(Note that the E-List is not the same thing as being on the Improbable mailing list. The E-List is for discussions about theatre via email.)

110 A crafty sign

2010-02-09T15:29:00.001Z

Jenifer Toksvig and Stuart Targett gathered by the coffee place and decided to sew a new sign for the stage in fabric hung from hemp line so it’s easy to store and put up. Other people expressed an interest, including Sophia Simensky who is going to knit a lovely butterfly, and Sharon Seager, who is going to knit a lovely bumblebee.

Anyone who would like to join in is welcome to contact Jen Toksvig on never at acompletelossforwords.com so we can make a plan. You can also find me on ravelry.com as Toksvig.

Anyone could create a butterfly or bumblebee in any media, or join in on the big sign, or make a sign for one of the four principles and the law. Wording is thus:

Whoever comes is the right people
Whatever happens is the only thing that could have
Whenever it starts is the right time
When it's over, it's over

And you could either write ‘The Law Of Two Feet’ or make two feet!

109 Does it matter to us who’s in the next government?

2010-02-09T15:21:00.002Z

Convener: Tassos Stevens

Participants: included… Jonathan Holmes, Jon Spooner, David Betz-Heinemann, Mark Moreau, Chris Goode, Lyndsey Jackson, Greg McLaren, Jonny Liron, and many others I don’t have

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The headlines…

It doesn’t matter to us with respect to the likely funding landscape which party is in power. The Tories will cut funding to the arts, Labour will have the rhetoric but very likely that provision will be eroded. We end up in the same place.

If we want to challenge this, then we need to lobby and campaign effectively to make the argument for the value of the arts in our society. Very practical thinking ensued.

Jonathan Holmes has taken the lead and mailed the following around, which summarises beautifully where we’re at; mail him on jonathan at jerichohouse.org.uk if you want to get involved.

[I’ll write up additional notes from the session and post at http://bit.ly/dd5artvalue]

This is by way of a follow-up to the discussion at D & D on Sunday about the importance of the general election result to the arts.

We concluded that, whichever party forms the next government, the likely impact on arts funding will be negative, and the only partisan difference will be the rhetoric and processes accompanying the inevitable cuts. In fact, it's probable that the next governmental spending review will have a devastating outcome for all in the arts unless we act very quickly.

It follows that the time to do something about this is now, when there's a chance of influencing election manifestos and campaign pledges, rather than after the fact, when the task will be so much harder. It's easier to influence a decision in the process of being thought through than it is to reverse one already made.

Several examples of successful lobbying campaigns were discussed on Sunday, such as the campaign to save BAC, the climate change lobby, Joanna Lumley and the Gurkhas and so forth. Each of these has elements from which we can learn, and most importantly they all demonstrate that something CAN be done, if we want it to be. If we do nothing now then we'll have no right to complain when everything goes pear-shaped in a few years' time.

An immediate action we agreed upon was the creation of a document in which all the arguments for the value of the arts - economic, social, philosophical, political - were gathered together in one place. This would then form the basis of a campaign manifesto which would sit at the core of all our activities.

I offered to compile this document to set the ball rolling, but it's a lot of work and I'd appreciate your help - if there are any nuggets of evidence you can supply to demonstrate the value of the arts, please pass them over. It's really important that such nuggets be facts or statistics, NOT anecdotes or dearly held personal beliefs; the campaign has to be as empirical and non-ideological as possible.

As to the next step, it was suggested that the best way of organising this might be a kind of cellular structure, with everyone doing what they could in their own way and connecting via a set of principles and methods, rather than setting up a formal organisation. But it seems that this would still need a kind of a steering group to co-ordinate certain activities. So maybe the best next step would be to arrange a particular D & D session at the Actors' Centre to talk all this through?

Finally, to gauge ongoing support for starting such a campaign, could I ask you all to reply to this email, indicating how involved you're able to be? One line will do, and all levels of involvement, from the tiny to the considerable, are appreciated. And if no-one responds, I won't rush around writing the arts value document... Equally, if there are people you know who want to be involved, please pass their emails over and I'll add them to this initial list; perhaps someone else could then take over from me in administering the group...?!

I know from conversations elsewhere that there's a significant groundswell of support for this sort of campaign throughout the arts world; let's not let the opportunity pass by!

Thanks everyone, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

a blog on the topic has been started here: http://valuethearts.wordpress.com/

108 INTERCONTINENTAL aka How can artists (and audiences) collaborate meaningfully and remotely between different continents?

2010-02-09T15:14:00.002Z

Convener: Tassos Stevens

Participants: included…
Jennifer Pearcy-Edwards, Ilana Winterstein, Emma Deakin, Leo Wood, Sophie Larsmon, Matthew Lloyd, Aaron Minnigin, Annette Mees, Alex Eisenberg, Pete ?, Alex Fleetwood…
and more I have surely missed

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

I had this topic tabled in D&D New York by proxy of Alan Cox. The plan always being to table it here in London. I’ll post Alan’s notes too as sent, a fascinating contrast, I think as many of London artists are making participatory work for playing audiences.

We might be talking about performance, collaboration, skills and experiences.

Tassos: Existing project by Coney, a seed called Hutong: www.youhavefoundconey.net/hutong.html. Made in collaboration over Skype with Beijing-based artist Hey Fan, and devising help from Coney’s Society online, a walk and directions that anyone can download to perform themselves, seed at present, rolling out wide soon.

Alex F: Hide & Seek running International Sandpits with LIFT this summer, in Delhi and Beirut (at least). Sandpit is an open space of real-world, (usually) social games. A sandpit in London linked live to one in different location via a video link projection, games played in both, some exploring the link and the divide.

What’s the symbolism of the Sandpit? Fostering an atmosphere for play – basic question of ‘how are we going to play together?’ which opens out bigger questions naturally.

Could you put a grid in front of each screen so you can link the physical playspaces in each continent.

Difference in intimacy and privacy between Skype, especially with video, and a telephone call. What’s interesting is the interaction with the existing relationship between people. What do you see of the space behind the video camera, and what do you put in front of the camera to help define those different spaces?

The space and place around the screen – how do you explore these?

Alex E & Pete: one went on holiday to NYC, other sent through instructions to be carried out there An almost ‘telepathic’ remote connection to the city. Send and trust that they are being done. Very intimate. Example challenge: make a bouquet and give to a pregnant lady; he couldn’t find a pregnant lady for an aeon. Instructions as constructions. Another challenge inspired by Janet Cardiff.

What’s meaningful? It’s how it inflects and transforms the relationship between the people, between the places, interplay between both. “In a way, I’d already travelled there”, I can explore the city without being there, one person being almost like the avatar for the other.

In Come Out & Play, tours of NYC as if it is Baghdad: You Are Not Here http://www.comeoutandplay.org/2006_yanh.php

In Hide & Seek Festival, Momus did tours of London as if it were Tokyo: http://www.hideandseekfest.co.uk/games/londonastokyo

Both had fictional elements, deliberately not accurate representations.

Project using Ustream (?), where wifi spots were difficult. Fucked-up stream, fractured and fragmented, sometimes give the sense of distance, it’s the failure and difficulty in the network that’s important. It’s the imperfections in communication that engender specificity and meaning.

Will Skype become an archetypal theatrical symbol of remote communication as a suitcase became a symbol of travel in visual theatre?

Who’s travelled to a different continent or hemisphere, for business or pleasure, in the last year? Maybe a third of us? We’re living at the end of a generation where live human exchange wasn’t a luxury.

Leo: less interested in technology, rather the learning of inter-cultural meaning, and the arts as a vessel in which to learn. Will this interest be redundant if people can’t travel?

Greg: collaborating on google docs, and people moving the cursor from different places, a meaning that comes from responsivity and also from the sense that we’re alll looking at the same thing – the notion of theatre as an experience of collective witnessing.

Buskers in US via hologram.

We need to acknowledge the difference of remote comms rather than the same.

Alex: Arnold Mindel talks re deep democracy about collective thought, how it transfers between bodies, an energy whirl. Can this transfer via video/voice? Role theory at play here.

What happens with 3D HD video between Delhi and London? We’d have interface chambers, special spaces rigged up to facilitate the video link. How do you bring your journey into the room?

Alex F: Questions of travel and authenticity. How do I have an authentic local experience in a place I don’t know? Going to Rome, joining a network where given a local mobile, blog about Rome by locals, tips to consume the authentic experience. How much of a local does this make you?

Meeting between people and a meeting between places, otherwise always talking about a representation of place.

Annette: I’m from Holland, I’m often generalised as a Dutch theatre-maker rather than looking at me specifically.

Instructions make engagement itself an act of theatre. The screen is a cold interface

We might need to recognise a sacrifice, we can’t consume cultures again directly and easily, but you can only experience Delhi in Delhi, so important still to travel.

Why do I need to travel? Can find communities of diaspora in London.

Perhaps a travel agency that takes you on a holiday without leaving London. Go to Lagos via Ridley Road Market.

What are the sets you can place behind you on Skype, like Eurovision backdrops. The bedroom is the traditional backdrop, can you fictionalise those spaces.

Pete: In Central America, street theatre is the norm. The comparsa, theatre versus parade. What’s the agency of involvement that gives you that visceral experience? And also that you’ve made a journey to get there, the investment in the event that gives.

We should be making analysis of loss and gain, what happens in each modality of engagement, so we can better make value judgements.

Is the desire to create meaningful encounters?

Strangers in the night connections between people online remotely who can’t tell who it is they are interacting with.

Amigal(?) – a blank page online that you collaborate in writing with a stranger

Tassos, daft thought: How might we travel and exchange across continents by breaking it down into smaller legs – I exchange with someone 100 miles away, who exchanges with someone else 100 miles further, etc until we’re in China.

A project where two artists are walking Britain and collecting and sharing songs.

In the World Cup, the diaspora communities in London emerge to compete and celebrate.

In the 1948 Olympics, last time they were in London, ordinary people hosted visiting athletes.

Story reported of Lucy Neal, she is obsessed with cold-water swimming and went by train to Slovenia to participate in International Cold Water Swimming Championships, an extreme physical experience – like sharing a meal, or sharing a house.

Pete: watching home vidoes through a screen, someone else’s life experience.

What are all the roles you take in your city – resident of Stokey, father, artist etc – and can you have the same role in another city or identify with someone else who has? Do you need permission to take the role?

The Gaijin in Japan – you are always a guest as a foreigner, Japan is your host.

Interesting book - Universal experience: Art + The Tourist Eye

Commonalities of environments

2010-02-05T10:47:00.006Z

This is a list of all the reports on this site. You can also see lists of the sessions not yet reported on here, and a list of Monday's action sessions here

This is what we talked about all weekend:

001 Collaborating with members of the public

002 How do I explain the value of what I do to my Grandad and other people?

003 Having A Sing

004 What does theatre have to do with video games?

005 How do we keep Theatre Directors creative?

006 Is it more fun to make theatre than to watch it?

007 How can men contribute to feminist theatre?

008 Difficult Times Ahead?

009 Theatre, Film, Television, Digital Media, (Radio!): What do we have to learn from each other- Do we want to?

010 Politics and content in outdoor theatre

011 What is culturally diverse about Theatre?

012 Why are so few creative jobs ever publicly advertised

013 Free Mask Workshops

014 Response Ability

015 Does experimentation depend on access to technology?

016 Is it a problem that, recently, I feel that I do not want to work with, perform for, or even talk to straight people? If yes, are there solutions?

017 Stories and learning

018 Staging a last tango in Paris

019 Why are only 17% of plays produced in the UK by women?

020 Where do all good theatre sets go to die

021 Outdoor Theatre in the Winter

022 How can we use web technologies to help generate communities that love theatre?

023 What is the role of science in theatre?

024 How do we make touring pay?

025 Running a company: where are our support networks?

026 What are directors for?

027 What BIG things do SMALL groups of people do best?

028 Playwrights: a dying species?

029 Solo Show Sharing

030 Would you like to work with me?

031 How do you go about communicating “NON-SENSE” ideas to people who would likely not know what you mean?

032 How can we move beyond novelty in the use of pervasive media technology in theatre

033 Can you design without some idea of the budget?

034 Circus theatre, an oxymoron?

035 Queer theatre

036 How does deaf and disabled theatre attract a mainstream audience?

037 Are there any anarchists in theatre?

038 Babies in theatre

039 Things I found in my pockets and notebook

040 How to get a job in an hour and a half

041 I’d rather be down the pub

042 Canada in theatre or vice-versa?

043 Gate-keepers or obstructions to involvement

044 To let: one state secondary school. What would you do?

045 Writing theatre without writing plays. Playful writing

046 Is theatre political

047 “If I’m a jack of all trades, why do people think I’m a master of none?

048 Stage management- what’s the point?

049 We devised, but I directed?

050 Bunch of Purves? – Criticism

051 How does the phrase “Britain’s finest!” grab you?

052 International touring- looking for some good advice

053 National Theatre. Too much public money?

054 Live Music in Theatre

055 When are we going to stop scratching and make a proper show?

056 How is Edinburgh not impossible?

057 Is art just a way of filling our time or can it change the world?

058 What one idea from outside theatre has most changed your practice inside theatre?

059 ACE: new vision and goals. Let’s make them better?

060 Does theatre still have a social and moral responsibility?

061 Dreamtime: what do you want to create?

062 Is street theatre a pile of rubbish?

063 Producers

064 London Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, too much fringe?

065 Empty theatre spaces after the recession. What inspires you: we have the space.

066 How can we create permanent ensembles and survive?

067 Why are playwrights discouraged from acting in or directing their own plays?

068 How might we think about desire in relation to theatre?

069 Where audiences are responsible for creating their own performance- what is the role of the artist?

070 Open Space Buildings

071 Access- how do we get better?

072 Lost and unfound: exploring experiences of loss on stage

073 Are we all saying the same thing?

074 One-on-one theatre: who’s in charge here?

075 Can the D&D networking site support and work better?

076 Blame the audience

077 The sectors: Commercial vs. Subsidised

078 Intergenerational work: how do we make and produce?

079 Youth Theatre- how to get them involved?

080 Ethnic theatre?

081 Artists and Freelance Producers- How to begin and build a relationship that works.

082 Should actors (and other artists) be running companies and buildings?

083 What do actors really need to learn?

084 I’m not from here- where do I fit?

085 Process vs. Outcome

086 New Musical Theatre

087 Playwright as scientist

088 Can you still be an artist and be in musical theatre

089 What types of women are we not seeing on stage

090 Open Space- good way to engage with disability?

091 Political correctness- can it be too much?

092 A show about antisocial behaviour and claustrophobia

093 Which job should I do?

094 Transition Towns and Theatre

095 What has D&D done for you?

096 A confessional

097 Walking and Listening in the city (soundwalk)?

098 Session without words but full of passion for theatre

099 Mythology

100 Where are today’s theatre visions for a better tomorrow?

101 WANNA FIGHT?

102 Social Networking Systems as a Marketing Tool

103 Am I Too Old?

104 May Contain Devising: I work in devised theatre and have realized I have an allergy to devising

105 Theatre- how can we get as many supporters as football?

106 Honouring the elders

107 Courage to act

108 INTERCONTINENTAL aka How can artists (and audiences) collaborate meaningfully and remotely between different continents?

109 Does it matter to us who’s in the next government?

110 A crafty sign

111 Keeping the space open online

112 Speaking Doubt to power: How could theatre play a greater role in policymaking?

Action sessions

2010-02-05T10:46:00.000Z

Not all of these sessions have yet been reported on. If you would like to send in your report, you still can. E-mail it to office at improbable.co.uk

Honouring the Elders

Keeping the space Open online

Courage to act

Auntie Gravity Machine @ the hackney rose

Theatre and peace making

Freespace

Courage to act

Ideas to help me run the TBT better

What actions can directors and writers in New Writing Theatre take to change infastructure / processes to embrace more experimental approaches?

Still wanna fight

Access: How do we get better?
3 Actions for Improbable
3 Actions for the wider sector

Virtual Theatres

I hate post-show discussions - is there another way?

Solo show festival
- already happening?
- is there a need
- does anyone want to take it on
- if I take it on are there partners out there

Still wanna fight? A cooking chaos and worldwork group?

Issues raised, but not reported on (yet)

2010-02-05T10:43:00.002Z

If you would like to send us your report you still can- email it to office at improbable.co.uk

The writer in Experimental Theatre

Where should I be looking for jobs?

Pitching for design

Myths of the near future

Equity Union of XFactor Live

Live Intercultural Performance online

40 Winks

Dramaturgies of media technologies?

Sinking ships – how do you salvage a dying project?

Experimental theatre – so… what are you experimenting with?

Golden leaves of establishment will overwhelm the smaller shoots of creativity

Undercover theatre - theatre from the inside out?

The fine line of subtle performance (in public)

“Site-specific” – story driven or about atmosphere?

What could happen when the roles of artist and curator/producer merge?

Why stay in London

What is communication?

Conversations that have inspired you since yesterday?

The first play I wrote…

107 Courage to act

2010-02-05T10:38:00.000Z

Convener: Andy Harmon

Participants: People came and went but we started with the following:
Sophia Simerensky, Sandra Bo-Sim Yee Ben Luke, Jo Faith, Angela Clerkin,

Title: Courage to Act:

What's in the way of taking action
and some ideas about how to breakthrough

Motto contributed by one of the session members:
"If we talked to our friends the way we talk to ourselves, no one would want to be friends with us."

"What are the aims or goals you need courage to do?" and/or "What are your fears that are getting in the way" (Goals and Obstacles)

Goals:
Networking
Auditioning (pushing forward, making calls)
Finding a Mentor
Finding a Project
Taking myself seriously
Finding a community
Taking a Risk
Feeling Entitled (I'm not good enough)
Taking ownership of the value of what I create
"I Want to stop Playing Small"
"I'm rubbish at networking but I want to work in an ensemble"

Obstacles:
Things we do that stop us:
I have a fear that what I create won't be perfect
I have a fear that I won't find the exact right group of people
I over-think what I do (analysis paralysis)
I get intimidated by what other people think I 'should' be doing.

Some suggestions about moving forward:

Don't use the the word 'Networking' think about 'making new friends' or 'building a community for yourself'
Use language that helps you take action rather than reinforces your preconceptions
Make it Public. Declare yourself; then there's no time to be terrified.
Put your fears in perspective, think about what it will be like if you DON'T take action
Attend the NorthEast D&D. Set up a Local D&D in Leeds (forinstance)
Imagine yourself as someone else when you have to make a call or meet someone new
Email a friend or a colleague who will support your commitment to yourself with some things you're going to do.
Create a little community that will hold you to the deadlines you set for yourself

Many thanks to everyone involved in the weekend but especially Lee, Phelim, Nick, Lucy, Julian and all the others from Improbable and the Support Team who made this wonderful event happen!

106 Honouring the elders

2010-02-05T10:37:00.000Z

Phelim called this session on Monday morning.

These notes are excited but poor!

Sorry no names except Jack!

I called this session after experiencing the five D&D’s and others elsewhere. A big and amazing part of the events is the relationships around eldership.

An obvious example is younger artists seeking the wisdom and experience of older artists. I gave the example of seeing Betty Bourne support Michael Twaits a couple of years ago as a young gay artist. It was also remarkable to hear Betty tell stories of his you activism and performance. These stories are an important legacy.

I saw that D&D has the possibility to nurture and facilitate these relationships. I also have a strong desire to continue this as it is an important part of our community which can be neglected. Particularly in theatre performance older people can become isolated and we are losing the places in which this exchange can happen. Also OS supports this to happen in a subtle way not just as an information exchange but in a context which is enjoyable for both and has a genuine quality to with integrity.

The relationship is also a two way one the elder learns from the “pupil” and vice versa.

Someone (forgive forgot to get names please let us know) Talked about their festival “Bealtaine“ which celebrates creativity in older age. www.bealtaine.com.

They had learned a lot about eldership through the passing on of traditional irish music and in how it was considered learning together. It was an exchange relationship.

They had ambassadors who were older people.

He said they had a certain definition of what Age was:

It was someone 10 years older than yourself so it was a fluid thing in relation to oneself
someone with experience.

and elder was:

1 You might start at any time
2 Significantly affected by loss
3 Something that you’ve always done.

Condsiderations in the project were

opportunities for older people to create.
Older people challenged to make new work

If we were thinking of the future and Elders at the D&D event access was a consideration. Security and Hearing and warmth!

This was an opportunity to look at art through a different lens.

it was a horizontal landscape

So not a hierarchical one and could happen in lots of different places.

We said this was about supporting and facilitation wise conversation not about ”getting a job“ from someone.

We said that Open Space helps but is difficult to describe if you haven’t experienced it.

Mandela’s Elders were talked about : Global elders a project supported by Peter Gabriel and By Branson

The sharing of wisdom and of Practice.

I talked about wanting to Honour the Elders.

it was part of D&D but I had a dream of a project/performance ritual which did this.

It was perhaps especially for those who were maverick and then potentially isolated. Who could get forgotten.
I wanted to honour them so they didnt just feel crazy or undervalued. I also recognised that i wanted to honour that elder in myself. This was a role that could move between us. Young people could be an elder too.

My selfish motive was that I did not want to end up bitter myself as an Elder!

If this was a Rite of passage what would this rite be.

Practical Things:

Jack talked about wanting to work with Vivian Pickles and he had to approach her around the agency a he was told she wasn’t working now. He did and she was amazing.

James talked about being mentored by me I’d forgotten!) and at first he expected answers and asked about how to get Impro to be reliable and always work.. and I said well I don’t know. Actually saying I didn’t know (How to make sure an improvised show worked) was useful. Because he realised it wasn’t about getting THE answer.

What was useful was an honest relationship.

We talked about practical ways to bring the Elders to D&D The invitation was important but also that they would know it wouldn’t be an off putting event.

Other thing that was important was the space..

Warmth
Hearing
Security

Matilda suggested that there was a great oppprtunity in older people being directed by younger people.

If we invite them how do we find them?

Who are they?

Could everyone think of two or three people who should come? Make a commitment to getting them along.

Should we have another open space about this.. yes but we shouldn’t create a ghetto.. this would be to continue the energy of this conversation.

A separate one would feed back in.

Elders being present is yet another diversity issue for this group and its potential creativity.

Is this event only for people who arent working. We showed hands for who has been working for six months or more or not.

It was half and half.

we had another discussion re diversity and dance and does the word theatre put dance people off.

We talked about the Archetype of the Elder
In South Africa with Mandela

The Elders helped create peace.

In our culture we celebrate the wise silent guru type elder but not necessarily the crazy fool. with crazy wisdom

David Bailey: I don’t know everything.. but i know the 400 mistakes you can make.

Matilda talked of Rosemary Lee’s intergenerational work. non verbal channels support this work and cross boundaries between the ages.. dancing together..

this event has a bias twards youth..

Equity meetings are 80% older people..

Lets create a culture where it is communicated that it’s attractive to be old counter to the celebration of youth youth

youth.

THE FIRE. The circle of theElders

I talked about my idea for a project that was inspired by Somerset house OS we did that could be an Eldership project. prompted by the light wells and the coal shutes.. The bringing of coal to building a fire or hearth that the Elders would sit at.

The fire could be made.. the younger people would come and and ask questions or give thanks or honour to the circle of elders. We talked about how we were in a circle and doing this in the moment ourselves. Someone suggested that those who came could bring a piece of coal for the fire.

There were some other defenitions of Guru..

S/he who reminds..

Jack talked about Philip Tobias who was able to radically change his life view and belief about his anthropological ideas in his SEVENTIES! because of a discovery he made.

Elder :

One who is detached and welcomes all the voices.

One who continues

One who starts.

Someone said that this aspect of elders and theatre was studied academically in The US but not here. Theatre and Aging.Is it studied?
Someone mentioned the Silver Festival.

The university of the third age was mentioned.

Someone from the arts council had heard about D&D through their academic connections not their work connections.

We talked about the improbable mentoring fete.

Getting mentoring relationships past the age of 30 was difficult as then you were seen as in the profession and were peers or competition.

It is possible to become a beginner at 60. We are always a beginner. There are repercussions of the Harriet Harmon age equality bill.

What do elders need ..
before they die a sense of recognotion. living on in people talking.. a legacy

People who are older say ”We are invisible“

The Elder’s relationship to Death and mortality is important. Reconciling to death is important.

What is the legacy? It is a big mysthic story.

Reading of a deceased on a plaque or a gravestone their presence is still felt..

they dead are still present as active elders. We must not forget them. THE ANCESTORS are elders who are now dead.

Mark Rylance’s ceremeny at the Globe to welcome the ancestors to the new globe was powerful.
WE ourselves were already present in the thoughts of our ancestors before we were born.

I was very excited about getting our relatives/elders to the next D&D.

I made a personal commitment to move forward on the Eldership project as a performance ritual for the Improbable company soon.

ACTION POINTS:

Tell people they wont have to do weird shit or too physical theatre exercises if they dont want!

Lets look after the tenor of the environment..

look after the silent ones.

Could I would I bring my Grandmother here?

Lets include the Older people in our lives.

lets have a monthly D&D about this?

Email people who we want to come.

Think of a simple way to honour the elders in our everyday life this week and do it!

Someone talked about a plaque they walked past on their way to work and it says”

“ROY BYFORD ACTOR” and this made him feel proud to be an act

105 Theatre how can we get as many supporters as football?

2010-02-05T10:36:00.000Z

Convener: Leila Crerar

Participants: Nigel Richards, Josh Neicho, Hugh Hayes, Chris Wootton, Sam Sampson, Jen Pearcy- Edwards, Jo Turner, (didn’t get all names, if you attended could you add them)

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Q. How can we get the same support for theatre in this country as we do for football?
Q. Do we need to change the mold of theatre how can it be more competitive with Film/Sport/Television.
Q. How do we get bums on seats, without sacrificing our artist integrity?
Q. How to make shows without stars that pay for themselves?

The discussion:

We began by discussing football v theatre:

What is the thrill we get when watching our football team play? The unpredictability of not knowing whether they will Win or Loose. The live event.
It was suggested Football is shorter 90 min; there was a discussion about the length of theatre perhaps being too long. Most other forms of entertainment that Theatre competes with Film/TV/sport are shorter than the conventional theatre piece.

We talk about the culture of football in our society. Being bred into football from a young age. Meaning that you have an unbreakable loyalty towards a team. Wouldn’t it be great if theatre could achieve this?

Football has a permanence that theatre doesn’t have, live event sense of belonging, supporters for life. You know when you go to a match you might be the one to see that special goal, that you can talk about, a moment that can’t be repeated.

The group discussed that theatre could make more of the live element

Rehearsed in mistakes, the audience love to witness something going wrong, assurance that’s a live unique event.

It’s more human; it makes us feel like life.
Playful/improvisation, element of risk and danger. Theatre could imbrace this risk.

People should feel they could walk out of the theatre if they want to.

It’s a good thing if they do walk out, at least they are not passive, and they feel moved enough to walk out.

We use to have that sense of consistency in Rep where people would go and see the same actors in different parts. This creates a feeling of supporting the actors like you would a football team. You have a loyalty towards the cast and you invest more in the actor’s performance.

You have to build this over years; the National theatre’s main objective is selling seats. Complicity, Improbable, Frantic Assembly have built up an audience, because of the consistent quality of their work.

Quality matters

This led us onto a discussion on how to get new audiences, selling shows and marketing:

Marketing needs a new fashionable/modern slant, using the Internet more and maximizing the using of social networking.

Taking the irreverence out of theatre, it needs to be more inclusive.

Theatre needs to be more of an event, rather than a performance, not just sitting in silence in the dark. We talked about the rise of interactive/physical theatre, Punch Drunk with record ticket sales.

They also have a massive queue outside, great marketing tool, like a trendy nightclub. The overall experience of punch Drunk is very different to your average theatre experience/environment audience seem to be very responsive to this. As shown by the general increase of site-specific physical theatre.

Another area that could improve the theatre experience is making the theatre bar more accessible, turn it into somewhere you would want to hang out even if you weren’t going to the theatre. Like the Royal Court. This goes back to the point about theatre being inclusive. It’s important that the theatre building is not just the play. It has to be inclusive/welcoming for a younger audience.

The group then discussed Films v Theatre
With films you get a package. The audience knows what they’re going to get. Risk keeps people away from theatre; generally they don’t like the unknown. This is why we have seen a rise in Hollywood stars in the West end.

It’s about branding, you either need a star, a well-known play, or a reputation as a company, which has been built up over years.

Making films back into theatre,
Shawshank Redemption, On the Waterfront. For the theatre producers they already know that these films have a proven audience that they will be able to sell tickets to. This is the exact opposite of new writing. The group did discuss that the UK needed more new writing theatre's.

Ticket prices are too expensive, especially for a younger audience. The fact that ticket prices are so high means that a lot of theatre will always remain for the middle classes. This again went back to how exclusive theatre is at the moment.

To sum up, we need to offer a unique high quality experience that neither film, TV, Internet, nor football can satisfy.

Where’s society heading and what is it interested in?

We live in a time of Roman theatre rather than Greek, the sensory rather than the idea.

Physical theatre needs a good story line, merging story telling with spectacular, the middle ground between pure text and pure visual.

Having a good story is something people will always come back to.

Yes I can watch spectacular physical/incilation piece and be moved in the moment, but not take anything away with me.

Yes like a big Mac, emidiate fill, but now I would like to go to a proper restraunt please.

Circus de Soliel without language speaks to everyone, sensory experience, unique, they cry because the beautiful possibility transcends things. To be reminded of angels. And its and experience you cannot get anywhere else.

Saturated community, compatition for attention, how do you generate a buzz?

Theatre needs to be true to itself, not become an extention of tv, a language that is complete, what can language provide that nothing else can. To find a theatrical language that is in its owe right, we find a vocabulary that is not competing with television/film.

104 May Contain Devising: I work in devised theatre and have realized I have an allergy to devising.

2010-02-05T10:35:00.000Z

Convener: Matilda Leyser

Participants: Oops. Didn’t take these names down.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

I explained why I don’t like devising:

What I have a problem with is the product-orientated thinking that can (not always!) underlie it. The pressure to ‘come up with something’ and the lack of awareness given to process whilst the focus is all on needing to produce – to assuage the underlying panic that is created by the absence of a script.

The thing I particularly don’t like is when I am sent off in a group of people into a corner and then we have to make a thing together and then come back and show it. Uuuuurk!

I think that if the story of the people in the room (the story-tellers) is looked after – in other words, the process – then the product, the show, the story (and story IS process!!!) will take care of itself.

Other people felt some other things:

Questioning the word ‘devising’ – it doesn’t even exist in Europe. Would just plain ‘making’ be better?

Okay in a group, not okay when you have to go into the corner alone and come up with some stuff.

What are the differences between devising and improvising?

Devising is okay as long as the structures are clear.

Need to start from where you are.

It has to be okay to fail.

What if you don’t have to come back from the corner to show anything? Does this change things? You can make stuff up and choose whether you show it or not.

Need to be able to sit in the terror of not knowing/ not having any material.

‘Side-coaching’ might be another way of working that supports people to improvise rather than go away and have to devise in isolation.

Need to keep working with same people to build up methods that work for you and challenge each other to find new ways. Danger otherwise of always descending down to the lowest common denominator.

How is devising different to what a writer has to do when writing a piece?
They are on their own and can create the conditions that best suit them to work. Also whilst it is terrifying to handover your page of words it is still less exposing than physically standing in front of people presenting yourself.

More fundamental than an allergy to devising is an allergy to ‘end-gaining.’ Devise, make, improvise, do whatever you see fit but start from where you are not from a future idea of where you should be.

103 Am I too Old?

2010-02-05T10:32:00.000Z

Convener: Mary O’Connor

Participants: Gary Horsman,Simon Pittmon, Rod Dixon, Joe Austin, Louise Jeffreys,Alison Goldie, Sally Rose, Adam Brace,Tim Taylor,Dee evans, Clare Fischer, Daniel Copeland,Lee Simpson, Adrian Gillott, David Lff, Barry Wilson, Robin Geffry

(apologies if I spelt your name wrong)

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Am I too old?

A question that is hanging around the air (I’m 45) . “I’m not bitter” was an addendum to the title because this session was not to be about complaining about not being young.

Stories are old

Are we obsessed about new and young?... what does that mean?

(young audience etc, theatre for youth.) Many audience promo ideas are youth focused. How and why ? before they go off the rails?

Though in the music industry it is largely performed by youth, the audiences now are diverse and allowed. Young Vic in ’98 ran a programme to get anyone in to watch theatre regardless of age. London wide cheap tickets No assumptions made and it was successful.

Programmes run in Yorkshire 18+ and older people do apply. some young people don’t believe they will live beyond 30.pressures and sense of responsibility for a world that was dying anyway a darkness in the future. limit a long-term-view.

Young people can take on unpaid work. They can afford to. Younger audiences will come they just need to be asked.

New audiences are not necessarily young. New in theatre is not necessarily created by /from young people./ new generations.

Do people train too young ? Concept of training young gives of a sense of 8/10 years ahead to “make it” to process, to “get there” and that Getting there was getting paid. Success = money. A belief that If you stick around long enough you will make a living. People do quit so there are less “older” actors around if you leave it till you are older you could have the advantage of having created a stability around you financially or otherwise.

We came to the conclusion that there was a handicap around trying to get to a place in your artistic career by a certain age; that it could be limiting.

Experience of one woman director; she felt discrimination, felt too old.

We talked about NOW how that is important, nobody is too old /young just get on with it.. being older means “we hold ourselves back” “they’re going to think I’m too old/ not accepted” “I’m measured by what I have directed” we need to get over this view. Get on with NOW. Another woman director went to drama school in mid ‘40’s. “when you are older you have background, I came out with a toolbox. No-one said I was too old” RSC didn’t turn her down when she applied to be an assistant director. ‘though the Haymarket does limit access to older directors.

Someone’s experience , big questions: Am I too old to return to theatre? How? I was born into it, I went to Drama Centre. is it too late for me to find a mentor?

Then his experiences of being a young “arrogant” 20 year old at drama school excluding a 40+ student in his year group, marginalised them . This sowed the seeds for his current self-limiting.Prejudices that are created in our youth and we carry as we mature without realising it to prejudice ourselves. Self fulfilling prophecy.

We can choose weather we collude with the prejudices (even we hold against our own aging) or not. Noticing that .Older people put themselves into and are put into roles.

Being Bitter

We noticed that old and bitter was negative.

young and bitter was a healthy angst

What do we do/ how can we not be bitter? Answers found in Buddhism/meditation/reflection.

“I’m not bitter now but I have been “

Owning up and facing what has to be done. Bitterness exists in young people in theatre not only older people.

Peer Mentoring

We talked around this . We are different.don’t worry about the differences. There are differences between being 60 or 20.find a point of contact. Don’t want to wait to enforce/prescribe interaction. Find a point of contact.Mutual learning where in the right environment and context age is ignored.common will and purpose can cross boundaries of age. Don’t patronize. Don’t step into a role that isn’t asked for (ie offering advice-being patronizing)

Death of amateur theatre due to lack of space, we talked about finding space squatting in spaces to rehearse.

What is the role of arts centre, for everyone?

.we can Be vigilant, look after ourselves and look after older people in our families and community.

Making mistakes is ok, learning from beginning to end.

102 Social networking systems as a marketing tool

2010-02-05T10:31:00.000Z

Convener: David Johnston

Participants: David and Lindsey Hope Pearlman

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Very brief session-both agreed that we needed to get more exercise and have a stretch, rather than talk too much

David runs Tangere Arts in Derbyshire, a small theatre company, mainly presenting shows and workshops for children and families,

With a very small budget-

(company operates out of David’s back office in the village of Tansley, near Matlock, and survives on unpredictable project grants)

Tangere, however, has had remarkable success, with some of its plays, mostly by recently deceased playwright, Noel Greig, being performed nationally and internationally at festivals and in well-known theatres, from the Meyerhold in Moscow to the Unicorn in London

The problem for Tangere remains how to spread the word re our work even further abroad, with even further reduced administration and marketing budgets, and a growing portfolio of excellent work

Lindsey’s company in New York, Horse Trade, faces similar, if different problems, being unfunded and comprised of young performers and artists

They have solved this in a range of ways using networking systems, especially Facebook

Recommendations

1 use a page on Facebook -upload photos, company information, plans events, audition information etc

2 organise events on Facebook to advertise coming performances

3 enroll interns/volunteers who understand the technology and want to support

E.g. Tangere has a relationship with Derby University students of performing arts, which currently consists of sharing our work with them, but could be taken much further

4 invite people to become a fan of Tangere, and offer them something special

5 get a small number of regular fans to champion the company and keep reminding the network

Keep the fans updated

Lindsey had a number of other recommendations from the New York experience

Which we will now try out in deepest Derbyshire

I will update the ning etc on any interesting developments

David Johnston

dj at tangere-arts.co.uk

www.tangere-arts.co.uk

Tel 0845 3298013

101 WANNA FIGHT?

2010-02-05T10:30:00.000Z

Convener: Matilda

Participants: May, Shelley, Stella, Lucy, Angela, Paschale, Mary, Cobna, Angela, and many, many other fighting spirits.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

This session came out of someone at the close of Saturday saying, amidst all the positive feedback, that they were disappointed that there had not been more fighting.

During the session we wrestled physically, but not much verbal combat took place, although we talked a lot, agreeably, about disagreements. Some people found the idea of verbal fighting more challenging than having a physical fight and other people felt the other way round.

Here are some thoughts that came from the discussion and the fights that happened:

-This event is called ‘Devoted and Disgruntled’ – the ‘Disgruntled’ bit is important.

-Fighting is edgy. It points to an edge and can provide the energy that is needed to go over that edge. It is exciting. It signals huge passion.

-People’s different attitudes towards fighting, physical or verbal, are strongly influenced by the place of arguments/ lack of arguments in their families when growing up.

-Fighting can be about the play of it, not about winning. About engagement and passion.

-How could we make a place for safe verbal fights in D&D? Have an argument boxing ring, a specific place can step in and out of, for when ‘hot spots’ arise?

- We discussed the importance of ritualized combat.

- Can ritualized combat sometimes support the status quo? It provides a structured outlet, a safety valve for the (dangerous) energies that would otherwise lead to change?

- The definition of community is of a group that can contain dissent, not of a group that all agrees (That’s a gang perhaps? – a group whose identity rests on same-ness and on the source of conflict lying outside themselves in ‘the other gang’).

- What happens in the room when people are wrestling… how does this affect other groups? The group next door, talking about what kind of women they wanted to see on stage asked us to be a bit quieter. But also these wrestling women may be the ones wanted on stage….watch this space.

- It was different when the women fought to when two men fought – it felt more scary/ edgy when then men fought.

- We tried a ‘group fight’- personally I find the one on one engagement in a fight much more satisfying!

- Open Space is meant to work best when there is the potential for great conflict. The group collectively negotiates the passion present and in the peace seems to break out.

-Fights can invite/ stimulate high performance, unprecedented strength, ideas, creativity.

- You can role play arguments – can take up a position you do not necessarily ordinarily believe.

-Phelim used to run a group called ‘Cooking Chaos,’ as influenced by Arny Mindell’s World Work. Maybe this, or something like it, should start up again?

100 Where are today’s theatre visions for a better tomorrow?

2010-02-05T10:28:00.000Z

Convener: Dominic Campbell (The Home Of The Bewildered; homeofbewildered at gmail.com)

Participants: Glioria Lind, Jonathon Petherbridge, Niamh McCann, Jo Turner, Nick Coupe, Jack Klaff, Lynette Moran, and others……

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The discussion was around theatres roles in creating imaginative alternatives provoked by a perceived re-emergence of theatre engaged with societal issues either overtly (It’s about X) or inherently (e.g the style/form/aesthetic/ relationship between performer and audience).

So here are the bullets:
Began talking about structures; the way we engage people
Is the structure of a performance a reflection of the way we consume entertainment
The re-emmergence of issues in the public domain – eg feminism
How do you make things that are not socially acceptable – “old activism in new ways” joy with entertainment/silliness/ frivolous and serious
Unlimited Theatre co – using online connections to open up possibilities for how audiences to engage – eg taking the story or aspects of it and developing it themselves
“Story is the killer App” (application as in iphone)
“I’ve got issues with issues” overt content is a turn off
The audiences right to reply- in the nature of the work or via chat room
“Theatre is dialogue”
Are we getting smarter about the way we play with audiences – cf Punchdrunk, Coney, SlungLow and the affect of gaming
OR
Are we just really manipulative in a different way, creating the illusion of allowing the audiences decision making
OR
Is this a reflection of the tailoring of products eg “Your burger cooked your way”
Allowing the audience to engage with the process the makers are going through (eg Phelim introducing Panic to the audience by telling them what’s about to happen) also allows you to take risks/fail which in itself has a fascinating tension
Because;
In Theatre unlike the other arts the artist is present
So – should we give ourselves a break?
Do we fell guilty cos we have a good time making stuff and is this why we sometimes think its got to “hurt”?
Is allowing ourselves to enjoy what we’re doing, to take pleasure in it a political shift?
The re-emergence of Joan Littlewoods notions – funpalace/itinerant national theatres
Exchange can happen in any environment – examples from all sorts of practice, some about shifting contexts
Liz lerman’s “hiking the horizon” see www.danceexchange.org
Is allowing ourselves to make it easier to do a way of opening up locked issues
“Talk is the new rock and roll” – the new growth of public debate, theatrical spaces addressing something missing in other areas of Civic life
“Theatre is Society debating with itself” – But are we talking to ourselves?
An individuals internal conflict sometimes results in their creating work – a form of processing internal discussion
Change isn’t just about the content but about presenting – what/when/where/how/context
The evolution of story – write as you think –interested in telling story but also in how its told –HBO’s subversion of older ways of telling stories
Is it a story or an experience?
Difference between telling and showing
No two audiences are the same – the gradually increasing diversity of audiences. The need for older people and a historical perspective and time. Change takes time
The story appropriate to the age

Other references; The Square/ Una Mc Kevitt’s Victor and Gord/Tim Crouch/Complicite

099 Mythology lab: What fascinates you about Mythology?

2010-02-05T10:25:00.000Z

Convener: Chthonic Rewind (Kai Irina Hahn)

Participants: Sharon Matthews, Isabel Carr, Chris Wootton, D. Campbell, Jennifer Pearcy – Edwards, Niamh Mc Cann, Laura Hayes, Andy Harmon, Thomas Hescott, Ellis Kertchoven

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Chthonic Rewind runs a free Mythology Lab every Wednesday from 7-9.30pm at the Thanet in Camden. We research mythological patterns, structures and characters with different methods: acting, role play, painting, singing, dancing, martial arts and writing. It’s a free workshop, but participants are asked to be generous with their skills. With one character of your choice you travel with us through the ages meet gods, heroes and monsters, adventure after adventure learning with and from each other. Any artist interested in Mythology can join.

Send me an email if you want to participate:

faunesk at googlemail.com (Kai Irina Hahn)

You’ll also find us on Facebook: Chthonic Rewind, Mythology Lab

Infectious Stories is giving a story telling workshop on the following dates:

13^th, 15^th and 21^st Febuary

Contact: infectioustheatre at gmail.com

1. What fascinates you about mythology?

Mythology gives answers to the big questions:

Who we are? Where do we come from? and What are we here for?

It explains the unexplainable, gives a name and a face to the mysteries of our world and makes us connect to times long gone through stories. It gives us guidelines, rules and models how to live, shows us visually how we are punished when overstepping these rules.

Myth doesn’t make excuses for being perverse, dirty, grotesque or raw. It shows a rawness and purity that we still respond to today. There’s a charm and magic surrounding the age of the stories that were retold so many times, many times focusing on different aspects of a character or tale. Layer for layer we’ll find, while digging into mythological stories, that characters were changed completely to their opposite: Medea once was a wisdom goddess and became in the turn of time a wicked sorceress, who killed her own children. But there are older stories in which the Corinthians killed her kids. Through the shift from matriarchy to patriarchate, Medea, who was heir to the throne of Corinth, became a threat to the newly established patriarch society and needed to be presented as a bad person, while in older stories she is a positive figure. So myth is very rich through its different versions and facets that tell you about developments in society, religion and politics.

2. Are new myths different to old myths? I. e. Neil Gaimann?

Not really. They use the structures and richness of the old ones, having gods, monsters and heroes as protagonists and fate as a major source for why things are happening and why we do certain things. You’ll find that concept also in cosmic ordering and Buddhism.

3. What about free will?

There are even myths about how we received free will.

4. Does it make bad things more bearable to believe in Gods?

There is a strange sort of comfort to the thought that everything is the way it should be. It’s relaxing as it’s not your own responsibility. Also it’s comforting to be part of a bigger story. It makes you connect to the generations of ancestors, their stories, tragedies and adventures. All the people who fought for a better life for future generations had us in their minds, so shouldn’t we think of them as well? In the long story of life itself our story is only a chapter embedded in the stories of our ancestors and future generations. We create our little section and all of us affect each other.

Having monsters and gods as representatives for our dark side gives us the distance to face this part in us without the restriction and censorship of what society allows. It’s less serious. The gods are not all virtuous, we were shaped in their image, so all our weaknesses and failures we‘ll find in them as well. Having these colorful creatures is also food for the brain that thinks in images. They are so real. And of course the hunger for adventure, fight and battle, that these days games satisfy. By reading these stories (for example a Russian story name unknown) you are having the adventure. The hero meets all those characters he will never see again at the end of having read all of them you feel you’ve come a long way.

5.Which mythological theater plays have you seen that you liked?

His Dark materials

Lilly through the Dark

Puppetry makes it easy to give the supernatural characters a believable shape.

Especially if there’s human interaction with them

Hotel Medea, an all night experience

The Team

6. Which were the first myths that fascinated you:

- C.G. Jungs Archetypes in Psychoanalysis

There was a resonation that was transported, I responded to

- Bedtime stories, the stories take place in a unknown time and place, it’s not clear, no continuous narrative

- Fairytales, Films like “The Labyrinth”, Superhero – movies, Star Wars, Christian Mythology, Creation Myths, the book “All my friends are superheroes”, Egyptian afterlife, Greek Mythology: the use of a female chorus, very powerful, because of fate

- Viking Mythology, Norsgaard

- Mythology was never taught in school, Irish legends, where do I fit into the world, natural ancestry: making a connection to the land you are living in, it becomes part of you, you belong to something, the bigger sense, legends about why the land looks the way it does, landscape

Tír na nÓg (roughly meaning "Land of Youth") is the most popular of the Otherworlds in Irish mythology. It is perhaps best known from the story of Oisín, one of the few mortals who lived there, who was said to have been brought there by Niamh of the Golden Hair. It was where the Tuatha Dé Danann settled when they left Ireland's surface, and was visited by some of Ireland's greatest heroes. Tír na nÓg is similar to other mythical Irish lands such as Mag Mell and Ablach. Tír na nÓg was considered a place beyond the edges of the map, located on an island far to the west. It could be reached by either an arduous voyage or an invitation from one of its fairy residents. The isle was visited by various Irish heroes and monks in the echtrae (Adventure) and immram (Voyage) tales popular during the Middle Ages. This otherworld was a place where sickness and death do not exist. It was a place of eternal youth and beauty. Here, music, strength, life, and all pleasurable pursuits came together in a single place. Here happiness lasted forever; no one wanted for food or drink. It was the Irish equivalent of the Greek Elysium, or the Valhalla of the Norse. Tír na nÓg plays a major role in the tale of Oisín and Niamh. To get to Tír na nÓg an adventurer needed a guide; in Oisín's case, Niamh plays the role. They travel together on a magical horse, able to gallop on water, to the Blessed Realm and the hero spends some time there. Eventually homesickness sets in and Oisín wants to return to his native land. He is devastated to learn three hundred years have passed in Ireland since he had been with Niamh, though it seemed to him only one. He goes home on Niamh's magical horse, but she warns him not to touch the ground, as the weight of all those years would descend upon him in a moment. While Oisín is helping two men move a stone, he falls from the horse and ages in an instant. It is suggested that Oisín fell from his horse in the area of Elphin, County Roscommon. This story bears a striking similarity to many other tales, including that of Urashima Tarō.

For me mythology is very much about the question of belonging

- Indaba, My Children

a definitive compendium of African myth and folktale, retold in rich, vibrant prose, Indaba, My Children is a stunning literary and ethnographic achievement. As a young man, Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, a Zulu from the South African province of Natal, was determined to follow in the foot-steps of his grandfather and become a tribal historian in order to keep the rich oral tradition of his culture alive. In this book, begun in response to the injustices against Africans and their culture, he sets these legends down in writing.He begins with the creation myth, when Ninavanhu-Ma, the Great Mother, created the human race. From there, an epic unfolds, an intricate and vivid cultural tapestry populated by gods and mortals, cattle herders and supreme kings, witch doctors, lovers, grave diggers, warriors, and handmaidens. The story continues all the way up to the colonial era, when a Portuguese Kapitanoh and his crew arrive on the African shore. Indaba, My Children is a classic and indispensable resource for anyone interested in the cultural life of Africa and the human experience as it is filtered into myth.

- Independent People (Icelandic: Sjálfstætt fólk) is an epic novel by Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness, published in 1946. It deals with the struggle of poor Icelandic farmers in the early 20th century, only freed from debt bondage in the last generation, and surviving on an isolated croft in inhospitable countryside.
The ancient Icelandic sagas are still alive in the stories and fables that the characters live with on a daily basis. Bjartur is a talented poet, a living embodiment of the great oral tradition of the sagas.

- BBC series “Claudius”

- Teachings about the duality of good and bad

098 Can we do a session without words with full of passion and alive theatre

2010-02-05T10:24:00.000Z

Convener: griet spanhove

Participants: Peter Canter – Deepa – Griet – leslie goosen

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

We came out to an improvisation to make the intangible make tangible

1. make a physical action (the same) with the group PLUS
2. put an atmosphere on it (we choose for solitude) PLUS
3. Give a relationship to each person, who is who? What is the relationship, how do we make it visible without words PLUS
4. put different rhythms , pauses, tempos on it PLUS
5. what is the super objective, the moral that you want that the audience sees

Inspirited work with a lot of fun and and experience to work with people you do not know

097 Walking and listening in the city (Soundwalk?)

2010-02-05T10:21:00.000Z

Convener: Peter Cant

Participants: MARK TREZONA, DANIEL COPELAND, SHARON SEAGER, GREG WHEAD, Allen O'Leary, Griet Sponhove, Kate Woolmer, Catriona James, Martyn Duffy

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

A walk in Plymouth
Walk through mindnight until noon
6 km ramble – noticing what you noticed. Coridoors and light
To make a performance that encapsulates the city at night – a sense of all those lives, machine noise, invisibility.
It sounds like poetry
MARINA AMBROMOVICH made a piece in 80s / 90s started with her lover one at each end of the GREAT WALL OF CHINA and walked to meet in the middle
By the time they met their relationship had gone kaput they knew they had to end it
The walkl in Plymouth mapped the China Wall onto Plymouth by a scale of??? 600:?
Guides took us on the route.

Road signs are pointless when there’s no traffic.

With all that stage lighting from the streetlamps.

The experience of the city through the sounds but also continuing the history and building on that

Start and then have others add experience. Collective memory.
Trusting the city sound
Sound like smell
Short circuits language/ words

Give people time to create their own emotions

An invitation to stop and stare. To wait.
The intense theatricality of contrasting space with sounds that don’t belong there.

The lady who records dolphins above and below water

Beating the bounds – They go around the boundary of the parish, to honour boundaries, to repeat

Time being defined by distance. Something primal.
Ramblers vs performance.
Walks: The London loop
It doesn’t have to be time bound?
Do it on separate tracks?
JUXTAPOSITION
One track at a time, a collection of pieces, that can start at any point, forming a symphony.
A character. A lost soul. Who could be our guide.
Sounds and smell circumvent our response to words.

If you use words to make suggestions you need to allow space. As you make a trail you leave something – people should make non verbal contributions.

Will you look at a map?

How people could contribute sounds during the wwalk. Not necessarily words? And that could be added for the next opnes.

Messages left by opther walkers / participants. Leave messages in chalk on the pavement.

Graffiti Tags. An hourglass symbol
A hermit
The hermit

Moments in which you could confront the city with fresh eyes.
To re-engage Stop and hear and see the layers on layers on layers.
Moments to STOP
But how do you bookend these moments of silence?

They liked the connection with the real wold. The car playing music ‘just for me’

Break walls. You think its ion your head?

Which takes it away from being… ??

Just the experience of walking that walk is RICH
Don’t load it up so full. Don’t cram it.
From the moment it starts, thoughts and imagionation get stirred up.
Breathing in moments. Allow them to land for us.

By looking at a square
Hearing of the events that happened elsewhere, in Yugoslavia, a square in Goldsmiths became that other square. I could see a grey empty square but I was described a student setting himself on fire.

THE EGG TIMER ON THE BENCH. Some minutes just to listen

The group ended with everyone listening to the sounds.
Everyone was so generous helping us with our project, listening, responding, nodding, thinking the thoughts in real time.
Thank you so much

Ps. Beware of the lady who told us she’s recording your conversations on the tube. She will make an entire theatre piece about you and you will end up sending her your pants in the mail

096 A Confessional – Share your theatre sins / Speak the unspeakable / Voice your secret fears & desires

2010-02-05T10:20:00.000Z

Convener: Chris Goode

Participants: No names, no pack drill ☺

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Wanting to hold open a space for people to say the things that are difficult to say but that, once you say them, it turns out lots of other people have secretly been feeling the same thing…

All undertaken under a vow of confidentiality so nothing can be reported…

Actually it kind of turned in to swapping of embarrassing anecdotes, but that was fine. The fun of sharing, the laughter of release.

Two significant findings:

One: It’s really important for us to have this kind of space and to trust each other with our insights and experiences, even – or especially – when it’s hard stuff to voice. The person in the room with the most power is the person with least to hide.

Two: The BSL sign for ‘bollocks’ is awesome.

& love for all
Ch.x

095 What has D+D done for you? (in less than 15 words)

2010-02-05T10:18:00.000Z

Convener: Jen Lunn

Participants: various

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

“D+D is my annual creative vitamin shot.” Jen

“D+D has reunited me with my love, passion and contemporaries.” Peta

“D+D introduced me to a possible way to get rid of stuff in my storage. Ta.”

“D+D is a great start to my year and gives me new friends.” Stella

“D+D has given me lots of new ideas, ideas to chase, friendships to follow and ways forward.”

“Made me less ashamed when I tell cab drivers that I work in theatre.”

“Become a little more theatre savvy!” Deepa

“Given me adrenalin in my veins and a bruise on my leg.”

“Recharged my batteries.”

094 Transition Towns and Theatre

2010-02-05T10:12:00.000Z

TRANSITION THEATRE
The Transition Town movement is global, although it started off in Totnes Devon. There are almost 300 official initiatives and loads more in the making. It would be great to create a web-based portal for sharing resources, best practice and ideas for linking transition towns to theatre.
Ideas
Sharing info about existing initiatives, e.g. scenerysalvage.com, using LED lights in shows; promote new shows that have a transition theme; share info held by theatre outreach groups/officers; making physical theatres available for transition groups; facilitating web-based communications between geographically diverse transition towns.

ART ACTIVISTS
Climate Camp; Tipping Point; John Jordan - Lab of I.I.; Platform arts; Show of Strength (Bristol) 'Trading Local' ~ roving show that promotes local shops and celebrates local history, experiences, creativity along local high streets, using a range of venues. Makes a kind of arts festival inspired for and aimed at the local community.

COMMUNITY
Transition Towns want to communicate the issues of peak oil and climate change to the public and also promote their local groups /events /sustainability agenda.
Ideas
Have free workshops / 'pay what you think it's worth' events; experiment with different public venues (pubs, supermarkets, stations, streets); engage with people by having good quality 1:1 conversations (as in Lewisham's usherette example)

FUTURE VISIONS
Transition Towns seek to create an enticing vision of the future which comes from the collective genius of the community. How can theatre draw out people's creativity as well as presenting inspiring visions.
Ideas
Use walks around physical space, use historical pictures to show how area has already changed; use theatre games to think through / demonstrate behaviour change / model the vision; divide up goals into those that are easy to achieve right now, those that are desirable but take some effort and those that are harder to achieve and more long term; use performance artists / theatre to ask the right questions and collect ideas.

CREATIVITY
Use recycling theme to generate visual art pieces, e.g. puppets out of scrap cloth. Use excess TT produce to generate art.

093 Which job should I do?

2010-02-05T10:09:00.000Z

Convener: Gerard bell

Participants: Liza, Laura, Robert, Tilly and one or two others.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The enquiry could be, equally, in inverted commas so that it becomes a direct question: “Which job should I do?”

How can I make it, this question, this choice, Iess angsty?
What is the angst about?
Does it lie within – juggling ‘the needs of life’ against the artistic pursuit ?
How you project (or justify ) what you do (decide) to others is an important part of the ‘problem’.
Is it…about Balance in your life? Or is it about prioritizing?
It (could be ) about following your gut.
But it is difficult to hear your gut.
It is possible sometimes to do both, or can you negotiate to do both?
There can (may) be regret afterwards.

“I went to two weddings on the same day to be at both friends weddings, and felt I was at neither properly.”

Why do things come along at once? ….. It is a law of nature, perhaps.
(So the question is how to live with this law)

The Meslow Heirarchy – a hierarchy of needs – was suggested, which may be seen as a pyramid. You resolve the ones lower down the pyramid and this enables you to address the ones, fewer, nearer the top.
As artists we reverse the pyramid, and take it that the ones that need to be supported, that are higher up, as the basic.
Some off the ones lower down the pyramid, nearer the base( finding the means to live, and others) might ‘provide’ for you to be creative.

But possibly one might feel trapped by the pyramid of need. You have accepted the need to earn a living, for example, and now you are “trapped” by that.

[“ Wanna Fight?” intervened here]

Perhaps I shouldn’t be doing this one….or I “should” – that this (whatever) is the most important thing to do; the proper thing to do, the right thing to do.

There are psychoanalytic tests (questions) that can reveal if you had done the right thing, or gone on your path.

Can you ease that? (The angst, ..see above) Put that dilemma in a place to make it more easy?

[ This is a problem in life, - this problem of choice, of ‘which one?’ – and a consistent (perhaps) condition for performers. There is a distinction to be made or rather different formulations of the question – an occasional one as to which job or career I should embark on as opposed to free-lancers when it is about which piece of work and this may happen many times. Is there help with this question?]

You can use cards, write the alternatives on them and set them beside each other – if you have that one then you can’t have that other one – and see what that means; what doing “this” means doing without; or “which makes you feel better”.
Doing this you might find the hidden depths, which lie beneath your choices that you may not recognize (or have discredited – they are wants, too, but you are so used to them).
The hidden depths of your priorities.
Or which are your rules?
Rules can give order and they can also set you up for failure, (by not meeting them).

You regret the things you did not do, rather, generally, than the things you did (not always valued)

“Am I too old?” … is this related? There is a link. This is the last phase of my life. Where am I in my life now?
What is my plan for the year? To know what my plans are by the end of this year.

[ The question and the way it is phrased clearly acknowledge an ethical dimension, which may or may not be appropriate. To the original questioner, at least, this sets against the simple and robust solution – “what do I want?” , another question “but, which is right?”.
There is another question inherent in the question concerning jobs that one should or should not do; which jobs one would never do. This discussion was not opened]

092 Making a show about claustrophobia and anti-social behaviour.

2010-02-05T10:08:00.000Z

Convener: Sara

Participants: Sara, Katherine, Mandy and Lou

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Mini discussion about location of the show- in theatre spaces or on estates.

Also, the potential to commit noise pollution and get an anti-social behaviour order while making or performing a show in a residential area.

Ideas for the content of the show discussed.

Lou suggested looking at an exhibition of photographs recently featured in the weekend Guardian: pictures of children lit by their iPods, Wiis and computers.

Discussion on finding a good way to market a show with challenging content that sounds a bit like an issue based TIE show…

091 Political correctness: can there be too much?

2010-02-05T10:06:00.000Z

Convener: Sandra Yee

Participants: Lisa Hammond, Deepa Shastri, Chris, Meenakshi, Anouk, Sheena, Honour, Sarah, Jonny, Charlie F., Gerard, Chris W., Cherylee, Jenny Moule

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Casting Issue:
Should it be colour-blind / not sexuality-specific / disability-blind / etc…?

When specifying requirements for a role, are these specifications of visual appearance (or otherwise) real and true or are these specifications superficial and approximate, or based on perception.
Eg. If a white male is required, does a nearly white male get the job?
If the part calls for a disability, does an able-bodied actor get the part?
(As in ‘My Left Foot’ with Daniel Day Lewis)

Therefore how do we define merit/suitability for a role?

Obviously, we can only work with the people that are accessible. This leads to regional tendencies and decisions. Is this acceptable?

Does text-based theatre, devised theatre or other theatre have their own tendencies with casting decisions?

Responsibility for ‘political correctness’ and learning about it lies on BOTH SIDES: with the potential discriminatee and the decision-maker.

Example: If a South Asian performer gets the part that was open to anyone, how does that performer feel confident that they did not get the part purely for the theatre company to tick its boxes (by cultural diversity) and not by their own merit?
The motives can be ambiguous, not only for the theatre company but also for the audience who may think that that performer got the part BECAUSE they were South Asian.
Obviously, clarity is needed if there is ambiguity. In Employment Contract, Director’s Note, in conversation.

When ‘Cat On A Hot Tin Roof’ was performed with an all-black cast, is there not a Novelty aspect to hook the punter?

Aim for Political Correctness to be non-existent and not an issue.

Also, Taboo subjects and their treatment in Comedy.

Isn’t Political Correctness just an extension of plain Good Manners? To avoid hurting another person’s feelings.

We may inherit our use of our LANGUAGE, the spoken word, from our parents without knowing the true meanings of certain terms, phrases or WORDS.

We remembered the LANGUAGE used by certain Stand-up Comedians of the past that was definitely not P.C.

Are JOKES aimed at yourself OK or Not OK, if you are a minority, eg. Disabled and/or Chinese? Does it not just reinforce the Stereotypes? Should you take responsibility and avoid making those jokes?

“We are all different, yet all the same”

For the Future:
Good to have Post-Show discussions/Q & A sessions to air these topics/issues/matters.

Avoid Tokenism

Maybe have sessions called “Don’t Worry – You Can Get It Wrong” where we can speak out loud all the non-PC terms without return (cathartic?)

Need to allow space to Learn what is P.C. or Not P.C.

Sometimes we need permission to laugh. A group can give or not give permission to be non-P.C.
And to laugh at Non-PC jokes, is that a real or false laugh, a laugh at the people who are laughing, or a laugh at the people who are laughing at the people who are laughing, or.……..etc? And can we tell the difference.

‘Political Correctness’ brings up so much F-E-A-R…

IT’s not easy!

Respect each other.
Need to Test P.C. boundaries to find out where they are.
Learn from mistakes.
P.C. gaffes might be done –innocently – and with a Good Heart.
It is all too easy and natural to Stop Speaking/Conversing – to avoid showing ignorance. Eg. “asian” can be too general. Also can be too specific!

Issue of Authenticity.

“England People Very Nice” by Richard Bean at National Theatre. A controversial play relevant to topic.

“P.C.”, the term, has been HIJACKED

“P.C” ???? Or “Why can’t I be racist anymore?” ????

Why are these Discussions / Chats usually with people that are probably Already Converted ? (Chris mentioned ‘white middle-class males’ were mos

090 Open Space A good way to engage Writers to create chararcters with disabilities?

2010-02-05T10:03:00.000Z

Participants:
Lisa Hammond, Cherylee Houston, Angela Clerkin, Jean St Clare

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• As a writer I would love to write a play in the future with a disabled character
• But I need a dialogue with disabled people to find out about the content
• Has found interest in people’s (disabled) difficulties but MORE interested in what we have in common
• More interested in what’s going on in the mind
• What about dis/abled bodied people are the same trials / tribulations/ thoughts
• Would an Open Space for writers on this subject interest you as a writer
• YES
• Open Space to explore the language
• To explore disabled people’s opinions / lives
• Challenged by the concept
• Never written a disabled character
• What would that challenge be?
• Is it casting not writing?
• Might not be the thing that you want to focus on as a writer
• But aware that it could be fear – getting it wrong
• Don’t want to get it wrong
• Realise that it’s a challenge that interests me
• Need to know that I’m included as an able-bodied person to come along
• As an able-bodied writer I’d have to be prepared to get it wrong – safe place needed to do so.
• I need my awareness and responsibilities to make other writer’s aware of theirs.
• There could be many strands to this idea of using Open Space to explore this – directors / producers
• Is it the writer’s responsibility to concentrate on that strand? Pass the buck back to the casting director – they then in turn pass the buck back to the writer. The disabled actor doesn’t get seen.
• Write normal scripts, but make one of the characters have a disability in the blurb of the character
• Writer’s can get feedback of showing too much of a breakdown of actual community
Two Solutions
• Cast disabled people in roles non disability specific
• The specific. The disability not being the central storyline, but access info / specifics in the script needed if the character has got a disability.

• If I write a disabled / Deaf character and that story is not played out, then I will be asked why they are there.
• Casting like before disability and after – different casting needs
• Disabled people represented not played out “their real disabled life” the difficulty of it
• Scripts that aren’t focused on disability
• If people don’t have the experience then how are they expected to get it right?
• Lack of information for people who don’t have experience of disability
• Information source
• Speaking to people to get their individual stories and taking credit for it
• Interested in a collaboration
• The first “story” isn’t the best “story”
• TV, film and theatre
• It will be a gift to come to an Open Space on this
• Contact Writer’s Guild, word of mouth, ongoing thing…
• Not only disabled actors some “normal” disabled people with stories and lives
• Could I call a session and ask about people’s first dates?
• Getting it wrong
• What is the question
• Challenging subject
• Different ways of working and approaching and are allowed to get it wrong
• Venue – Jerwood – posher venue attract all
• Be in touch about a “Name” for the Open Space
• Learning from “the old days”

089 What types of women are we not seeing on stage?

2010-02-05T10:01:00.002Z

Convener: Mandy Fenton

Participants: Lots…

Some facts, figures, info on survey findings - followed by the summary of D&D discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

1. Gender Equality Duty: -

“The gender equality duty comes into force in April 2007 and is the biggest change in sex equality legislation in thirty years, since the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act itself. It has been introduced in recognition of the need for a radical new approach to equality – one which places more responsibility with service providers to think strategically about gender equality, rather than leaving it to individuals to challenge poor practice. “(Equal Opportunities Commission Chair Jenny Watson Nov 2006)

2. Equality Bill published 2009, expected to come into force autumn 2010 containing significant clauses outlawing gender and age discrimination

3. Some European Commission/FIA findings in survey 2008 - Research on age, gender and performer employment conducted by Dr Deborah Dean of the Warwick Business School:

• 57% of women felt that their gender restricted employment opportunities (6% of men felt the same).
• The number of women active in the industry declines sharply from the age of 50 – only 17.8% of women were in the older age group, 30% of men were over 50.
• 50% of men believed that getting older was an advantage in relation to pay, 70% of women said it was a disadvantage
• 33% of men earned more than £20,000 per year, 19.7% of women earned at the same levels.
• 2009 Euro/FIA Project : “Engendering Change: Strategies to Combat Gender Stereotypes and Promote Equal Opportunities for Performers in Theatre, Film and Television in Europe” – To move research into action

4. Equity Petition Feb 2009:

“Over half the viewing public is female, yet in TV drama for every female character, there are two male characters - (35.3% female roles to 63.5% male roles). Whilst leading parts are frequently played by male actors over 45, women in this age group start to disappear from our screens. The message this sends to viewers is distorted and distorting. We call on all the major UK television channels to take action to correct this imbalance”.

5. Sphinx Theatre - Vamps, Vixens and Feminists Conference 2009 - Summary Factsheet 2006 findings:

a. Theatre: 2006: Women in Theatre Survey. 16-29 Jan 2006 inclusive.
Theatre – Writing

• In 1983, only 20 out of 620 (3.2%) of plays were written by women, excluding Agatha Christie. In 2006, out of 140 productions sampled only 13 written by women (9%), with 22 collaborations (16%)
• Out of 48 new writing productions, only 8 were written by women (17%) with 10 collaborations (21%)
• Out of 9 new adaptations/translations, 5 were by men, 0 by women, with 4 collaborations
• In 1983, 7% of playwrights were women, whilst in 2006, 17% of playwrights are women
Theatre – Roles
• In 1983, only approx 12% of directors were women. In 2006, out of 140 productions sampled only 32 were directed by women (23%), with 6 collaborations (4%) and 5 unknown (4%)
• On stage, Sphinx’s survey found that 38% of roles were for women
• On television, Equity has found that 35.5% of roles are for women

b. Screen and Broadcast: Writer’s Guild TV Committee, 1 month of Radio Times issues

• Out of 179 television programmes, only 50 were written by women (28%)
• Out of 49 radio programmes, only 12 were written by women (24%)

c. UK Film Council Report – Women writing for film

• Only 26% of women writers write for film
• Women screenwriters are credited on less that 15% of films between 1999 – 2003
• Films written by women screenwriters are as likely to gain a release as those written by men
• The Box Office return for British films with a female screenwriter is $1.25 per £1 budget, compared with $1.16 for films with all-male writers.

Summary of D&D discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

In light of shocking and depressing statistics relating to women in the industry in 2009 the question ‘What types of women are we not seeing on stage?” seems a significant and good start point for convening this discussion...
There were both male and female participants in this discussion, many of the women participating did not feel adequately represented on stage, particularly around stereo-typing and age considerations.

• Some suggestions of types of women we’re not seeing were made by participants before the discussion broadened out to wider issues, with awareness there are many, many more to be made:

- 15% of single women are happier in their 50’s. Planning life in 50’s. Women in positions of responsibility with angst about time spent with children, court systems and women – women being separated from children through divorce of if child is in trouble with the law. Menopause and sex being great after menopause as less worries, older women giving advice, Family law, UK is bottom of welfare league in Europe for child welfare - ability to be a good mum in a system that doesn’t support them.

• Why aren’t we seeing them, what is the source of the problem?

- Women directors who have kids get wiped out. Exceptions: Thea Sharrock and Marianne Elliot. This can also occur for women in all areas of work where attendance hours are long.
- Writer told us she has been asked to put more men in the script/women under 30
- Commercial compromises i.e. Kidron’s first script was about Greenham Common whereas she recently directed a Bridget Jones film
- Historically women have been on stage a shorter time so there are a large amount of existing plays for predominantly male casts
- What kind of plays do producers/audiences want? i.e. participant remarks on a perceptible difference between Germany and UK and finds comparatively that here producers are predominantly thinking about selling tickets and star system
- Many literary managers are female but are they supporting the women in these networks? One participant mentioned a news article about a recent experiment done where plays were presented to female literary agents with some of those written by women attributed to male writers and vice versa – findings here were that when the plays were attributed to a female writer they were consistently marked lower.
- Confidence, self-restriction, self-editing

• Suggestions/considerations/reflections from participants around the current situation concerning representation of women

- One participant discussed the development of the strong female character in her forthcoming solo show and voiced her fears about buying into stereo-types of ‘mad hysterical woman’ . The character is quite enticing and she is worried about picking up outside, received ideas/stereotypes of women. Discussion on this perhaps being a tendency for writers and a strong point raised for writers to reflect on when writing female character
- Write more female protagonists, set out to write more female parts, put women in roles where you would ‘expect’ to see men
- Many stories are ‘guy’s stories’ – reverse the male gaze. Theatre de Soleil given as an example in this approach
- ‘It’s Complicated’ – Meryl Streep’s new film
- Point raised about too many women being on stage talking about relationships, not enough about ambition / competitiveness / creativity / movers within the world politically
- Concern voiced that there has been awareness around this issue for years - i.e. memories of university essays written years ago etc – and that this situation still has not been adequately addressed despite women being 52% of the population. The need for men, as much as women, in taking responsibility to address this issue
- Don’t wait for other people to do it. Women work in ways they want to work now, keep doing what you do – challenge commissioning editors/producers. Need to stop thinking of what other people are going to buy. Make relationships happen and get them to see something they might not see
- Reverse casting – need to think about this when casting – sometimes have to question the reflex which may first think of a man in a role
- If writing a ballsy character, not to just see this in terms of a division between male and female behaviour
- How to write about the lived existence of a strong woman, ‘f**k’ the setting and tell the story. Would it be pushed aside because of this? Is there danger in saying women’s stuff has to be outside of these structure?
- Now there many women are coming through in genuine positions of earned power and still negotiating their identities within this.
- Is there any impact in the structures of the new playwriting going on?
- Hard to get female gay relationships on stage – One participant writer said she had been asked to take the female gay relationship out of her script - male gay relationships more acceptable. Sarah Walters writes these relationships in a historical context - if its detached in this way then it seems it can be accepted more readily?
- There is a branding issue for the big theatres – that they work with writers they want to write with. There was the positive suggestion that now perhaps they will want to work with more women writers and theatre makers as this issue could almost become ‘trendy’ ...
- Resources such as The Bush Theatre’s Bush Green online facility for playwrights, 17percent network for women writers http://17percent.wordpress.com and http://17percent.co.uk/index.php , Clean Break, Unfinished Histories, Magdalena Project - Jill Greenhalgh Aberystwyth University etc

• Actions suggested/ to be taken following this D&D discussion

-Several participants expressed the wish for a continuing forum or conference. Proposal that one of D&D monthly session be themed around this issue, to deepen this discussion, exploration of subsequent insights/thoughts and suggestions of possible actions arising from this.

088 Can I still be an Artist and be in musical theatre?

2010-02-05T10:00:00.000Z

Convener: Nigel Richards

Participants: Roisin Stimpson, Michele Frankel, Nick Coupe, Amy Ip, Sophie Larsmon, Andrea Kantor, Leo Ward, and others

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

There seemed no argument in whether one can be an artist in Musical theatre. The responsibility, whatever the art form, was with the performer and our innate sense of the need and search for quality/ integrity and truth even in the face of the Accountants and Producers who run the ‘product’. In the mega-musical it should be a given that the artist surrenders him/herself to the ‘magnificent machine’ of a large or long-running production- but does this not deny the special-ness of the Artist? A ballet dancer is expected to fill the template with exactitude- why not the musical theatre performer?

The problem arises because Musical Theatre is the most debased of all the art forms for cultural and financial reasons. The Americans lay claim to inventing two art forms: the Musical and Jazz. Conversely, England considers the written word (through poem, novel and play) as its major cultural legacy. The United states revere both musical theatre writers and performers, and look after the future of the art form by inviting innovation in such buildings as the York Theatre, Playrights’ Horizons and the Lincoln Centre. There is heavy subsidy for the American Musical, whereas here, the Arts Council largely ignored the musical because it was deemed a commercial endeavour, whilst NESTA gave up it final ‘a’ for Arts!

So expensive are the big musicals that there is a poisonous trend to replicate what was a success (Les Miserable spawning the through sung form, Mama Mia gving birth to many ugly ‘back catalogue’ musicals.) What we forget is that Mama Mia and Les Miserables, even Cats, were innovative and ground-breaking in their time, not a perpetuation of an already existing template.
We have no such buildings here in which failure and innovation are encouraged. The play has The Bush, The Royal Court, National and Soho theatres- where is the Musicals’ home? Musical theatre is perceived in the UK as a popularist and commercial form, an arena of the emotion and not of ideas (as in say the work of Sondheim.) If the costs of mounting the big musicals are prohibitive and the producers seek a return on their huge investment (which make the producers have the final artistic power), where are the smaller pieces, the chamber musicals? It seems that these are being sold as plays in which the musical content is ignored in the publicity so as not to wrong-foot an audience with a certain preconception of scale when it comes to The Musical (eg. Enron, Serious Money etc). To perpetuate any art form there has to be allowed an environment of risk, innovation, and failure. When artists/ writers are out of their comfort zone they create something new, vibrant and specific to the times in which they are written.

In the end the new musical has to both have a building (Andrew Lloyd Webber has long promised a theatre specifically for new musical writing but this has not materialized in 10 years) or be borne from the artists themselves (eg Shockheaded Peter).Then we might truly have an Art-form in which the Musical Theatre performer is at last considered an Artist

087 Playwright as Scientist.

2010-02-05T09:58:00.000Z

Convener: Suzy Almond

Participants: Allen O’Leary; Ellis Kerkherven;Darren Boulton; Rebecca Gould; Jonathon Petherbridge; Dan Copeland; Liz Chen; Clare Fischer, Susie Ashfield.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

What happens when the playwright is like a scientist – seeking to discover, rather than prove?

Sometimes issue plays, by closing down on answers too quickly, became about proving rather than discovering. (‘Drugs are bad; bankers are weak-minded; Racism is bad; Tories are bad.)

It could be useful to adopt the persona of ‘mad scientist.’ To explore wildly, to let go of the need to prove a point through a rigid schema.

In this way a piece would be more open and less about the usual narrative signposts. A space would open up for the audience, so that they felt less inevitability about the conclusion. The audience would be more surprised, because the writer surprised themselves in the process, and this was liberating for everyone involved.

David Hare’s ‘The Power of Yes’ was used as an example of a writer/character exposing their own naivity about who ‘the bad guys’ are, and coming to the realization that all of us are involved and responsible – yes, even the liberals.

Macbeth was used as an example of how a playwright experiments, so that rather than one point being made about how power corrupts, many points are raised – including how self prophesy is self-fulfilling.

In Mick Gordon’s ‘On Emotion’ the writer/character is changed by his research as he tries to explain his work (similar to Hare), and we feel we go on a genuine voyage of discovery with the character.

Is there still a thirst for neat, elegant, linear plays? To an extent, yes. It is a human need to have these narrative signposts.

Ah, our Scientist.

Is she/he adult and controlled with their experiments or must there be chaos to release the magic?

A straight issue play may sometimes force the action and seem unspontaneous. It doesn’t always allow the audience the space to make up their own mind.

What helped a playwright to be more of a mad scientist? Not having deadlines meant there was more time to succumb to impulses.

One practitioner reported that 2nd plays by writers occasionally lost the magic, because they had written the first in isolation, without being watched, and this produced a more chaotic approach, with more surprises.

Plays about racism like ‘Sing your Heart out for the Lads’ were discussed. So was Alf Garnett. When a writer weights an issue so that the audience will not sympathize with a morally incorrect character this can sometimes backfire.

Oleana was cited as an example of a play that challenged liberal assumptions about political correctness.

Someone reported their favourite theatrical experience as being a bewildering experience that took place in a shop. The owner had a mental health problem and was re-arranging the shop (constantly destroying and re-building the changing room; playing three TV and radio stations at the same time. ) The effect of disorientation was so extreme, that when the teller of this story left the shop, their thought processes were disrupted to the point where they became receptive to new things, and forgot things they thought they knew. They nearly needed a map to get home. Well, nearly. Is this the effect that theatre can and should have?

This was compared to a story about the hypnotist Derren Brown speaking so much nonsense to a black cab driver, that the driver was disorientated enough to forget where the hell the London Eye was. Even when he was sat in front of it, he couldn’t see it!

When we go to the theatre can we please be put in a trance state, so that a new space opens up in our minds? Some of us agreed this might be quite nice really.

Could this be an ideal audience state? Should this be the effect an experimental play can have? So that the usual narrative signposts are usurped in favour of rugs being pulled. So that our minds don’t comfortably drive down the usual rat runs and come to the usual conclusions.

Can the playwright as mad scientist, play with their test tubes and unknown substances and make this kind of mess? And not close down on an outcome too quickly? And then clean the mess up a litte bit so people can understand it?

Someone talked about their experiences working with Ken Campbell, and suggested reading ‘The Bourne Trilogy’(?) He was adept at playing with audience expectations.

The science of bewilderment was discussed in more detail. Neurons and the brain needing to refer to previous memories as a reference point.

Improbable theatre sometimes experimented by putting plays on before they were ready, so that the audience would affect the way the play shaped itself for the rest of the run.

Stand up comedy was discussed. There was an element of risk-taking, yet maybe the audience was in such a trance state (beer/I already have an expectation that you will make me laugh)

086 New Musical Theatre

2010-02-05T09:56:00.000Z

Convener: Amy Ip

Participants: 3 (ladies please write your names down, sorry!)

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Amy called the session in the hope that there might be some new musical theatre writers in the house or people who also felt as passionately as she did about this art form.

It was very telling that only two other people came to talk to her about this subject and there seemed to be no-one at D & D who were writing musical theatre. (Note, upon announcement of this session, Amy was approached by a lady from Musical Theatre Matters who Amy will contact at a later date.)

It was noted that though musical theatre is definitely very popular, much of the musical theatre on in this country has come from the States either from Broadway or Off (Off) Broadway.

It was noted that though you if you are a new producer, writer, director, there are bursaries and awards out there that one can apply for but when the Vivien Ellis Musical Theatre writing award became defunct, that kind of funding disappeared. It was also noted that Musical Theatre is not really seen as an artform in this country and is firmly put in the very commin this country has come from the States either from Broadway or Off (Off) Broadway.

It was noted that though you if you are a new producer, writer, director, there are bursaries and awards out there that one can apply for but when the Vivien Ellis Musical Theatre writing award became defunct, that kind of funding disappeared. It was also noted that Musical Theatre is not really seen as an artform in this country and is firmly put in the very commercial sector so therefore this is why it is not really getting any kind of Arts Council Support.

Amy has met some ACE officers who are interested in Musical Theatre but there are none that are particularly dedicated this sector.

A lady in the group from the States also noted that in her opinion, Musical Theatre in this country is performed to a poorer standard than that of on Broadway and a supposition was made that this maybe due to lack of funding and suitable training.

As this was a small group and there was another Musical Theatre related session being run by Nigel Richards about: Can I still be an artist and do Musical Theatre? we decided to convene and join their discussion.

Anyone who has read this and would like to discuss new musical theatre, please can they get in contact via amyip at amyip.com as Amy would like to talk to others interested in producing new musical theatre.

085 Process Vs Outcome when working with disadvantaged groups

2010-02-05T09:55:00.000Z

Convener: ilana Winterstein

Participants: Simon Day, Sharon Matthews, Deepa Shastri, Aaron Minnigin, Marie Kenny, Jennifer Pearcy-Edwards, Katherine Maxwell-Cook, Jennifer Lunn, with other people dropping in and out

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

What do we mean by disadvantaged? To encompass refugee/asylum seeker groups, disabled, youth out of education, etc.

Practitioners self-impose the pressure of having an ‘outcome’. Assumption by funders/ leaders/ participants that there will be some sort of formal outcome.

Does the process sometimes block the ability to create? Example referenced of sign language captioning in theatre creating a barrier for mainstream audiences. Does the process help or hinder the outcome?

Book suggested: Chris Johnson ‘House of Games’. Deals with process, outcomes, expectations, etc.

American company ‘ City At Peace’ run by Paul Griffin. Improve your process y aiming at the highest quality outcome. Process vs outcome = not mutually exclusive. It doesn’t need to be a fight between these.

Cultural nuances – involve a mediator.
Ensure that there are support networks in place. Be honest with yourself and the group about your skills/limitations – eg. Not a drama therapist but a drama practitioner. Be honest about the things you don’t know. Ask the group eg. Cultural norms/taboos.

Arts industry/art viewed as a commodity in the UK. Who is qualified to judge? If art is a form of expression then it becomes problematic to put a value on it. The notion of ‘good and bad’ for an outcome is problematic in itself. Should you force a process to ensure a ‘good’ end product?

Establish your own value systems at the start of a project. Allow participants to decide what is valuable, eg. Turning up regularly to rehearsals may be an achievement. Be specific to the group and group dynamics.

Identify your objectives from the start. For example the theatre project working with asylum seekers aims to give participants a sense of empowerment.

Companies who work with refugees: Ice and Fire. Creative Roots.

Create a safe space. Key to establishing confidence within a group.

Always important to have something to work towards. The process becomes more valuable if there is an end goal, eg. Performance, but be aware that performance can take many different forms eg. Video of rehearsal process.

Use Open Space. If there are language barriers could use objects to initiate open space.

Assume nothing. Make the implicit explicit. Start from the basics when beginning.

As a facilitator really listen to what the group wants, their specifics.

Be in the process and allow it to lead the way

084 I’m not from here… where do I fit?

2010-02-04T18:40:00.000Z

Convener: Emma Deakin

Participants:
Jennifer Pearcy-Edwards, Rosalie White, Allen O’Leary, Barry Wilson, Anna O’Brien, Stella Duffy, Andy Harman

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Four from New Zealand
Three from the States
One from Devon
NONE from London… originally!

When we’re not from this place (London) how do we fit in, find a home here? When we think we don’t quite fit how do we create here, and feel like we deserve be creating/making here? And who is from London anyway? Does anyone here feel like they fit?

We talked about the fears we have when we open our mouths that we’re instantly judged on where it is we’re from and therefore who we are and what we can contribute creatively. This pigeon holing is entirely based on where we’re from, and what people perceive that to be… Example; a Kiwi only being auditioned for New Zealand (and of course Australian!) roles when she is more than capable of playing another accent. And an American writer receiving a surprised reaction when he wants to base his play in London rather than writing about America.

But, we all thought not being from here (ie London or UK) does gives us a different perspective on creating work here, on the industry here, on the way things work, and don’t work here. London is not our home so we can see it with a kind of ‘outsider’ view…

And what/where is home? Maybe its not geographical, but more about our creative home; ie when we’re in black box theatre, when we’re in the rehearsal room… that can feel more like home than the geographical patch of land we’re from.

Talking about how we work here, why we work here, led to a discussion about ‘just doing the work’. Some of the group felt that there were frustrations arising within themselves when hearing others over the weekend talking about needing the money in order to make the work. Or having to have the Producer, or having the Fundraiser – having these things before ‘just doing the work’. Two of us experienced, independently, that when we voiced those frustrations we received… a strange… look…like we were speaking another language. But surely when a company and/or project is new and young there needs to be a period of seriously hard slog (which includes taking most of, if not all the roles on) in order to make that work happen, to realize it. That hard slog doesn’t stop if we want to continue to create and build our piece of beauty, that thing we feel most passionate about. And over time the company and/or project grows, people come and go, support (in every sense of the word) begins to increase, and so on and so on. The company, the project, the relationships and people develop and the work grows and evolves. And these things take time… Probably never stops, just continues…

London is a hard place, thriving, which is great! But its hard too. Because we’re not from here do we feel we need to work harder to prove ourselves? And with this thing we need to prove, does it make it harder to give ourselves permission to work, to do, to make?

We need to don the dress of entitlement! Wear the waistcoat of entitlement! Feed our imagination with a secret that gives us permission to take space and believe we deserve to be here.

083 what do actors really need to learn?

2010-02-04T18:37:00.000Z

Convener: Mark Phoenix

Participants: Liam O aristoll, lisa stubbs, roger Phillips, andy Harman, rajha shakiry, nigel Richards, leo wood, shakera louise ahad, Charlie folorvois

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Following comments from yesterday’s session, where difficulties with quality work were discussed, I latched onto one problem: the actors ego.

My premise is that drama training positively encourages this, and is a breeding ground for actors’ ego. So my issue is what should we be teaching to the next generation of actors.

Initially it was thought that what was really important cant be taught, but is learnt through experience.

We then moved on to a discussion of actors issues in dealing with the reality of the working environment, your unique selling point, dealing with unemployment, finding your niche and the need to survive. And a call to bring in/back a progression route. Fringe- weekly rep- more substantial parts.

Then the discussion moved from actors worries, as directors, writers, designers, producers got involved in the discussion.

From a writers perspective, actors need to be open and offer themselves/ideas into the rehearsal space to learn to work with and collaborate with a writer.

From director/ designer perspective, actors need to understand the other roles in theatre. Lighting, stage management costume, set…… how else can the collaboration happen? The actor needs to get used to the costume/ props.

Bad tuition
Traditionally drama schools think they have the right to tell you
“you are shit” this leads to defensiveness, and self protection and then egotism.

From a training perspective, what tools does an actor use?
Observation Transformation Interpretation
So self analysis to eliminate default behaviour, becoming a character and working with the imaginary world.

The story is not about you! Actors play small roles, but they are equally important to the story, but if usual acting techniques are applied ie; my
Objectives, my journey, this becomes a distraction to the protagonists journey
And objectives. Strangely enough the lead actor/protagonist of story is the only one who cannot see the vision of the show. Eg; The lighting design is not seen as the lights are on you all the time. So a lead will race on with their interpretation without listening to ensemble and everyone else plays catch up.

Its not about the actors comfort but the audience comfort.

Physicality- the neutral mask, a useful tool for saying what you see.
Unfortunately voice, movement and acting are taught as separate and not seen as part of the holistic whole. Our physical system is all one
Work on body response/ breath work.
Outside in or inside out? Do we live by our will power or as a response to the world?.

Neuroscience- imagination sets up real responses within neurons and is only stopped by inhibitors (social control). Imagining yourself doing a 100m uses more calories than imagining a jog.!!! So Imagine more= giving more. Our body gives us our emotion.
Actors says that scientist say that there are 27 senses not 5! The audience is hardwired to respond to fake/truth of physiological behaviour of human face and body language.

NO breakfasts
All the back story of what your character had for breakfast is often not relevant. Do it if you must but don’t bring it into rehearsal. Is it readable? Often not. The trap is that the actor becomes safe and comfortable and removes risk in performance.

The observer affects the experiment
Being watched changes the way that you behave, this is often the cause of much blocking within actors. Hence defensiveness, hence ego.

To the actor (notes and suggestions)
The job is to live truthfully and
Tell stories.
The things we can’t communicate are the essence of what we are trying to do. =theatre.
Unlearn bad habits
Take risk / be brave
Work as an ensemble
Consider yourself a theatre maker and not an actor
Theatre is a creative act, actors are not puppets.
Fear is natural.
Take responsibility within performance.
Keep it live and present
Does it communicate?
Resolve the gestalt.
Deal with “what is” not the plan
Be able to translate directions (director /actor interface)
Communicate theatre language
Allow audience to be part of translation process.
Find shades of grey.
Let audience follow your choices
Lose as actor and character.
Discover size of performance/style of work
You can note someone’s behaviour, e.g.; you are angry- but you cannot know why just by looking at them.
Don’t fight truth of moment
Learn clarity of thought
Learn to be switched on; focused
Raise the stakes- make it more important
It’s not about you. Use the other actors
Have autonomy. You will meet bad directors. Don’t be bullied.
You will meet good directors, - acquiesce
Learn to problem solve. How do I do that?
Things are working if there are more questions than answers
Learn to receive
Small parts create the world
Remember it is for the audience, not you.

Reading list Drew Leder Absent Body
Antonio de Mazio Descartes Error
David Mamet True and False
Declan Donalan The actor and his target.

Books on Jung, cognitive therapy, deception and con men.

082 Should actors (and other artists) be running companies and buildings?

2010-02-04T18:33:00.000Z

Convener: Annie Fitzmaurice

Participants: Lauren, Sophie, Louise, Dee Evans, Paul Hunter - others please add your names…………

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

We opened the discussion by talking about the history of groups of actors led by the actor manager and the current situation where actors are sometimes on the periphery of a company or producing theatre…..the last to be hired and the least to be considered.

Points made….

Actors running or who have run buildings…..including Mark Rylance….

While acting/performing rehearsing how can you do anything else?

Taking on the responsibility of running a building stops you being an actor

Examples of running a building include a chief executive plus an artistic producer (who was an actor) – this didn’t work in this instance

Examples of actors running companies included two actors and a director setting up a company and touring theatres, managing the “other” jobs between them until they had a producer, but they still ran the company and successful combined both roles by having a trusted team to hand over responsibility to others.

One participant explained that she had stopped being an actor because she was frustrated with working in badly run theatres and had now returned to theatre to run a building.

Suspicion of artistic directors running buildings for egotistical reasons and surrounding themselves with non-threatening associates.

We talked about training at certain drama schools (Lamda!) where there was a stigma about actors creating their own work – as though the only reason to do this was lack of commercial success!

The reverse attitude at Le Coq – why are you jobbing in a Shakespeare tour instead of making your own work!?

We discussed whether there is greater egalitarianism in a company set up by actors or whether the important thing is to have an appropriate leader.

Training – teachers who value and encourage creativity – actors making their own work and setting up companies and drama schools who focus on the actor for hire model. Simon McBurney visiting Lamda to talk about work – status of his company rather than understanding and valuing the work he does.

An actor could suffer running a building or a company, if the infrastructure didn’t allow the actors to hand over responsibilities during creative work.

Starting a small company involves loads of responsibilities – doing all the jobs, (but being clear when in each role), there is more of an investment in the work – being multi faceted can be part of sustainability.

Should everyone have performed in front of an audience prior to running a building, so that they truly know that edge of it?

Personality is crucial to the success of running a building whether or not that is an actor - Mark Rylance did an extraordinary job.

In Romania the Minister or Culture is an actor.

In Helsinki an actor is the artistic director of the national theatre.

Could this happen in this country?

Is the training process responsibility for the lack of actors running buildings?

Or is it the expectation?

Or why not a designer, lighting designer etc?

Does the infrastructure of a building affect how work can be made there? Making outdoor performance necessitates the involvement of the designer from an early stage (issues including health and safety affect this work). This is no different to making truly collaborative work in a building.

Who runs buildings?
Directors who run buildings (well) are not necessarily the best directors. Many directors are put off running buildings because they may become limited creatively.

Running a company is very different to running a building. A company working collaboratively with a building can be a good model. It’s a different skill to run a building – and it can compromise creative work.

Relationships between artists and buildings can be particularly productive/important.

Important factors are personality, respect and freedom with the relationship to genuinely collaborate.

It’s possible to be trapped by running a building.

081 Artists and Freelance Producers – How to begin and build a relationship that works…

2010-02-04T18:29:00.000Z

Convener: Sarah-Jane Rawlings

Participants: Shakera Louise Ahad, Natalie Querol, Mark Conway, Liam O’Driscoll, Annie Fitzmaurice, Andrea Kantor, Jane Gauntlett, Jack Klaff, Alice Mansey, Andrew Somerville, Christina Elliot, Michelle Owoo, David Luff, Li Chen

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The conclusions that came out of this session:

• That it is very difficult to define the role of creative producer / producer - it is so different in so many different contexts and we would probably just go round and round in circles for hours. It is also not particularly useful for this discussion. However there was an interesting piece of research done by Kate Tyndall on the role of the creative producer which was available on the Arts Council website and a more extensive collection of interviews by Kate Tyndall called, ‘Alchemist of the Impossible’ which might be interesting to read in this context.

• Generally the group felt it was difficult to build the necessary relationships. Artists looking for people to help make their work happen, didn’t know where to look and ended up doing it themselves. One of the difficulties is that neither side has any money and there therefore needs to be a real belief in each other’s vision and passion for that relationship to be sustained. Everybody was aware of artists looking for people to help make their work happen so it was great to have two people who were on or who had been on the Birkbeck creative producing course as they are of course emerging producers keen to find work to produce.

• So how does one find that relationship? Generally people felt it helped to have the relationship before the ideas so that the partnership is a genuine one with both sides sharing a vision for the piece of work and having a genuine connection. The idea of a networking event based on speed dating was mainly met with enthusiasm as it did enable individuals the chance just to meet and have an initial connection – from then it is their responsibility to take it further if they want to. So any speed dating type activity between producer and artist should not be about showcasing but about talking and sharing thoughts and ideas. The event does not need to be measure in actual impact (how many artists now have producers for example) as it is just a beginning. Like D&D it creates an environment for people to meet and talk, what happens from that might not happen immediately but it doesn’t mean nothing will happen. The outcomes might not be what was expected. It was also clear that an event like this needed to be set up correctly so that neither side had too much expectation from it.

• Having said this there was a feeling that a very light touch website / ning / online pinboard would be useful to profile producers who are interested in finding artists to work with and maybe the other way round too as nobody knew of anything concrete with this information. The issue with this is that unless someone is looking after it, it is in danger of becoming unused and out of date very quickly. Sarah-Jane promised to talk to ACE about the need that had been expressed and whether this was being dealt with in any way by the theatre unit. It would also be good to link with the graduating students from the Birkbeck creative producing course. Other networks such as this are: ideastap(?) and Women in Film and Theatre – although not completely what we were talking about – they may be useful to look at in terms of setting one up ourselves.

• Fuel talked about the case they were making to ACE about their efficiency. ACE give them a very small amount of regular funding for a percentage of their overheads with which they are able to support a lot of artists. Bill G is similar. Should we be lobbying for this to happen more?

• Finally, I think that everyone agreed that the relationship between a producer and an artist is a very unique one and will be different in every case. There are many different models that work. And however that relationship develops it has to be organic and if that is true it may be difficult to set up a structure to truly fix this issue, maybe only small initiatives to lend support to it.

080 Ethnic Theatre

2010-02-04T18:26:00.000Z

Convener: Amy Ip

Participants: Anouk Mishti, Bindy Asolanki, Amanda, Angela Clerkin

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The session was called by Amy who is a Chinese actress and has found the terminology and execution of ethnic or culturally specific theatre to be confusing. It was posed that if we are aiming for a culturally diverse theatre, why are ethnic specific theatres still around? It was acknowledged that they may be a “necessary evil” as some people feel that they need to explore this aspect of their lives. However, is this type of theatre and mentality only serving to further “ghetto-ise” people’s thinking into believing that they are so different from the majority?

Anouk observed that due to the Art’s Council remit about serving different ethnic groups, it can sometimes be easy just to “tick boxes” regarding the ethnic criteria in order to secure funding to get a project off the ground. However, this was seen as potentially harmful as then you are just perhaps perpetuating cultural stereotypes according to what the ACE deigns to be a positive cultural representation.

Amy noted that maybe her view on ethnic theatre may well be prejudiced in itself as she had not really experienced marginalised behaviour to herself in cross-cultural casting. She has not found it necessary to solely aim for theatre that discusses her own ethnicity as has never found it a barrier in casting, particularly in theatre. Other people she knows has found this to be the case and have therefore opted to go for more ethnic specific work.

Amanda also noted that some ethnic theatre groups can over-emphasise issues as being culturally specific when in fact they are universal themes. A case in point was a Talawa production which focused on domestic violence which though is an issue suffered by many people across the world, she found that the play really seemed to imply that it was predominantly a South Asian female problem.

It was discussed that maybe though the point of ethnic theatre groups is to increase diversity in the theatre sector and does give certain people a voice, it can also make the theatre world more divisive rather than diverse.

079 Youth Theatre – how to get them involved

2010-02-04T18:24:00.000Z

Convener: Martin McLean

Participants: Rebecca Hall, Amy Ip + 3 more.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• Rebecca talked about Colchester’s youth project. Has several age groups. Setting up youth group can be challenging – set up a new group in Clacton but it failed through lack of numbers.

• One man talked about working with young people in Newham. Have a lot of interest there. Talked about one occasion when the drama leader actually went out on the streets to find young people and bring them along to the group.

• Martin talked about the challenges of running a youth project for Deafinitely Theatre. Tough because of targets set by the funders although there are enough young deaf people in London interested in drama to set up a group.

• Amy talked about working with a youth theatre group in Islington. Can be a challenge to keep young people coming to the group but she found that using discipline helps! She marketed at very specific groups such as the Chinese community through their newsletters.

• A woman who worked for a company based in Liverpool talked about her experiences of setting up youth groups for Deaf and disabled young people. She is currently producing a guidebook for drama workshop leaders working with disabled groups.

078 Intergenerational work – how do we make and produce it

2010-02-04T18:13:00.000Z

Convener: Lynnette Moran

Participants: Niamh Mc Cann, Jonathan Petherby, Dominic Campbel, Rebecca – from mercury theatre, Mark Phoenix, Jack Klaff

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The starting point for the conversation was a look at the number of platforms available to emerging artists…a lot of emerging is happening. However where are the platforms for artists who have been making work for 30, 40 or 50 + years?
Why is their a general expectation that the work of older artists will be retrospective as opposed to innovative, current, contemporary and culturally relevant…or does this expectation exist?
Does innovation and the theatre of the future belong to emerging artists or is this ownership shared with longer practicing artists?
How do we generate platforms, events, opportunities and funding to support this development of older artist?

It was noted through specific examples that longevity in a theatre maker’s career affords the artist a type of luxury - to refine methodologies, document work, simplify processes, choose projects carefully, condense touring etc.
However in contrast this luxurious status also defines the levels of ‘risk’ that can take place. How can an established theatre maker, normally associated with the main stage generate new experimentation, play smaller spaces, scratch and test ideas, new collaborations, forms and techniques? Where is the space for constructive risk and failure?

What are the contrasts and tensions that are derived from an older artist asking a younger artist for advice or mentoring - as opposed to a younger artist asking an older artist for mentoring or advice?

We discussed presentation, audience and frameworks.
It was noted that the first generation of experimental theatre makers, performance artists and dancer/choreographers are just reaching their 80’s now. In a sense the innovation of older artists is relatively new territory.

We also discussed the changes in structure and form applied by maturing experimental companies – and we collectively look forward to watching other companies develop over time.

How do we define ‘generation’? What is it perceived to be?
Is it age brackets such as 20 – 30, 30-40, and 40 – 50?
Or is it schools of thought – different generations of learning or types of training?

Schools of Thought V’s Age Brackets

It was decided amongst the group the term ‘intergenerational’ was not suitable to best describe the exchange that takes place between younger and older artists – however we were undecided what an alternative term could be however the group agreed they could identify the primary potential that intergenerational work offered was through ‘an exchange of language’, so perhaps this is was good starting point.

077 The Sectors: Commercial v Subsidized

2010-02-04T18:09:00.000Z

Convener: David Luff

Participants: About 3

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Issues discussed:

- different funding models
- sustainability of both sectors
- ticket prices
- audience figures
- marketing + outreach + audience development

RESPONSIBILITY:
- towards building upkeep
- towards “art”
- towards new audiences and the “young”
- towards society in general
- who should artists answer to?

Partnerships for funding between both sectors and the collaborations that can emerge: e.g. Kneehigh and Pugh& Rogers with Brief Encounter

Where does the Fringe fall? Is it subsidized or commercial?

• Freedom of Artistic Content - which has more freedom?
-Does the need to to adhere to Arts Council priorities restrict the amount of freedom that subsidized companies can expect to have?
- Are commercial producers “freer” in any sense in that they can produce whatever they want, or are they held back due to the need to make a profit?
- Which sector is best placed to create art for arts sake, as opposed to art governed by political objectives, or art decided by popularity?

Ticket prices:
- Should there be a compulsion on commercial producers to always have a certain amount of cheap tickets (e.g. £10) for people? Or for this sector, should market forces always work unfettered – with producers charging whatever they want.

• Fundamentally trying to work out whether creativity can flourish in the commercial sector – in a sector driven by profit? What are the necessary ingredients for creativity?

076 Blame The audience

2010-02-04T17:51:00.000Z

Convener: James Stenhouse

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• I convened the session with the premise that audiences rarely get criticized and I’d like to give them some critical feedback.
• I believe theatre is a collaboration between the performers and the audience and although the ultimate responsibility is with the artist I think the audience do have some of the responsibility and therefore might benefit from being told what they are doing wrong.
• We then might move towards a way of helping audiences get better at what they do and therefore they might get more out of the performance.

The group discussed what we thought audiences are doing wrong;

• Not turning up (particularly bad at this)
• Giving up too easily. There was some argument that if the work is bad then they have the right to give up (law of two feet and all that) so we decided to work on the premise that the work is good.
• Being narrow minded, audiences making up there minds before they even get to the theatre and not being prepared to be surprised (lots of us admitted being guilty of this)

It was then discussed that as artists how on earth do we know if audiences feel this? Yes, they might be standing with their arms crossed but it doesn’t mean they’re not enjoying it. I suggested that audiences have a responsibility to know that if they stand with their arms crossed it might be destructive? But this may not be true?

Ok so how do we help our audiences know what to do?

I proposed that we review audiences on our websites?

I was asked exactly how we might review an audience? I wasn’t entirely sure but I intend to work on it and have a go.

Marketing of the show could prepare them adequately for what they might mneed to bring to the performance? The context, the venue itself, the bar can all play a part in preparing the audience member for the experience. Perhaps this is where artists need more influence so that they can try and have some effect on the audience before they arrive in the theatre itself?

Someone raised the question: Are audiences expecting too much from theatre? Friends on T.V is ok, it sometimes makes us laugh and we like it. Theatre that is ok and makes us laugh sometimes is criticized as being crap, it needs to be life changing or its rubbish. Is this unfair?

We then started to argue a little bit about the concept of Blaming the audience and whether this was a good idea. I don’t think we should blame the audience on bad work but perhaps we should feel more able to be critical for the sake of the audience more than anyone?

It was mentioned that ‘The audience’ is a problematic phrase and that audiences are too wide and varied to be lumped together like this. Since we started debating the semantics of the posed question I thought it best to disband the session!

075 Can the D+D networking site support/work better? Ideas?

2010-02-04T17:45:00.000Z

Convener: Emma Adams

Participants: Shakera Louise Ahad, Lie Chen, Laura Farworth (sorry if I got your last name wrong, I found it hard to read your writing), Thomas Hescott, Mark Morreas, Robert Welle, Phelim McDermott, Leslie Cooke, Annie Rigby, Jeni Toksvig, Dan Johnston, Clare Fischer, The Red Hedgehog + other folk too.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

This was a wide ranging conversation which I struggled to keep up with at times. Scribing and thinking at the same time…

Questions and problems that were brought up:

Is the Ning D+D Site any good?

Do we need a site at all?

Pros and Cons of different social networking sites and how to use them?

What motivates people to go to the Ning site?

How can we keep the energy that is in the room here alive when we go home?

D+D can be everything and anything so does this make it hard to translate into a site with clear goals and objectives?

D+D gives energy here in the flesh and then disillusionment when we go on line, but live monthly events work

Do people want to keep the experience of coming to D+D events as discreet ‘energy boosts’ which you don’t have the responsibility of putting energy into beyond the event its self???

Vicious circle of lack of critical mass – the site doesn’t get traffic so people don’t find anything so don’t go back etc etc

Every year people say that they want the Ning site to work, but then the energy drops and it doesn’t work like that.

Too much of a focus on what Improbable ‘should be doing’.

Suggestions of how to move forward / solutions:

Should it be more of a case that people take on responsibility for themselves?

Would it work to have live chat / weekly update or do we need a news letter?

Social Networking sites:

Different people have different ways of interacting with platforms

Twitter not good for in-depth discussions

Twitter brings instant energy into the D&D event itself

Whatever solution comes needs to be low on man hours

Sadness that the energy in this room can’t be maintained.

For an online community to work, need to establish the point of the live community, ask the question of how we motivate and give value to that community, then need to express this through a question so that people know the point of going online.

Status is not an issue in the room, but the question, “Can I have your email address?” outside this room becomes something entirely different.

Really interesting: Issue of status, which is clear in the abstract industry, but not so clear in this room. Within the abstract industry, the rules work differently. Face to face, in the room, you can have time to build trust and figure out other people’s intentions.

Moderated: focus is kept on topic. (That’s a man-hour nightmare!)

Continue to have the Ning, but set up an email list. Add people who are on the Ning automatically but they can opt out, the hope being that this would bring more traffic to the site which might give us critical mass.

Some suggestion that this might fracture things into many different platforms, or it might just lead to different kinds of usage on different kinds of platforms.

Theatre Bristol have just done an Open Space and their website is very clear.

Ideas for expanding the use of D&D on Twitter, using Devoted and Disgruntled as separate identities. Maybe too complex, should just hash DD5

Does having a nice site motivate people to use it?

Are questions open or closed on the site: does that affect how people use it?

Facebook: news page helps distil what’s going on into one easy digest.

What people say they want while they’re at D&D doesn’t always match what they actually want, or what they do, once they’ve left the experience.

The Open Space list was great until someone suggested they all join a Ning, so lately it’s lost momentum as the Ning has taken off. The critical mass has moved.

Young Vic Directors’ Forum: also has an email list.

Not about going to a website, but about receiving something in your inbox.

It would be good if the social networking that comes out of the event mirrors the vibe of the event itself.

Mel administrates from Improbable, Jen also helps but has nothing to do because no-one really uses it.

Someone suggested that putting stuff up on the Ning won’t get noticed because no-one goes there.

Is Ning just the wrong tool?

The relationships one forms at D&D don’t make sense to continue in a social networking way. It’s more about having a coffee face-to-face.

Is it about sustaining the energy? Or is it about finding something else?

Phelim would like whatever it is to be open access.

There’s always a rush afterwards, and then it all dies.

People say they want stuff, but then it doesn’t work like that.

People said that the monthly meetings are fine.

Suggestion for meetings online with live chat?

Plan for Action Meeting on Monday:

Email list?
This has now been set up- you can join here

Live chat meetings online for those who can’t get to monthly meetings in London?

Who is going to Tweet?
Phelim has now set up a D&D UK Twitter feed @DandDUK

074 One-on-one theatre: Who’s in charge here

2010-02-04T17:43:00.000Z

Convener: Benjamin Luke

Participants: Beccy Owens, Nick Rutherford, Gregor Henderson-Begg, Michelle Owoo, Rosaline White, Amy Powell-Yeats, Emily Kempson, Becki Haines, Nick Coupe, Philippa Wilkinson

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Rules of the game
Can we make a performance where the audience member decides the rules? How could this work?
• A place of the audience member’s choice. Come and cook in my kitchen…
• Or a topic, subject matter? I would like you to cook X for me
• Stimulus decided by the audience? My favourite color is X, my favourite song is Y, I would like to travel to Z. Make me a meal based on that.

Live Art Speed Dating
Developed through a need to facilitate an audience/artist creative response

Rules of the game #2
We need a certain framework to allow the audience member to interact and challenge the artist, while maintaining a structure.
24 hour-death match: A good example of a reciprocal structure whereby a framework is created that allows the participant to be both an audience member and an artist (or to experience being dominant and recessive)

Ontroereud Goed
A long discussion on the reactions of Internal. Brought up a lot of subsequent issues:

After care
Do we have a responsibility to ensure the health of the participant afterwards if they are particularly traumatized?
This moved on to a discussion of children’s theatre. If a parent complains about a child being scared at a show, what are the ethical implications? We can’t be scared of offending people, we wouldn’t put on a show!
Man up! People like being challenged!
What one-on-one theatre might present is a perfect expression of what we want to do as artists: trust people to understand their responses and learn from them.

Ethical responsibility
What was ethically problematic in Internal? The trust that you put in the performer was taken advantage of. Does this matter? It’s a show about ethics!

Warning people
How can we warn people against the content in the show? Should it be explicit – a contract, a sign etc, or implicit – through marketing etc?

073 Are we all saying the same thing?

2010-02-04T17:38:00.000Z

Convener: Alex Eisenberg

Participants: Adrian, Lindsey, Liam, Rosin, Joe, Alex

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Are we all saying the same thing? [OR maybe Are we all doing the same thing?]

That we articulate things in different way (in language) BUT maybe there are some fundamental things that we are all in fact always trying to say (or do?).

The example of an argument comes up – when there is conflict but really that is getting in the way of the fact that you are ‘saying the same thing’.

How can we think of this as broader! Are there some fundamental principles of life?

Love

Sex

Death

Thinking about the question in relation to theatre? Are all people making theatre trying to say or do the same thing?

What about differences in politics? Or differences in motivations? Differences in intention?

How important is intention in theatre making?

Compare to Lady Gaga – what is the difference in intention between a Lady Gaga concert and a Romeo Castellucci show?

Let’s consider that:

Maybe we are not all saying the same thing.

Thinking about collaborative processes. The problem of trying to get everyone on the ‘same page’. Or ‘forcing’ a group to compromise.

Does it matter if we are all saying the same thing or not?

Perhaps it’s about empowering difference in your work (and in your life). Perhaps it’s about finding ways to incorporate the NEGATIVE or the NO voice?

RECLAIM THE NEGATIVE?

SAY YES TO NO!

Thinking about certain theatrical techniques like Le Coq which operate from a place of attempting to access certain universals – such as:

What is universally funny?

What is a universally great story?

Maybe we should ‘overcome postmodernism’ and revert back to more traditional notions of storytelling.

BUT maybe this is a move in towards the individual as opposed to the group and maybe that is not so good?

“Saying the same thing” – in relation to the production of a project.

How certain members of a group might talk about the project in terms of marketing or PR?

How there might be a good coherence within the group in terms of the performance but when it comes to sharing this in ‘public’, outside of the theatre space, that this is not always the case?

Do these things hold us back?

Chasing after novelty.
Always trying to do the thing that is new.

CONVERSATION MOVED AT THIS POINT TO (and notes stopped being taken – so this is from a loose memory!):

Nostalgia or sentimental forms of engagement – such as Lady Gaga, Football or X-Factor

IN COMPARISON TO

Certain forms of theatre/performance/art which seek to set up an ethics where (for only a short moment perhaps) there is no option but to be ‘overcome/bound’ by the moment. And where this is the intention.

That theatre is an amazing place to do this. (Maybe it’s the only place to do this.)

THEATRE MAKERS – BE RESPONSIBLE!

RAISE THE BAR VERY HIGH – AND THEN RAISE IT AGAIN!

That theatre has the potential to leave ‘a stone in your shoe’ – like Forced Entertainment/Goat Island.

The shape and texture of that stone depends of the ‘intentions’ and process of the work.

Accessing reality – opening portals beyond reality?

Dream States

Emotion, feelings, thoughts AS SHARED

Therefore a commonality even when you don’t know it.

It’s just about how to access or bring forth this commonality.

Catharsis as a way?

What is the most pure way to do this?

Big Questions

072 ‘Lost and Unfound: Exploring Experiences of Loss on Stage’

2010-02-04T17:36:00.000Z

Convener: Amy Powell Yeates

Participants: People with much more wisdom than I, including a girl with a lovely orange cardy.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

This session was held as a means of generating ideas for a twenty-minute piece of theatre I am making through workshopping. The piece, which is in its very early stages, is at the moment concerned with the somewhat broad subject of loss. In the session, I was interested in experiences and observations of loss - in life and in the theatre.

Through references to plays and the film ‘Precious’, group members were very interested in the triumph of sincerity over sentimentality. In such pieces, humour, hope and bravery take the place of morbidity and regret, qualities that we reflected can so easily define a piece that deals with loss. A playwright in the group was concerned that the loss of his protagonist at the end of his play might produce an anti-climax. Unnecessary sentimentality.

So perhaps one challenge is in creating a piece that has no room for regret. It was suggested that on stage, one way of achieving this is by using the narrative as a character’s escape from loss. They might give their audience snippets about the loss that they are attempting to flee, but these are peppered throughout their diversion, which might be a less than tuneful song played on the guitar. You take comic refuge with them. You are not being made to feel upset for the sake of the theatre-maker’s desire to evoke a reaction.

Something that will really stick with me is the simple statement that, ‘loss doesn’t have to be tragic.’ You’d rather find a friend than lose one. But you’d rather lose an enemy than find one.

Or perhaps the productive that comes out of loss is the vacuum that it leaves behind. What might the need for this gap to be filled provoke? How far do you think about acting upon something unless there is a space, a hunger for it?

Actors, somebody pointed out, are often asked to ‘lose’ their natural habits. ‘Adopt a physical neutrality’ trainers or directors request. ‘Clear your mind’ the tai chi or yoga instructor asks. Take on momentary losses in order to find something else. Loss produces gaps for a replacement.

Maybe the thing that fills it isn’t productive. Maybe this represents another loss entirely. Loss producing loss. Or maybe the gap remains forever, its contents perpetually unfound.

But this is not the worst case scenario. What if you lose everything? The way we deal with loss, it seems, is by diverting our attention to what we haven’t. What does it look like, feel like to have nothing?

Maybe it’s funny. Loss can have you in floods of tears one second and laughing hysterically in the next. And it’s a relief to find solidarity with a character and their experience of loss.

Because most of the time, we try not to talk, or think about it.

Sometimes loss can inhabit new bodies, new realities. One group member had a picture of a friend that had recently passed away on her digital camera that she hadn’t backed up and it got deleted. She described the feeling as horrific. ‘It wasn’t even real, I couldn’t even hold it.’ Is this about responsibility? If you feel you might have been able to prevent a loss, your attempt to digest it is magnified or extended, or both.

It is not necessarily about the thing that is lost. But how, why and when.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated, I would welcome any other suggestions or comments to en07arpy at leeds.ac.uk

071 Access – How Do We Get Better?

2010-02-04T17:34:00.000Z

Convener: Nick Sweeting

Participants: Various – please add name if you were there

Deepa Shastri, Nadine Ishani, Helen Pringle, Becci Haines

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

- Attitude is all important
- Be inclusive – include “targeted’ groups in planning
- Look at what’s been done before inc research
- ACE funded buildings have obligations
- Opportunity of 2012 Paralympics – inc people with other languages – or general Olympics too but with Access
- Keep customers in mind
- Who do we influence?
- Theatres only open access at specific times and with specific companies
- A long ‘nagging’ journey
- Colour schemes…..affect everyone
- Internet – feedback forums
- Accessible print – RNIB Website – guideline – good example = New Wolsey
- Print matching audience
- Inc Marketing department in access discussions
- Mktg to Deaf audiences – awareness of signing and captions
- Access for immersive performances/1 to 1 performances – include Deaf and disabled people in the rehearsal/development process
- Signing/description for impro shows

ACTION
Not all the onus should be on Companies like Graeae and deafinitely Theatre –
non Deaf and disabled led companies need to get involved.
Nick and Improbable to enquire how to take things forward…..meet 2012 team – Steve Mannix?

070 An Open Space Building

2010-02-04T17:33:00.000Z

Convener: Nick Sweeting

Participants: Quite a few – please add your name if you were there

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

- A Building for Open Space
- A Building run by Open Space

Some thoughts:
Is it free?
O/S = disorganised
Fully Alive
How do you bring lots of things together?
A number of starting points; standing points
Spontaneous Audience

Change in Attitudes
Commitment
Eg – Brazier’s Park
Importance of Core Team
What are the terms and conditions?
Community
Passion/responsibility…….Action
Responsibility – separate from tasks

So:
What’s the question?
Who is the team?
Not an existing team?
Audience – work – artistic ethos
Develop Culture/thinking

ACTION
Do it; start it
FIND A SPACE and invite people to come
Keeping doing it – move the space and keep doi

069 Where audiences are responsible for creating their own performance, what is the role of the artists?

2010-02-04T17:31:00.000Z

Convener: Sian Rees

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

This type of work offers the artists more freedom, it’s an empowering process and offers more options.
The focus of the work is about re-negotiating the audience/artist relationship
Although, there is something freeing about stepping back, and not having to participate fully. And sometimes the work becomes solely about the audience member, which can be overwhelming and even dull (as they spend their time watching each other)
What about the presence of the artist? In some work, the artist need not be present at all.(the artist becomes redundant?) Are we missing out on the presence of the artist, the ‘spark’ that they bring to the work? However, installations are meaningful without the presence of the artist. Theatre, however, is different, as its live, its ephemeral, and this is what’s exciting about performance.
Audiences may want more imaginative work, and only see a ‘slice of their own life’. And audiences become the artist. (performativity?) Audiences though, want to see artistry, and skills which they don’t have themselves. They want to see craft.
Perhaps we over-think the audience experience, is there too much focus on this relationship at the expense of the work?
The role of the artist becomes more about the work undertaken before the performance itself, the creative process happens beforehand.
Do we need the audience more than they need us?
The personal journey (individual moments for e.g.) v’s the collective experience (group of audience members). Perhaps we can marry the two in a rich conversation. Those individual moments make audience feel privileged and special, it’s an empowering, emotional and intimate experience.
As a culture, are we obsessed by categorization? Can more ‘experimental’ theatre join other artistic communities to create a more supportive network? Why do they work against each other? Can we support each other across disciplines?

068 How might might we think about desire in relation to theatre?

2010-02-04T17:28:00.000Z

Convener: Jonny Liron

Participants: Jonny Liron, Chris Goode, Mat Trueman, Andrew Haydon, Chris Wilkinson, Lucy Ellinson, Gerard Bell, Greg McLaren, Katherina, the infantile radiance of the entire desperate people.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

(Coupled with the urgent contingence of political sex, as in, Today)

We speak the sharpening
Is that defecating noise in the future tense
sound the hate system falling apart
We were here all the time

The terror corollary examples its own specious disgust
The co-ordinates (like the sea, and love) scramble and re-align
Moving knowledge to passionate radical de construction
In (neck positioned) attentive gleam

To radiate those (these) sinews in empathy with another, to speak of us
The boy dancer shines his specific orientated lost

The queer turn back towards the horizon

(the stars dislocate and shimmer out of angled sight

The form of the poetic critical engagement with what is critical

We are hurtling, impact imminent

O, we were found

out straining out stretched throat

067 Why are playwrights discouraged from acting in or directing their own plays?

2010-02-04T17:25:00.000Z

Convener: Suzy Almond

Participants: Anon + 1

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

If a playwright would like to participate in their play once it is completed, this is not always encouraged and sometimes actively discouraged. Why is this?

Play-Right? Not always. A new objectivity needed once rehearsal process begins.

If a playwright can cut the umbilical cord that connects her to a play, and is able to wear a different hat and be objective about her own work, it should be entirely possible for her to adopt other roles within a production. This would involve understanding that her pre-conceived ideas about the production were not necessarily right. Throughout the rehearsal period, blind spots would emerge and new insights would be embraced.

This understanding would involve her being a flexible actor who approaches the job as objectively as possible and is committed to taking direction enthusiastically and being flexible about any pre-conceived notions of how the play should be performed.

Likewise, as a director, she should be willing to embrace input from other members of the rehearsal process.

All of the above are possible as long as the new roles are clearly defined with the rest of a team.

Steven Berkoff, Terry Johnson and Anthony Neilson were cited as examples of successful playwright/actor/director hybrids.

There was a perception from some theatre companies that a writer was not expected to be involved in rehearsal and production issues, and was over-stepping the mark if they wanted to.

There was anecdotal evidence of a playwright who was not allowed to audition to act in their own play, and of a writer who was cautioned for making a suggestion to a crew member.

It was agreed that if the playwright wasn’t able to ‘let go’ of a play then it was definitely better that others directed and acted in it.

It was agreed that writer/performer packages were considered the most acceptable way to combine skills. One man/woman shows were the most suitable format for a writer who wanted to get involved beyond the writing. Daniel Kitson and Ursula Martinez were examples.

But what about straight plays? The above are comedy performers.

There was an anecdote about a writer who went in disguise to an audition for a piece she wrote and was given the part.

Is this the way forward?

Probably not.

There was a suspicion about multi-disciplinary artists sometimes. Producing one’s own work was a possible way forward, but not ideal.

066 How can we create ‘permanent’ ensembles and survive?

2010-02-04T17:18:00.000Z

Convener: Simon Pittman

Participants: David Luff, Anne Langford, Aaron Minnigin, Emily Kempson, Laura Kriefman, Emma Dedein, Simon Wilkinson, Sophie Austin, Jennifer Moule, Hugh Hayes, Loren O’Dair, Philippa Wilkinson, Lindsey Hope Pearlman, Jo Turner, Liz Chen, Lee Evan.

***We are collecting contact details for anyone who wishes to continue a dialogue on this subject and way of working. If you wish to be involved please email me with your name and how you might look to participate in this kind of work: Simon Pittman: simon at roughfiction.com

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The discussion also became a very useful discussion on running a small or emerging company and the risks and considerations that brings up. Here are collected notes on the session which touched on.
- examples of companies operating permanent ensembles (‘permanent’ was originally offered as a loose and provocative term to discuss building ongoing companies and a focus on the actors craft)
- The appeal of a permanent ensemble
- Funding issues
- The risks to the work, people and organisational structures
- Why we want to
- How we keep people together
- How do we survive and sustain?

Example companies to consider:
Steppenwolf, Gardzienice, Theatr Piesn Kozla, various German models, Dundee Rep, Kneehigh, Complicite, Maly St Petersburg, RSC, Propella, Theatro Viva, Colchester Mercury, Strange Face, Likely Story etc, Theatre By The Lake (REP / Building) The Wooster Group, Forced Entertainment, Labyrinth in New York

Notes Transcribed:
Sustainability or funding is key.
We are talking about regular collaborators
Living on premises, a building? – Does it just then become about running a space.
We agreed that a permanent ensemble first and foremost needs to be enabled to make work continuously and that an overall vision is key to the structuring and commitment of the company and its members. We must keep self-reflective on this.

What is The Appeal?
Ownership, quality, deeper and lasting, rich connections and understanding between those working and acting together
THE OFFER OF ONGOING TRAINING
Building a shared understanding of why you are making this work together
No type casting, being able to explore a wider range of role and knowing what parts you will be working on a long time in advance and over a longer period of time: more in depth process: Good example in REP and more traditional models in UK (Pitlochery, Theatre By The Lake for example)
Collective decision making in the company: moves towards a model of the collective…
Difference between the employed actor and the core collective company.

Notes continued
Decision to be made: CREATIVE COLLECTIVE Vs Actor’s Ensemble or company. (Hierarchy and ownership models are different and one should think carefully about these expectations before committing.
‘Ensemble’ was defined by one member of the group as ‘a number of actors paid on regular salary to engage in REP’.

We discussed how an ensemble can be self-selecting as in The Mercury’s model in Colchester: if actors are asked back for a second season they are then in the ensemble – ‘a current core’. This also allows for the passing on of skills through osmosis (another appeal of ensembles).

Putting an ensemble together should be about the work, not about trying to break into or work your way into an industry. It has to come from a passion, a shared interest and desire to create great work first, recognition can follow.

We wonder whether the ‘jobbing actor vocation’ is acting as a barrier to establishing more permanent ensembles in the core of UK theatre.

Survival?
Educational component to the company – e.g.: Creative Partnerships, workshop programs, the’ Extended Schools Program’
Funding through training and offering similar public services
Running a building and renting / managing (also means restrictions and other administrative pressures) and touring
Reputation in training
RFO (Regularly Funded Organisations) or venues as a home
Working in rural, regional and non London locations
Again, a strong and reflective understanding and awareness of why and for whom you are making work.

Supportive Places and their benefits (Venues etc)
- An office
- Links to other ensembles and associates
- Good example models of this are The Point in Eastleigh’s innovative Phase 3 program, Home from Home and Quartered Artists programs or Farnham Maltings etc.
- As with the above, larger funding pots are accessible as a result
- Time, space and less pressure than city based environments
- Links to creative partnerships – new audiences and community inspiration

Mentoring and asking for help

How do we keep people together? (notably larger numbers and those who come together on a post training, professional basis)

A strong vision, energy and clarity of why you are together
Shared and individual recognition of ownership and what you are sharing
Taking time to recognise individuals’ strengths and skills, and our differences
Recognising the need for new blood
The Visionary: the draw of learning and working with/from each other.
Keep asking why in the positive

Notes Continued
Dundee Rep was offered as an example:
Core funding was sourced by one very determined and passionate individual for three years from many different sources
It has a small ensemble of actors, often later in their careers who wish to settle and work with further apprentice members who work over say one year and offer an answer to the need to ensure new blood is offered to keep things fresh.
International links
They also offer professional development for members and those outside the org. (much like RSC).
Notes Continued
Steven Winnery made a practical proposition to us all: He has a studio in Stratford which is available for this kind of work he would like people to submit to for space. June – October 2010: stevenwinnery@yahoo.co.uk
There seems to be a question of scale here too. There are two very different sets of obstacles that present them self on the no-money-work-together-because-you’re-all-passionate side and the fully funded permanent ensembles.

Someone said we must allow for shifts in scale within ensembles
It has to start from a want – a vision from one person and getting a large number of funders to agree and share your vision and its worth.

Funders and artists get excited by the way in which these ensemble setups bring people together and create valuable ongoing dialogue.

If you are giving up everything to put into a permanent company ensemble, do you need existing money (e.g. Middle class structures) to do it?
Why are permanent ensembles under valued in UK Theatre? We felt that they are not as present as they could be.
Casting from a pool – The arts organisation: e.g. Complicite.

Finding Actors interested in permanent ensemble
- Ads, ask the questions: ‘I need creative people to play with. Are you in?’
- Show passion and people are infected! – Communicate your ideas effectively
- The Actors Centre for example: offering workshops for Lab Work Weeks on creating ensemble
- Asking contemporaries, friends, colleagues for suggestions and links
- Seeing work and talking, writing afterwards
- Offering further training, ownership and investment for people

What are the pitfalls / risks?
(applicable we felt, to all creative partnerships)

Lack of feedback and communication to artists – ensuring ‘good house keeping’ and anonymity
Up own bottom!
Incest
Stagnancy
Structures needed to allow for shifts in ability to commit over time… where is the line?
Overlap of employment contracts into the political strength and balance of leadership in an organisation.
Power balance – keeping expectations
Ability to bring new blood in and eject old wood for the good or an ensembles work
It’s important to seek training relationships both within and outside a company’s practice
Clarity and decision of whom and what is being funded: The ensemble? The director / A.D? The Board?
Important to seek out outside eyes and collaborators from outside the company’s practice
Are you building a relationship on work and professional basis or also as friends? Be clear? – What happens with companies who live together (E.g. Forced Entertainment).
Be careful to keep linked/in dialogue with outside world and other professions etc – “NO WANK!”

See also the photograph of our funding diagram: How to fund this type of work.

Thanks

065 Empty theatre spaces after the recession. What inspires you: we have the space.

2010-02-04T17:17:00.000Z

Convener(s): Dan Simon (Josh Neicho)

Participants: Robert Wells, Sarah Grochala, Ellis Kerkhoven, Mark Phoenix, Thomas Hescott, Jessica Manley, Gary Campbell, Martyn Duffy, Louise Jeffreys, Nick Rutherford, Gary from Stoke Newington International Airport, Tyne Rafaeli, Sara Perks, Stuart Targett, Leslie Godley, Emma Newborn, Kai Hahn Naomi O’Kelly, Oliver Townsend, Colin Atkinson, Michelle Owoo

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Discussion centred around the activities of The Oubliette, an arts group dedicated to promoting emerging artists by reutilising empty space. In April we are running a theatre festival aimed at showcasing three bold new performances, and convened the above session in the hope of spreading the word and finding talent.

The Oubliette have, up to present, taken the rather unorthodox approach to taking over empty space by doing so without the consent of the property owner, in the case of the high profile sites occupied last year, being multinational investment companies.

Our long-term approach is to negotiate for consent and achieve within ‘slack space’ a vibrant multiplatform venue, featuring studio space for artists to create exhibit and sell their work; platforms such as a theatre and cinema to showcase the innovative and the avant-garde; and communal spaces to encourage social interaction important for artists to be able to network, share ideas and further knowledge.

Key questions put to me by attendees of the session were:

1) Do you provide rehearsal space?
a. We provide rehearsal space for free to theatre companies when and where we have the space

2) Architectural limitations on performances?
a. Up until now we have been targeting properties in high profile locations to raise awareness of our project through the press. For our theatre festival in April we are targeting properties specifically suitable for content. We are attempting to negotiate for space that is open-plan, or was a former venue, such as a theatre, cinema or club. We encourage theatre companies working with us to use the space we provide to suit their performance as best and with as much freedom as they are able, with practical support given from our team.

3) What policy do you have in effect to select theatre work?
a. We have a curatorship led by our newly appointed theatre manager who ensures that the work selected fits within our remit – principally that the quality of the work is good and that it has not already achieved mainstream recognition. Several members of The Oubliette are actively involved in the arts and lend valuable insight into the selection process.

4) How is The Oubliette structured?
a. The Oubliette is business-like, without being a business. It is a managed project with an inherent strategy making it vastly different to the ‘art-squats’ that have also used adverse possession to run arts events. The group is divided into two sections – management, which comprises those who oversee The Oubliette’s day to day operations, and live-in and auxiliary volunteers who maintain the buildings, develop facilities, staff and coordinate events, and lend key skills such as IT and copywriting to the group. The Oubliette is a non-profit organisation – the money accrued is reinvested directly back into the project.

5) What about insurance, and health and safety?
a. The Oubliette have, as part of our group, consultants on health and safety whom we rely upon for advice whenever we run a venue. The unusual status of our occupancy means that we are not subject to institutional regulation, allowing a far greater degree of creative freedom to those we collaborate with. We are currently consulting with specialists in property law and entertainment to ensure legality in this department.

For more information on The Oubliette, and to pitch your play, please visit http://theoubliette.co.uk

064 London Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Too Much Fringe?

2010-02-04T17:12:00.000Z

Convener: Josh Neicho

Participants: Patricia, Jessica Manley, Anonk Mishti, Thomas Hescott, Dan Simon, Tyne Rafaeli, Robert Wells, Lindsey Hope Pearlman

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

LONDON FESTIVAL FRINGE to run this summer, same dates as Edinburgh festival, moving force is GREG TALLENT, South Bank university lecturer in social media, “jazz pianist, fashion photographer, sound recordist, stand-up, used to run model agency”, others on board include Holly Payton of the World Festival Network. Tallent ran London Bridge Festival July 2009. Venues signed up so far include the Southwark Playhouse, Old Operating Theatre, New Players Theatre in Soho, Leicester Square Theatre, Actor’s Church Covent Garden, Rosemary Branch and the 20th Century Theatre in Notting Hill. Aims to celebrate and promote London as the “biggest arts capital in the world”, showcasing young talent in comedy, burlesque, music, fiction writing, instant film-making as well as theatre with a “broader scope than Edinburgh”. Focused around 8 AWARDS given by specialists in different arts fields. Feeling that Edinburgh has become too established and London event should be held at same time as August is peak tourist season and London is big enough to command an audience at the same time as Edinburgh. Long-term vision to get big London arts venues involved so there is a London Festival as well as a London Festival Fringe. The Conservatives nationally and in City Hall have been supportive. But criticism in the press eg from SIMON FANSHAWE, and VERONICA LEE who says it is “incredibly wrong-headed” and “remarkably ill-mannered” to hold such an event at the same time as Edinburgh when theatre is under lots of financial pressure.

Participants felt the Festival was bring held in the wrong venues if it was trying to showcase emerging talent (why established theatres albeit Fringe ones) and inappropriate for the time of year and the festival mood. Also wrong time to hold it at the same time as Edinburgh in August, there would be more sense bringing together Edinburgh previews as a festival in their own right in July. Querying of the old-fashioned way of paying up front to be considered to perform (is this just a cash cow, taking advantage of young students who want to do a show after they graduate?)
Better to get out of London to Latitude, Brighton, Edinburgh etc for summer fun. How about a festival in a tent in a London park like the music festivals. How will press come if all the arts critics are in Eburgh? What about maximizing disabled access to come and see the shows?
Comparison with NEW YORK where the International Fringe is a bit of a joke (why get NY theaters doing huge numbers of shows all year round have to 300 more in a short space of time?) URINETOWN an exception as a success from the New York fringe festival. The distinction between a curated festival with the best of a particular art, which is appropriate for a big city, and a festival with open entry. Better model is the Canadian fringe circuit – CAFF, completely open entry and participants get 100 per cent of ticket sales back. Some US festivals under the CAFF banner – could London be too? ☺

063 Producers

2010-02-04T17:10:00.000Z

Convener: Sam Howey Nunn

Participants: About 20 people- didn’t get names, sorry everyone!

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

- Why did people come to this session? Lack of producers in one place so producers came wanting to see each other. Directors looking for producers. Various artists wanting to know what producers do.
- Discussion of how collaborations are begun and sustained, with discussion about what stage producers come on board and how long they sustain. Lots of producers want to work with the same artist from project to project.
- What makes producers tick? Lots of people wanted to know why producers do what they do. Answers:
o To build new models of the way theatre can be
o To connect people and ideas and opportunities- that’s the buzz
o To make things happen
- Commercial vs. fringe vs. subsidised. Different routes and working systems in each.
- The fashionable term of the Creative Producer. General agreement that this term undermines the validity of the Producer in general and their inherent creative role. An Administrative Producer from a subsidised theatre company (building based) pointed out that her role was very creative.
- Discussion of more independent producing and good models. Akram Khan and Farouq Chaudry. Akram is the artist, Farouq the innovator. Theirs is a respected model of collaboration- very close- Farouq with a huge creative input. But we have to remember that not all artists want this. We must have the conversations and set the boundaries early on in the collaboration.
- Discussion about when growing companies and artists take on a producer. When’s the right time? It may be later than you think. Often you need an administrator not a producer. So, useful to note what a producer does that an administrator doesn’t:
o Translator. A speaker of many languages: that of the audience, the artistic team, and venues and funders.
o Building development structures for the work. Helping to position the work and provide a framework and opportunities for its development
o Critical dialogue
o Sustaining a network around the artist and opening up opportunities for them
- Some people referred to the Producer as the first audience member/uber audience, or having the creative overview etc. This might be a controversial stance- Dramaturges often do this but are less and less visible
- Some people have experience of producers having too much power- coming into the Dress rehearsal and making changes for example, or sacking the Director at a late stage! Agreement that this would be a sign of a very bad working relationship to begin with and also more common in very commercial theatre.
- What to do about the imbalance of producers and artists needing producers? I related my experience of mentor’s advice that I should work with a venue or a very reputable company to develop as a producer, rather than staying very independent and able to take on artists at the beginning of their work. If the understanding is that for a producer to develop they need to move into a venue then no wonder there’s an imbalance. However its also very hard for a freelance producer to make a living since the bulk of the work is speculative, trying to raise money. No-one can pay London rent on that kind of work! What kind of help is there for producers to develop? Battersea Arts Centre, Stage One. Not much!
- General frustration from artists that they didn’t know where to find producers. We named:
o Stellar Network (plug for my own organisation!- we hold a large mailing list of all kinds of producers)
o Recent graduates off the Birkbeck Creative Producing strand. Also the Central strand.
o Old Vic New Voices
o Young Vic – they hold a producers list much like their directors list
- Useful to talk about how producers find artists they want to work with. Firstly producers can only usually take on artists that are already a little established, as the unpaid work involved in establishing them can be impossible to take on. Producers try and see as much stuff as possible and keep in touch with artists to see how they develop so as to come on board at the right time.
- Good examples are Fuel, Arts Admin, Your Imagination when it existed. We need more of these! But companies like that can’t start up and sustain without subsidy and they often don’t have the capacity to take on half the artists they’d like to.
- More frustration voiced at how artists get their work seen and a call for producers to get involved in seeing as many readings/workshops etc as possible. I mentioned Stellar Network and our aim to get producers, directors, artists, writers and actors in the same room on a regular basis. The responsibility is then on you to network and get yourself talking to people.
- Actions:
o Unlimited Theatre will run a panel on giving basic ‘producing’ tools to those artists and companies that need it but can’t find a producer. A stopgap. Stellar Network will run the event.
o Stellar Network will look at running a ‘Lonely Hearts’ monthly mailout detailing companies work and where it can be seen, and send out to list of Producers so that we are facilitating as much matchmaking as possible. We may also run a salon and speed networking type event that gets producers and artists together. But how successful can this be if there are always more artists than producers? Can people attached to venues help companies and artists out in their spare time (much like people work on the fringe)?

062 Is Street Theatre A Pile of Rubbish?

2010-02-04T17:04:00.000Z

Convener: Paschale Straiton

Participants: Gary, Steven Whinnery, Bev, Robert Cook, Isabel Carr, Paschale Straiton

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

There is a perception of street theatre as the poor relative of ‘proper theatre’ that happens in buildings: how much is there a prejudice within the industry?
There has been an increased focus within the Arts Council of England on street theatre, including a street arts strategy, designated officers in ACE (e.g. Chenine Bhathena in London – who has now left, will she be replaced?) and at local council level (e.g. Bristol). So, there has been an increase in funding of festivals and companies, leading to more innovative work…

However, there still seems to be widespread ignorance of what street theatre can offer (now classified by ACE under the umbrella of ‘outdoor arts’). The stereotype of ‘the living statue’ remains a pervasive image, for many theatre practitioners as well as the wide public. You have to be lucky enough to live in places that have regular, creatively produced events or that host strategic projects to see the ‘good stuff’ – e.g. Winchester, Manchester, Stockton on Tees or towns along the Severn River that benefit from the Severn Project.

Do we need to be able to differentiate between street entertainment and street theatre, between the ‘eye candy’ of stilt walking performers and attempts to make ‘Brecht on the street’, recognizing that there is value in and a place for both.

There is great, practical value of working on the street: you can reach a wide demographic, people that don’t usually go to the theatre; you can draw better wages from street arts festival bookings than from small-mid scale theatre touring (the former can be used to fund the latter); the sector encourages new emerging artists, working cross-art form, to produce work that gets to wide ranging audiences; empowers performers to be pro-active rather than waiting for the agent to call; festival bookers are often more accessible than theatre programmers as they are quite simply there, on the street; street theatre work can sometimes spin off into other contexts – e.g. corporate entertainment market, or it can be one of a number of contexts in which a company works – e.g. Theatre Venture uses street theatre events to show small pieces of work.

The Without Walls Consortium is really looking to invite artists from outside the sector in, through commissioning, with a special emphasis on artists with disabilities and from diverse cultural backgrounds. However, there is a need to continue to support the artists that have been struggling within the sector, now that money is beginning to trickle down. Also there is a hope that producers will support companies based in the UK in the lead up to the Olympics.

Like there is a tendency within the theatre industry to rely too heavily on ACE funding, there is a similar tendency for street theatre companies/practitioners to rely on the festival circuit. Perhaps we need to branch out of this, try to establish relationships with theatre buildings, other types of festival, engage with hospitals, museums, other public buildings and organizations, which will broaden our visibility and (hopefully) raise our profile within the industry as a whole.

It seems very important that there should be an increased critical evaluation of the ‘outdoor arts’ sector. It is very, very rare for outdoor performance to be reviewed by the press (– no wonder people don’t know about it!). Lyn Gardner has become interested in festivals and companies in the last couple of years and is beginning to cover this type of work, but she is a rare individual. Perhaps we need to try to establish more formal processes of feedback within NASA (National Association of Street Artists) or a similar organisation, or develop ideas of a similar nature.

Performance on the street is by its very nature democratic. Many companies and performers have no formal training, come from a musical, circus or activist background. We need to continue to celebrate this anarchic, provocative, raw, dangerous spirit while engaging with quality control, continuing to learn and develop. There is clearly an underlying tension between wanting to be accepted as a sector that is rich in ideas, skills and output, while wanting to retain a sense of being underground and unconventional.

Outdoor arts has an amazing potential and one that is beginning to be recognized by authorities. Wonderful encounters can happen between strangers, communities can come together in powerful, shared moments. We need to make sure that money is being spent responsibly and that festivals are developed in the most helpful ways. For example, Stockton International Riverside Festival is a wonderful event, which brings together high caliber artists from all over the world. But, how has the festival impacted upon the community, which is profoundly depressed? Is it a big, expensive, spangly party?

It’s important for outdoor artists to come to events like this, to remind people that we are here and that we’ve got some great (if sometimes smelly) things to say.

061 The Dreamtime: What do you want to create?

2010-02-04T16:58:00.000Z

Convener:Andy Harmon

Participants: A group of really wonderful people who included… (please add yourselves to this)

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Motto: The most difficult obstacle to getting what you want is the story you tell yourself about why you can’t have it.

The group looked at that space where Ideas and Projects are born within us. We began with Stella who talked about a project that had been emerging for her for the last 15 years, but had no particular shape yet. She told us some of what she did know about it. (and later broke out the play dough and began to both draw a picture and place little figures on it, playing around with what was coming up for her.)

Then we brought up the issue of sometimes you can create a piece of writing but suddenly lose heart with it. You feel ‘oh what’s the use?’ or ‘I’m not good enough…’

This brought up the value of courage, and the challenge posed by fear. Sometimes fear can help you as in the fear of not meeting a deadline pushes you, but sometimes it can block you. We talked about how fear is endemic to creativity because, in a very real sense, all creativity is a form of rule breaking (or bending). This brings up all sorts of feelings sometimes ranging from not being good enough to being downright wrong! And that these feelings end up stopping you. So how do some people manage to deal with this problem?

Then I, Andy, talked about a play that I’ve been working on for nearly 20 years, and shared a bit of what it was about and how I’ve wrestled with it, knowing both beginning and ending, but being deeply stuck in the middle of it…!

We talked about techniques that can help deal with the fear: Writing on a whiteboard, for example or having a deadline that forces you to finish.

This led us to think about Responsibility. What if you don’t have a producer or theatre company (or TV company) to commission your script and set the deadline? What then?

So what’s stopping you from creating a group of friends/colleagues who you can be responsible to? Not as critics to ‘improve’ the work (there are plenty of those), but actually to support the simple act of creation, when your dream comes into it’s first manifestation – to help you deal with the fear. I mentioned a group my wife Anita started in the USA called ‘The Mentor Group’, to help new writers develop their confidence.

Then we returned back to the central theme which was: What are your dreams, what do you want to create? Dreams are really intimate, so often difficult even to share – sometimes the fear so grips us we won’t even admit our dreams to ourselves. So I began by sharing my dreams for myself for this year and then gradually everyone began to do so. We heard from just about everyone. A chorus. A one woman show. Creating a living from one’s art. A play that’s been in the works a long time. A space where people can share their dreams and inspire others with them. And more… (please add yours!)

One dream of note was coming into reality even as we spoke, The Hackney Rose, just around the corner, a playing and performance space for people to develop THEIR DREAMS.

We talked about the issue of Motivation. Jen shared her idea that there are only two motivators. Fear (that pushes us away from doing something) and Hunger (that draws us in to doing something). Angela amplified this when she talked about learning to wear the ‘dress of Entitlement’. Claiming the right to create! Taking the responsibility in your own hands. And if what motivates you is the hunger to seize the limelight, to show off, to be visible and applauded, what’s wrong with that?

“Your playing small does not serve the world”

Lastly, we looked at the issue of the boundary between dream and manifestation. As one of us asked, should you try to carry the ‘dreamtime’ into real life? My answer is that there is a real difference, but that It’s a question of perspective. Phelim talked about developing the part of the self that’s ‘The Witness’ that can provide the perspective to get a larger view, to step back from the act of creating.

Please feel free everyone to add things I’ve forgotten… (many apologies to all those who made great contributions but I didn’t know your names!)

060 Does theatre still have a social and moral responsibility?

2010-02-04T16:56:00.000Z

Convener: Jo Faith

Participants: Sarah Grochala, Ellen Parousi, Lou Platt, Meenakshi, Helen Pringle, Joe Austin, Aaron Mirrigin, Dannie Laybell, Sharon Matthews

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Buzz words / ideas – ‘Structures’, ‘Education’, ‘choices of individuals’, ‘Aesthetic v political / deeper meanings’, ‘provoking’, ‘’role of theatre’, ‘types of practice’, ‘form’, ‘Faith’

Most people felt that theatre has a social responsibility, not everyone was sure about moral.

The word responsibility was questioned – ‘quite dry’ as opposed to the creative process. But we discussed how theatre should be seen as more ‘important’ in society, which raised a question about responsibility - we see schools as being responsible for our children, supermarkets as responsible for our food (daily needs), NHS responsible for our health… etc.
If the theatre wants more importance does it need to be more responsible?

Funding – there is often a need to have a social or moral stance to gain funding. Why is this? Should this be the case?

A director – spoke about his issue of conflict with social / moral responsibility when making theatre.

Writer – depends on the context.

Theatre – historically important as a means of passing on information.

Often messages are forgotten – information and awareness may be increased but the key message can be lost and not put into action. How can this be assessed? We are being modified and ‘transformed’ daily, surely, everything feeds into that process…

Is emotional connection as important as a mind / physical reaction? Or is it just pleasure? (essentially pornographic)

Arguably theatre that has a participatory / interactive element is more transformative.

Ongoing work has the most social benefit (working with ex-offenders, with regular contact)

Theatre so often works within the current political climate – not really addressing or challenging anything. (Often agrees with what people are already saying)

Question of Universal truths, moral framework that often the old playwrights were dealing with – many of these texts still used within the education system. Why?

Education failing to embrace enough diversity. Education should ‘provoke’. Discussed why teachers aren’t called ‘provokers’ therefore rather than ‘teachers’.
Education should teach the politics of ‘now’, aware of the fact that things, issues, students, change every year. Are there any solid truths that must always be acknowledged?

‘England People Very Nice’ a play that stirs up community, rather than encouraging good community relationships. The further degrading of victims.

Our moral and social responsibility is to educate people about issues.

Theatre draws together a wide spectrum of strangers to share ideas and raise discussion / debate.

Who is the theatre for?

People don’t like to be preached at, unless they agree with what is being preached!

Religions are stories…so is the theatre

Theatre shouldn’t try and tell everything, nothing in life does or can so neither should theatre be concerned about trying to do that.

Activism should be fun

Is theatre a social and moral act?

Provocation is ok, but a fun time is ok as well. A bad theatre experience is useful?

In the most unlikely places we find the beauty, truths

Often moral / social theatre is boring, long-winded, self-righteous.
Theatre should be using different forms, experimenting with form more.

Trend in social theatre again, why? People are disillusioned with politics, and want to voice this.

Trilogy – a joyful expression of women, questions about feminism still not resolved in society just more silent now. Why?

Social responsibility of theatre – to create a space where people can disagree.

Sense of responsibility of the playwright, the actors, the storytellers. The individual and collective responsibility. Where does personal morality operate within the structure? If theatre is all inclusive, it invites people with all beliefs and political opinions. So theatre will reflect these.

059 ACE new Vision and Goals – Let’s make them better

2010-02-04T16:53:00.000Z

Convener: dee
Participants: About 5 then second wave of 4

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:
Question came out of deep misgivings about the above but no rationale to support that feeling.
Vision and goals were read out.

Comments included;

ACE re-structuring again (3rd time in last 12 years?) - they want new business models for the “industry” when they can’t even work one out for themselves.

What the hell is a “relationship manager” supposed to be?

Document is woolly and oily. Goals are not really goals.

What’s wrong with the 1967 charter where Arts Council exists to
“develop and improve knowledge understanding and practice of the arts”
“increase accessibility of the arts to the public throughout Great Britain”
“advise and co-operate with Government Dept’s, Local Authorities on any matters concerned , whether directly or indirectly, with the forgoing objectives.

ADVOCACY IS A VITAL ROLE FOR ACE (consensus around this one) who should aim with all of us to raise the arts in the prioritiy list for Government and Local Authorities. That should be a goal. Our audiences are clearer about value of the arts than ACE.

It looks like a document that is preparing for cuts.

In Ireland NGO funding has been cut and they await outcomes for arts funding.
Eastern European companies see taking state funding as colluding with the state – artists there work all the time and live frugally.

There has to be an Arts Council and it appears to have to spend money and time justifying and defending decisions – mostly to artists.

Most successful theatre culture’s support long term development of ensembles.

A suggestion was discussed: Big RFO’s (National/RSC plus???) should have ten years funding then none – they have brand and connections enough to float on their own. No organization should have more than 50% of costs funded.

Someone thought ACE corrupt.

ACE has no organizational memory – mistakes repeated and good models not shared.

OVER ALL
No particular consensus – the issues are so complicated and the ACE culture so entrenched probably best to fight with devotion to getting on with making theatre.

058 What one idea from outside theatre has most changed your practice inside theatre?

2010-02-04T16:48:00.000Z

Convener: Chris Goode

Participants: About three dozen people, and we’re still going…

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

I’ve noticed that often it’s the ideas that we translate across to the world of theatre from other disciplines, artforms, practices and cultures that can have the biggest impact on how we think about theatre and how we imagine what it might be able to do. Other theatre makers may influence us in all sorts of ways but often it’s an adoption or adaptation of ideas from elsewhere that make the real game-changing difference.

So I wanted to ask what those transformative ideas were for other people, and this is what came up, with blanket apologies for any mis-spelled names, garbled titles etc:

• Primatology. That monkeys define status through eye contact. (Makes you think about stage actors in a different way!)
• Lewis Hyde, The Gift. An examination of gift culture - generosity of spirit in action. What changes when instead of selling tickets we swap them for cake? (etc.)
• Paula Rego’s painting ‘The Family’ – supports loads of different narrative readings. Problematizing but not confrontational.
• Previous experiences in business sector, as a kind of negative shaping influence: wanting to not be dictated to by scheduling or fixation on product.
• ‘Linda Joy’: an experimental Canadian documentary about a woman battling cancer, with an intimate commentary added to the footage after the subject’s death. The idea of video as record; the present constantly passing.
• Funeral rites, ancestral worship rituals, esp Native American. Personal experience of funerals. (‘Funeral directors’: interesting performative terminology!)
• Also, giggling and then suddenly crying at a funeral – abrupt and slippery transitions between emotional states.
• The Lucifer Effect (sorry, didn’t make a note of the author): book about the Stanford Prison Experiment. How our behaviour is defined by situational rather than dispositional forces. By extension, how the structure you create as a director is fundamental to what work can be created.
• Argon: how the presence of traces of an inert gas in the atmosphere means that we’re all connected by the air we breathe. Every time you breathe you breathe a few atoms of argon that were once breathed by… [think of a person, any person]
• Psychics / spiritualists, and their performances. Does it really matter if the skills they claim to have are not actually real?
• Coma (missed the author again, sorry): communicating with people in coma states through touch and minimal signals. The ethical questions (about agency, choice, right to life, etc.) that arise from understanding that there’s a whole world going on inside coma states. Rehearsal exercises developed out of this specialized contact language.
• Harmonic chant.
• A childhood recollection of pretending to be sick so as to bunk off school, and then watching Powell & Pressburger films with mum – sharing those moments, entering into the world of the films, eating Lockets…
• Punk music; also,
• Punk ethos – DIY. (See Forest Fringe, STK etc.)
• Patrick Watson gig – the theatrical experience of togetherness, a sensation of collectivity
• Pulp albums: Different Class, This is Hardcore: an influence on understanding of narrative forms.
• Participatory economics – the collective ownership of an organization, and how that ownership is felt by participants; rotation of tasks etc.
• The 12 Steps (program for dealing with addiction) – e.g. principles of being of service rather than being in charge; stepping away from ego; principle counting for more than personality. This had effected a complete change of rehearsal practice.
• Rugby: a visceral, passionate, seemingly violent sport that promotes daring and the suppression of individual ego, and that is innately collaborative and smart in its reliance on strategic behaviours.
• Pixies, Debaser. ‘Nuff said. - Also, the experience of arranging a Pixies party in a phone box – a sense of “wanting everything I do to feel like this” – not setting out to create theatre, but wanting to do something renegade.
• A love of pathetic, futile gestures. Enjoying the absurdity of doing it anyway.
• A knowledge that things can change the world without everyone having to see them.
• Journalism. Some theatre could be seen as a kind of journalism, but wanting theatre to make it possible to enable a deeper exploration of issues and events. We talk about theatre being quickly responsive but it seldom is; journalism really is fast, and also good at being polemical. Theatre should take its time, avoid polemic, and concentrate on doing what journalism can’t.
• Good manners. Finding oneself wanting to apologize to the audience / fighting against the urge to say sorry for everything!
• Knowing that it’s OK to be paid for what you do…
• …and that you are not what you make: your art is not you. Once the work exists, let it be.
• Rothko exhibition at Tate Modern. No commentary / curatorial labels, so there was no sense of there being some predetermined stuff that you were supposed to understand or a particular set of ‘correct’ interpretations: and no reading or relationship was rejected by the paintings themselves – an object lesson in trusting the intelligence of the audience.
• Music in general, especially jazz: the use of abstract structures in a context of improvisatory liveness
• Gaspar Noe’s film Irreversible. Encouraging a reaction that’s visceral as much as cerebral.

A final conversation about The West Wing reminded me about an axiom often stated on that show: don’t simply argue about an issue – sometimes it makes better sense to reject the premise of the question. It feels like it’s exactly that that the practice of translating ideas across from other areas can remind us to do, because those ‘foreign’ ideas don’t just begin from a place of blandly accepting the premise of what theatre already is and can already do.

This was a really beautiful session – thanks to everyone who shared their ideas. People keep coming up to me and adding ideas or saying they wish they’d come to the session, so please email me if there’s anything you want to add to the list – I always really like hearing this stuff. Tell me things: chris at chrisgoodeonline.com xx

057 Art is not “accomplishing anything other than filling our time"- can art change the world?

2010-02-04T16:35:00.000Z

Issue: Film director Steven Soderbergh recently said that: “The appeal of making any art is to have a kind of control you don’t have in life,” but art itself is not “accomplishing anything other than filling our time. I see no indication that the problems we face are being solved.”

Is he being pessimistic or just realistic about the possibility of art changing the world?

Convener: Paul Whitlock

Participants: Paul Whitlock, Li E Chen, Alice Massey, Tilly, Cobna, David Johnston, Steven Whinnery, Cath Hoffman

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

When you are creating art, you are operating in a world where you make the rules or where the rules or conventions of the game are clearly defined in advance and there is an associated skill-set for success in that particular genre. However, when faced with a messy, real-life problem, there are often no straightforward solutions.

Artists should not start by seeking to change the world, but concentrate on making good art first, which might go on to enrich people’s lives in years to come. Van Gogh was cited as an example of posthumous success: “Death was a career move.”

You might not be able to change the world but at least you can always challenge it or challenge people. Sometimes seeing a play about a particular issue might influence the way somebody voted and that could be said to “change the world” to an extent. However, artists are not politicians.

Harold Pinter was described as a playwright who originally worked within the rules but ended by breaking the rules. Robert Wilson successfully staged a “challenging” opera in a mainstream venue.

People will always need a form of escape, to be taken out of themselves, a type of release which can be provided through art.

It could be said that everybody is “filling their time” in response to their particular circumstances. There is always the nagging doubt: is there something more effective that we could be doing with our lives?

Art can inspire people and create a positive change in their outlook. However, there is a question about whether art is simply self-indulgent, the result of a selfish need to express ourselves, or whether it has some social value. Why not become a nurse or a doctor instead and save people’s lives?

As imperfect beings, our lives will always contain a certain percentage of problems. When we manage to overcome our existing problems, some new ones will arise to take their place. Therefore it is unrealistic to expect art to remove this burden.

It is very difficult to make a living from art – it has to be something that you feel passionate about and which is also marketable.

The cultural, economic and political climate all influence each other and cannot be readily separated. Paradoxically, although there are more artists alive today than there have ever been before, there is a sense of political stagnation, leading to apathy and mediocrity.

Convener’s comment: The response to this issue was rather muted, with people turning up one at a time for a few minutes then leaving. This was in contrast to the large group discussion in my previous session regarding men’s contribution to feminist theatre. However, I appreciated each individual’s thoughtful contribution and thank them for taking the trouble to talk to me.

Paul Whitlock

056 Why is Edinburgh not impossible?

2010-02-04T16:33:00.000Z

Convener: Laura Eades

Participants: Amanda Kellelen and Jennifer Lunn

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Amanda: difficulties of taking a show with disabled people to Edinburgh.

The dream of a disabled performer doing a totally mainstream one-person show in a really established venue in Edinburgh is one I hope to see come to fruition.

Talk to East to Edinburgh and develop idea with them.

Talk to Lawrence somebody who did a really well-known show in a wheelchair about which venues are accessible and he may also have contacts.

Jennifer: Had a really good experience taking Borderline to Underbelly, got lots of amazing reviews which has really helped.

Advice: Do Pleasance or Underbelly or don’t bother (gulp!)

Spend £1200 either on flyering (James Seabright), if you want audience, or on a PR team if you want reviews

You need a video showcase

You can get into these venues, we were small fry and we got in

Then: can we organize a festival experience which is genuinely enjoyable, where we are part of a scene, like a party, use the £5-fringe and start to genuinely foster a kind of skill-exchange spirit of generosity around Edinburgh that sidesteps the sense that you can’t put on a show for less than £5K and then spending every day thinking Am I Famous Yet?

055 When are we gonna stop scratching and make a proper show

2010-02-04T16:27:00.000Z

Convener: Laura Eades

Participants: Ilana Winterstein, Barry Wilson, Adrian Gillott, Becki Harris, Shakera Louise Ahad, Alice Massey, Gloria Girdz, Christina Elliott, Li E Chen, Anna Tobert, Alison Goldie

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The producers’ insight

Complaint that one can get stuck circulating in the scratching eddies and never moving to the next level. There were some producers in the room who asked why our work was not going to a full run.

People from Fuel talked about using scratches as part of a wider strategy – and that it’s easier to get grants for that early development stage.

They say it gives something to film, and that the audience understand the scratch process, and the artist is forced to make decisions which can really accelerate the creative process.

They said they have organized their own work-in-progress showings at the studio space in the Roundhouse, that not many people know about.

They invite industry people and general audience separately.

A marketing person says: You need to meet people and generate interest in advance of your scratch. You need to articulate what you do easily.

At this point, some of us realized we were truly ignorant of the producing process, need a producer, and are naively trusting in the scratch process to ‘provide’ a natural development path for new work rather than having a plan already in place. We called to the ceiling and to the ether: Where are all the roving producers? If they could call me on 07946 458699 that would be awesome.

The merits and zmerits of the scratch system as it stands

Is scratching an artist-led process or a venue-led programming tool?

It provides a level of publicity and therefore there’s also the pressure of display, which is at odds with the instruction to experiment.

We do scratch because it sounds achievable.

To move from a scratch to a show you have to work out what you want from your audience, you have to approach the nights with appropriate expectations.

It’s a bit like Britain’s Got Talent – the hope that luck, money, producing may follow from a scratch.

You can build a network.

You can use scratch as audience development – use the gigs to publicise your work (if it fits into a scratch slot).

It changes the kind of work that’s made, because you make work to fit into designated slots.

You can build up strength this way.

It feels risky but is it a bit insecure to need all this feedback? You can get stuck there because it feels safe.

The feedback and presentation mode are limited by the venue’s specifications. You can’t contextualize your work by explaining.

You can scratch somewhere and then scarper

Oh god, maybe we are stuck in the scratch circuit because we are actually frightened of a real show, because it feels bitesize and we can handle it, because it’s reinforcing to have all the feedback but ultimately disempowering, because it’s free, because we are ADDICTS

Some places that you can scratch and what people said about them:

BAC – no feedback from audience you don’t know

The Space-Isle of Dogs – Theatre of Inspirations –mainly physical theatre

Pulse Festival – great feedback from an after-show discussion

Brockley Jack – audience want to see a nice little show for not much money

Shunt Lounge – good chances of your interests chiming as 10 curators

One coming up at Lyric run by Shane Silankey who made Last Mango in Paris

Young Vic – very good useful feedback

Chinese venue in Manchester – very useful

Nightingale Theatre, Brighton – don’t produce but very structured feedback

Arch468 –audience intimidated by open discussion feedback format, but they do want to produce and develop work they like

Berlin – HAU – has 3 spaces

Berlin – Sophiensaele

Berlin – Dock II

Berlin – Tanfabrik

Scenepool at Camden People’s Theatre run by New Work Network – very good experience but have to drum up your own audience to some extent

What is a proper show?

A 3-week run, or more than just a night

Where you can get reviews

That you get paid for

Or that you don’t have to pay for

But just because you may not be paid for it doesn’t mean it’s not a proper show for everybody

It’s whatever you put on and say: This is a proper show. Pay for it. If you like it or don’t like it, it’s what I’ve chosen.

A proper show has a feedback process that’s not in the bar afterwards (where everyone’s pretending to be theatre critics) but where you adjust the show as you go along from the very truthful real feedback that you get from people’s attention shifts. That’s why you should dare to put up shows that are not yet ready, so the audience can finish them.

It creates the idea that a finished show is ‘frozen’

How is the scratch phenomenon changing our theatrical cultural landscape?

Used to be called work-in-progress and was dreamt up to put the risk back into the process – but some feel it’s risk-aversion dressed up as risk-taking: it’s a process that allows everybody to check and see things and check with the audience every step of the way. It allows venues not to take a risk and you not to take a risk with your audience not liking it.

Scratch nights have become a genre in their own right, and the audience is its own audience.

Someone tells of seeing a rehearsed reading and just liking the rough presentation, not wanting to see the whole show. Someone else was banned from using video and had to draw, and so then the audience said they didn’t want to see a video at all they just wanted drawing. These are not bad outcomes, but the medium actually alters the process and the product too

Possible solutions and alternatives

Artists teaming up to make scratches of their own kind, making their own models

Making 15-minute work for the cabaret and scratch circuit in its own right, like the open mic circuit works

Making work that uses a scratch aesthetic and playing it in working men’s clubs and old people’s homes

Putting your show on and having the courage to do that without all of the verification (this requires money and no guarantee of audience)

More venues which actually produce and develop the work they scratch rather than just scratching it for the sake of it

The ultimate aim is to put on proper shows that never stop scratching

Stop fighting against our inevitable inability to reproduce performances identically

Let’s have a load of premieres rather than scratches

Go to small drama festivals – Buxton fringe, Henley fringe

Make shows in squats

Deal drugs

Get a producer, get a producer, get a producer

054 Live Music In Theatre

2010-02-04T16:22:00.000Z

Convener: Beccy Owen

Participants: Mary O’connor, Annie Rigby, Loren O’Dair, Sandra Yee, Laoise Davidson, Natalie Queril, Anne O’Brien, Sara Perka, Rob Dixon,

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

I’m a singer/songwriter/composer/poet based in the North east and I’m currently developing a solo theatre piece that will incorporate music. Having not inhabited the ‘theatre world’ as much as the regional/national music scene, I wanted a conversation about Live Music in Theatre in general, to explore various issues and to be given recommendations for innovative and exciting theatre that’s already happening.

If anyone wants to get in touch with any ideas, reflections or to work together, please email fairysnuff at gmail.com. My website is www.beccyowen.com

Summary:

Parallel between accompanying silent film – music/musician becomes another voice or character.

Working with actors and song – can be barriers to singing, even in trained actors. Whole generation of people who culturally, and largely via education system, grew to believe that singing was a specialism occupied by the few, not accessible to all. This is shifting now, but still work to be done.

What is the underlying fear for people? Being revealed, fear of unknown/failure. People tend to ‘get in the way’ of themselves – singing is about getting out of the way. About letting go and not holding on

Audiences who go see opera already made leap and have expectation re: music’s involvement in the piece.
Naturalism – not so overt. Can be more unstable.

Back to film parallels and the role of soundtracks. One rule – if don’t’ notice the music, job done. Another way – music integral to the meaning and interpretation i.e. ‘There Will Be Blood’ – first 15 mins no speaking, music continues to penetrate and permeate throughout. Facebook group ‘I judge a film by it’s soundtrack’

Very exciting when respect between two crafts – music and acting – apparent.

Questions that arose:
• How conscious do you want the music to be?
• How visible/present are the musicians?
• Tendency to directors to feel they have to be ‘musicians’ to have a voice? Explored idea that all can find a vocabulary, and that characterization may help in terms of asking what you want i.e. from actors who are going to sing ‘what voice will serve the piece, how can actors be helped to find this voice?’ go back to character, research musical styles/heritage.
• Songs enhancing the action or integral to moving it?
• When making theatre, how often break into song in the piece? Judge by what the song is serving. Is it a play with songs or a musical?
• Working to a formulae i.e. in ‘musical’ or subverting/outside - Brecht – anti music. Punk approach, Shockheaded Peter, Sweeny Todd
• How inject feeling of a gig, that kind of rousing, undulating energy, into theatre piece?
• How resist the formula when writing musical(s)/musical theatre? Rehearsal room can support = leaving space for musicians to be part of exploration/devising.
• Using audience participation to create live music – possibility for wildness. What do you allow in? Very interesting question

Conclusions/recommendations:

Music synthesised with action in inspiring, surprising or interesting ways:

Porgy and Bess

Spring Awakening

Lorca’s 13 songs (various versions cited – some effective, some less so)

Tom Bancroft Kidsamonium’ – Wildness that is permitted. Improvising to movement. ‘

The Lost Voice (South Bank)– female beatboxing, live sound effects. Vibrations used.

Marvin Hamnish – Cabaret show. Made songs from lines from the audience.

Trevor Griffiths ‘A New World’, about Tom Payne

Cinderella (few years ago) Hammersmith – Norwegian Ice Musician. On stage but separate from action. Interval was the ball – musician became purely for audience

Mask of the Red Death – Cabaret bar in middle. Audience members of the cast. Areas of building different bands in. Segued into gig at end. Seamlessness between situations.

1,000 Revolutions Per Moment – KX. 24th April. Segues gig at end.

Knee High – had a phase of making exciting synthesised theatre. Playing with losing control. Musician as renegade. i.e. Cymbeline at Northern Stage, musician’s played on roof of building.

Chumbawumba – wanted to be part of company. Red Ladder theatre.

The Worcester Group

Romeo and Juliet – Mercury – Dirty Street Tango Orchestra. Dir. Ed Hughes. Opening 3 weeks time.

Orchestra del Sol – very versatile mobile or static. Pieces have theatrical stories in them.

8th Feb – meeting of panel of musical directors, organised by Musical Theatre Matters. Held in The Stag, Victoria. Role, trends, what’s happening.

053 National Theatre – Too Much Public Money?

2010-02-04T16:19:00.000Z

Convener: Amy Ip

Participants: Christina Elliot, Sam Hall, Emma Newborn, Monica Dolan, Joe Austin, Caroline Pearce

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

The question asked was: National Theatre – Too Much Public Money? This was prompted by Amy’s analysis of the National Theatre’s Annual Report and the 2010 schedule of proposed plays. Currently the National received £18.9 million from the Arts Council of England (ACE) and though the 2010 schedule does have five new plays, they are also doing: Women Beware Women, Hamlet and a Sir Peter Hall production of Twelfth Night with his daughter Rebecca Hall.

It is important to note that the purpose of this session was not to slam the National Theatre but analyse whether the monies that are the National Theatre’s pot are being used in an appropriate manner.

It seems as though the National are playing rather “safe” in the current economic climate and are not doing enough to encourage new plays.

However, Christina Elliot’s company: Fuel, will be going to the National next week for ten performances of a new work. Christina noted that the National though very helpful seemed to be overstaffed in the fact that there appeared to be about three people doing the same job.

It was noted that perhaps the National could pare down it’s staffing costs and maybe there should be much more accountability in how they spend their monies.

It was also noted that maybe the National should have it’s public funding cut so that the general ACE pot of money would be bigger and could be shared around more evenly to new productions.

Monica Dolan put forward the idea that instead of cutting the pot of money so that it was down to the ACE to be the arbitrators, individual producers and directors of each production at the National could nominate another (smaller) theatre company for the duration of their project. They could have their budget needs re-evaluated and talked through with them at different points in the process so that set/costumes which are not required are cut BEFORE they are built as opposed to after. Any “leftover” money would then be given on to their nominated theatre company to develop new work, or work in the region or theatre which nurtured that director as an artist on his/her way to the National. This would mean that the funding decisions would be placed in the hands of the artist rather than the Council, and the artists would have a positive incentive to think about the consequences of how they are spending their allocated money at the National, and how that money could be useful elsewhere in the growth of theatre as a whole.

Joe Austin contended that the National serves a useful purpose in the fact that it is our flagship theatre, however maybe it should be more of a national theatre by embracing theatre from other parts of the country as currently the National is very London and tourist centric and does not encompass what the Regions are doing.

It was generally acknowledged that the problem with the National is that it’s scheduling is too “safe” and though they will be producing five new plays, the emphasis still seems to be about tried and tested plays. As a National theatre, more innovative work should be addressed.

The National do a lot of workshops but it seems that not enough monies is invested into creating more new work from these.

It was also suggested that if the National’s funds were cut, it might actually force MORE and not less creative output as it would force the artistic team to think more creatively and more stringent in how they output high quality work without wastage.

052 International touring: looking for some good advice

2010-02-04T16:17:00.000Z

Convener: Gemma Paintin

Participants: Gemma, Matt, Tom and some others

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• The venue should pay for all costs
• You could pay the costs then invoice them with receipts
• Money to be found in coproductions with different venues
• Go to the IETM incognito!
• Use BC rates but break the costs down
• Its not a problem to show the same show all over one country- premiere is not so important
• Local BC offices can help with arranging a tour, as can the first venue, cuts their travel costs
• In France: Office Nationale de Diffusion Artistique
• Some keys festivals to visit, to see work and meet promoters: Dublin, Under the Radar, Kunsten, FTA in Montreal, Push in Vancouver, festivals in Graz, Bogota, Rio, Buenas Ares, Avignon, Barcelona, Salamanca, APAM in Australia
• Propose a package of shows to a venue!
• Don’t need to have your own technician if tech is simple
• Its about a personal relationship with promoters, don’t cold call them.
• Invite people to your shows
• Have a nice, clear pitch ready and appropriate marketing materials that reflect your work
• Could just be the manner in which you give the flyer that counts- charming
• There’s eu funding available for tours to more than one country- hard to apply for?
• Use e-marketing, facebook, twitter.
• THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A FACE TO FACE MEETING!!!

051 How does the phrase “Britain’s finest talent!” grab you?

2010-02-04T16:13:00.003Z

Convener: Tim Taylor

Participants: Tim Taylor

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

Questions to ask:

• How do you know if you’re the finest?
• Who says?
• What’s it like being the finest?
• What if you’re not?
• Why does it matter?
• When will you know?

You know…when others say you are, using criteria they think contribute to such an assessment. You might know when you feel that what you do has reached a standard of excellence that is apparent – to you.

Who will tell you? Other fine people who know what it means to be the finest, fans of you’re work and many and various ‘finest’ watchers.

What’s it like being the finest? It’s like winning a prize, glowing, validating, rewarding and empowering.

What if you’re not? Then you keep doing what you do and somewhere, somehow, for someone what you do will produce a response, a connection that encapsulates a sense of fineness. Alternatively, accept your place on the continuum running between excellence (with or without the reward of glory/obscurity) and badness (again with the various attendant responses it might produce).

Britain’s finest…it’s great to be it because then you know that you’re loved, that what you’ve done has made a difference to people’s lives, that you and what you do are valued and that, at least for now, you’re secure.

The possibility that you’ll not always be the finest unless you keep working very hard hovers, but that’s OK because you’ll keep working for as long as inclination, energy and inspiration last. If external notions of finery become more elusive then it may be time to take a more sanguine approach to the whole bally thing.

If you’re in a bolshie mood and notions of meritocratic hierarchy cloy like a big pot of bubbling goop, then have a good old grumble, see the funny side and turn it to good use, e.g. write a sketch or a poem, perhaps called Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your hands together for…

050 Bunch of Purves? – What is the state and fate of criticism? Does it matter? Will it? Do we even care?

2010-02-04T16:09:00.000Z

Convener: Matt Trueman

Participants:
A host of people, some of whom I recognized, others who I did not. I’ve added some names and left space for more to be added. Please do…
Alex, Chris Goode, Johnny, Jon, Gemma, James, Maddy, Gerard, Phillipa, Emily, Amy, Kobna, David,

The following is written as if owned collectively and totally. (Probably) No one actually believes all this and yet together WE do.

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

First off, we clearly do care. Perhaps I’m projecting my own rage/fire/belief onto a collection of people, but there was a vociferous engagement with the nature, both theoretical and practical, of criticism that suggested we – as critics, practitioners and audience members – want a healthy critical culture.

With the question rephrased (and, initially, misspelt) as “CRITIciSM: Do not resuscitate(?)” there was some deliberation as to whether criticism was, indeed, dead.

Turns out yes and no.

Something that goes by the name of criticism exists. It sits at the back of newspapers, it happens in the pages of Time Out, it can be found online (if one knows where to look.)

However, we are not satisfied with it. It does not have the requisite vitality. There are great critics, but the system is broken: it no longer works for us.

More than that, there are lots of very different things that we call criticism. Perhaps we need to abolish the term itself?

If all theatre criticism stopped at midnight tonight, would we bother to reinvent it? If so, what would it look like? What form would it take? Who would be CREATING (not necessarily writing) it? Who would it be for? What role(s) would/could it fulfil?

Reviews vs Critiques (and more besides)
• Theatre needs reviews, as sort-of consumer guides. (Some) audiences need them to go and see a show. (Some) theatre companies need them to attract and audience.
• In these terms, the critics (as in the council that review the vast majority) have an extraordinary and unhealthy level of influence and power.
• But, theatre also needs critiques. This is where the system is left wanting; it doesn’t have the space to allow for them. More than that, it doesn’t even care. Why should it?
• Criticism as a creative response. “It should be a conversation” How does it allow for/become dialogue? We’re not satisfied with the comment box scenario that the Guardian has employed – token. How does the writing become porous? How does it emerge into a critical culture? How does a piece of writing fit into that culture? Can theatre criticism be collaborative?
• The blogosphere as an important model. There is a community and we like that it exists. (How do you sort the wheat from the chaff? How does the theatre industry harness it? If a vital opinion lands noisily in the blogosphere, does anyone hear it in amongst the cacophony of voices? How does this become sustainable/not a hobby?)
• What we need is a new system. A new forum. But more of that later.

Who are we writing for?
• What are the critic’s responsibilities to the artist and the work? (What if every piece of criticism began with 5 stars?)
• What are the critic’s responsibilities to the process? Is the critic a medium, conveying the artists intentions to the potential audience? After all, theatre is like quartz – sometimes you can tilt it five degrees and it lets the light through. Should theatre critics be integral? Should they be independent? Can they be both?
• Whose side are theatre critics on? Are they part of theatre or part of not-theatre? We want critics onside, not policing us, but we want them to be honest.
• How do practitioners use critics and criticism? Can they become outside eyes in the rehearsal room? Or even be treated as such in the constant ongoing in-progressness of staged work?
• The blogosphere harnesses that and can be both. The unlimited space of the internet means the boundaries can be blurred. Let’s blur the boundaries. Let’s defy categorisation.
• Write for yourself. Write for others in order to write for yourself

Who are the critics?
• We want them to have expertise, but we don’t want them to be an exclusive set. Oooh, there’s a paradox.
• Or is it? There are far more voices with value than a first glance would suggest. We aren’t happy with the same clump of people reviewing all the work. Isn’t that absurd? No other art form has to put up with that?
• (But hang on, we do want people to be gathering it all up together, spinning connections and making sense of it beyond individual works. Otherwise, it is a reviewing culture not a critical one.)
• We want a diversity of voices. Young theatre critics are totally powerless

The system is broken; it has stultified itself, become a fossil, a stagnant cesspool.

It needs revitalising.

Or…

WE NEED A NEW SYSTEM

Ok, so let’s call it an anti-system. Everything that the system doesn’t do, we’ll do that. And we’ll do it well. It shall be known as THE MAGAZINE (for the time being.)

The Magazine will be all-encompassing. It will challenge its own forms, by experimenting with the nature of criticism. It will embrace artists without getting into bed with them. It will find its readership, do its important job, change its world, without breaking itself or believing its own hype. It will become sustainable and it will be more than happy to do so. It will be a creative response. It will be loved and respected. It will do all things for all (theatre) people. It will think about how it can apply and existence according to the principles of Open Space.

There are potential funders – Live Art Development Agency, Arts Admin, Arts Council England. Isn’t it just as important and in need of subsidy? Moreover, if we, the practitioners, want it, why shouldn’t it come out of our funding? What about artists including critics into their funding applications, cf Action Hero. What about festivals doing the same?

Other things to look at include: Open Dialogues, Writing Encounters Conference at York St Johns, The Inbetween Time Festival

(No one mention that journalism is dying. But, whatever happens, the magazine will happen

049 We devised, but I directed? After devising a piece as a group, giving freedom to the actors.. the question of ownership and ‘did you really direct

2010-02-04T16:06:00.000Z

Conveners: Myro, Samal

Participants: Steve, Phelim,

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

- The Problem is very common (you are not alone),
- only happens when a piece is successful
- this is a normal process for good devised work

Can be avoided by:
- CLARITY
- Explaining style of directing. Sometimes ‘alternative’ style (less dictatorial, more about creating an environment for actors to explore), causes confusion as if this is directing.
- having clear roles from the beginning (i.e. contracts)
- be sure of your roles/inhabit the role completely

- people seem to need safety given by roles
- fixed roles become especially important when the devising system starts to
interact with outside systems.

Possible ways to help ensuring/ finding out who the director is:
- ask yourself if the show would have been shit, who would have been blamed?
- Who would have taken responsibility?
- Who sat down and started the process (also applies for company founding)

For Help go to:
ITC – independent theatre company
Directors guild (join)

048 Stage Management – What’s the point?

2010-02-04T16:05:00.000Z

Convener: Helen Mugridge

Participants: Helen and Simon

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• SM/DM – invaluable to designers both LX and set
• How do you create more of a network between SM’s, as it is quite a solitary profession. Could the much talked about forums be a place for this??
• A show without a DSM is often not a coherent one
• An SM is c central point of contact before and during a production period for both artists, directors and designers. Meaning there is one central cog to ensure the performance runs smoothly.
• Artists often don’t understand the value of a good SM until they have been without, or had a bad experience.
• D&D this year feels like it is lacking in ‘techies’ to discuss the issues that effect us. How do we improve this for next year?? More word of mouth??
• Do SM’s need to talk about their work more?

Devoted and Disgruntled 5 - What Are We Doing About Theatre?

What can we do about FEAR and DREAD?

Campaign for the Arts, 5th May Report

‘Do you really think that British politicians don’t care about the Arts?’ and ‘What do we want?- A Wish List’.

If Change Funding Where From?

Campaign for the Arts, 6th of April reports

What are the parties' arts policies?

The election is performing arts

I'm voting tactically and I really want you to too

What kind of work is being done? How can we get ACE to tell us (collect statistics)

Do you think the performing arts matter in this election?

112 Speaking Doubt to power: How could theatre play a greater role in policymaking?

111 Keeping the space open online

110 A crafty sign

109 Does it matter to us who’s in the next government?

108 INTERCONTINENTAL aka How can artists (and audiences) collaborate meaningfully and remotely between different continents?

Contents

Action sessions

Issues raised, but not reported on (yet)

107 Courage to act

106 Honouring the elders

105 Theatre how can we get as many supporters as football?

104 May Contain Devising: I work in devised theatre and have realized I have an allergy to devising.

103 Am I too Old?

102 Social networking systems as a marketing tool

101 WANNA FIGHT?

100 Where are today’s theatre visions for a better tomorrow?

099 Mythology lab: What fascinates you about Mythology?

098 Can we do a session without words with full of passion and alive theatre

097 Walking and listening in the city (Soundwalk?)

096 A Confessional – Share your theatre sins / Speak the unspeakable / Voice your secret fears & desires

095 What has D+D done for you? (in less than 15 words)

094 Transition Towns and Theatre

093 Which job should I do?

092 Making a show about claustrophobia and anti-social behaviour.

091 Political correctness: can there be too much?

090 Open Space A good way to engage Writers to create chararcters with disabilities?

089 What types of women are we not seeing on stage?

088 Can I still be an Artist and be in musical theatre?

087 Playwright as Scientist.

086 New Musical Theatre

085 Process Vs Outcome when working with disadvantaged groups

084 I’m not from here… where do I fit?

083 what do actors really need to learn?

082 Should actors (and other artists) be running companies and buildings?

081 Artists and Freelance Producers – How to begin and build a relationship that works…

080 Ethnic Theatre

079 Youth Theatre – how to get them involved

078 Intergenerational work – how do we make and produce it

077 The Sectors: Commercial v Subsidized

076 Blame The audience

075 Can the D+D networking site support/work better? Ideas?

074 One-on-one theatre: Who’s in charge here

073 Are we all saying the same thing?

072 ‘Lost and Unfound: Exploring Experiences of Loss on Stage’

071 Access – How Do We Get Better?

070 An Open Space Building

069 Where audiences are responsible for creating their own performance, what is the role of the artists?

068 How might might we think about desire in relation to theatre?

067 Why are playwrights discouraged from acting in or directing their own plays?

066 How can we create ‘permanent’ ensembles and survive?

065 Empty theatre spaces after the recession. What inspires you: we have the space.

064 London Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Too Much Fringe?

063 Producers

062 Is Street Theatre A Pile of Rubbish?

061 The Dreamtime: What do you want to create?

060 Does theatre still have a social and moral responsibility?

059 ACE new Vision and Goals – Let’s make them better

058 What one idea from outside theatre has most changed your practice inside theatre?

057 Art is not “accomplishing anything other than filling our time"- can art change the world?

056 Why is Edinburgh not impossible?

055 When are we gonna stop scratching and make a proper show

054 Live Music In Theatre

053 National Theatre – Too Much Public Money?

052 International touring: looking for some good advice

051 How does the phrase “Britain’s finest talent!” grab you?

050 Bunch of Purves? – What is the state and fate of criticism? Does it matter? Will it? Do we even care?

049 We devised, but I directed? After devising a piece as a group, giving freedom to the actors.. the question of ownership and ‘did you really direct

048 Stage Management – What’s the point?