InstantForum.NET v4.1.4Theatre Bristol Forumshttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/webmaster@theatrebristol.co.uk/Sat, 06 Sep 2008 06:29:57 GMT20http://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic389-31-1.aspxIssue number: 29Issue: An artist run space/venue in Bristol, interested? How, what, where?Convener:Edward RapleyParticipants: LeizaEdwardSummary of discussion and conclusions:Engagement with community, running workshops, increasing visibility, generating good will.The importance of researching different models from visual arts / regeneration / development.The New work Network as a potential source of info and funding.Looking for buildings, where are the empty or under-used spaces.Sharing space with other groupsUsing temporary space a springboard for more permanent one.The pub/cafe theatre possibility, underused spaces in existing enterprises.Recommendations:Approach these people:Alias network, City CouncilAlex Bradley, Blackout CinemaTheatreBristol creative producersAnd then….A collection of butterflies congregated at the coffee corner, and the conversation turned towards artist lead space…Discussion of the problems of making and rehearsing in institutional/informal spaces. Carrying everything around. Being able to say ‘right now I’m off to work’. Having to pack down after each session.We were all enthusiastic about the possibilities of having a space of our own for making, rehearsing, presenting and meeting. To foster our work, enable creative control, independence, talking with each other.Discussed problems of sharing space and the build up of administration.We are now meeting on Tuesday at 12.30pm in Café Kino to discuss the possibilities.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:36:11 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic487-31-1.aspxthrough miraculous good fortune and a certain amount of vision and faith on both sides The Artspace lifespace project born from the ashes of the Audio garage last year has, along with resident troupe The Invisible Circus managed to forge an unlikley partnership with Urban Creation, the propery developers in charge of the Old Cathedral / steiner school buildings in Clifton.This venue presents a myriad of creative possibilities housing as it does an old theatre within its walls as well as the main cathedral space and subterranean basement area! We want to facillitate as many other groups and individuals to be involved in the project as we can and create a really active program for 2007.Urban Creation have offered a great deal of support to the project with regards the legal requirments to run the space as a venue and it also provides a lot of potential for workshops and training. what we now need is to amass enough materials and volunteers as we can to transform the space over the next 4 weeks.As with all the spaces we recycle there we will make them available at affordable and negotiable rates with major concessions for anyone helping in this initial set up phase. its a real oppertunity to forge new ground between developers and artists, to open up the possibility of this kind of use of otherwise vacant space. we hope this will have a good knock on effect and that other developers will see the benefits of this sort of project and take the initiative.if you would like to get involved then please email us through the website www.artspacelifespace.com for details or call 07798772558 and leave a message. we had so much support for last years project we hope to build on that and make this one of Bristols brightest stars. hope to see you soon. dougThu, 26 Apr 2007 03:04:20 GMTdochttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic457-31-1.aspxBristol is a great city, despite itself in a way. its a hard town in many ways and the claws of corporate development are carving it up like so much money meat falling off concrete bones.The old Audi Garage bears just such a wound, its heart torn out by the ever hungery demolition machine. its sad and poignent to see it so, it hurts more than I thought it would. its wrong, really wrong. there was so much objection even from the planning officer, now i regret not welding shut the gates and getting the oil on the boil, for whats lost is lost and gone forever. its a wake up call, its a war. Are the towering fortress like walls of the broadmead development really a battlement from where the corporate vultures plan to nuke st pauls and make way for mini new york style high rise compound to feed the mighty shopping mall that will be down town Bristol ?Those who visited the BRISTOL audi pARTS TRADE CENTER were inspired and amazed, the people making happen sometimes elated sometimes deranged ! it was a mission but made all the easier by many hands, and hearts and minds.Artists, actors, musicians, performers .... usually very intense individual driven people, different strains of the same vital source but channeled and extracted in an endless myriad of forms. not always easy to bring these rogue elements into one space to work together. but what a dynamic and enthralling spectacle it makes when it happens.Its a melting pot, a creative hub, its got a lot of energy, a creative community, it wasnt me or my mates who made the Audi garage breath into such colourful life one more time, it wasnt some bunch of squatters, it was Bristol, it was the people.the local artists, poets, musicians, circus performers and theatre players, it wasnt you and it wasnt me, it was well and truly we !The core team have managed to procure a low rent space from the council, a secure Hq. Our most sincere thanks go to the Art Dept for this support. when something grows as big as it did in the Audi Garage it becomes difficult to maintain through a series of rapid evictions as we faced from Nov onwards. There are those who suggest this would dilute the dynamic, buy the silence. We feel it gives us a platform from which to work. We hope to be able to open up the whole possibility of actually being able to put workshops and shows on in more of the vacant premises all over the city, without the need for section 6 of the housing act to secure the building.The space we do have will be hopefully up and running within a month, once we have sorted out the insurance etc required to open to the public. it has two good meeting rooms which also double as rehearsal space, so the Bristol Arts Trade Centre will rise again ! we hope it will be the first of many.But that depends on you ! we gahered over 100 names and contacts of people interested in studio space at the end of last year, we also have around 500 names on the visitors list from the Audi garage. we have a lot to sort out and if as a creative community we want to survive the tsunami like wave of development about to crash on these shores we need to gather our forces and make ready the barricades ! big colourful positive funky barricades that we can all dance on together ! Bristol was awash with crazy artist occupied buildings back in the 60s 70s, its always been a strong hold of the creative community, but remeber so was portobello road in west london, but after notting hill put the place on the map they moved all the poor folk out to the burbs to make room for madonna and robbie williams to move in, hackneys days are numbered, london artists last stand !Its happening every where this wave of redevelopment, and it will happen here. Its turning our world into a theme park shopping centre with less and less room for anything not geared to taking our money, only now we slaves beg to work! community space is becoming a thing of the past, as will be community eventually, isolated unhappy consumers trapped in an advertising characature world. Until culture will die and a deafening slience prevail.I feel the creative community needs to pull together at this time and work together for the community and environment we are a part of, its actually our job historically speaking, for we speak the first language of the world, Art , a language every body under stands. Malarky, Blackout Cinema, The Invisible Circus, The Licencees, Bigglez Recycles, Frenetic Engineering, gHOSTbOY, jambouree, Zenith Circustry, Hatty Hatrick, Dug P, Super Eamon, Savage Pixies, Cirque Idyllic, Illumine artists, Xenz, Paris, K projections, 3lsewhere, Stage of Life are some of the groups and Artists who helped make it happen, to name but a few. The city should be getting behind these elements, they and those like them make it the rocking place it is.email artspacelifespace@gmail.com and write more posts on these sites instead of just reading them, good on the regular posters for keeping it rolling, get involved dont stand on the sidelines. the internet, probably the greatest communication device in history but to easy just to absorb instead of imput ! see you on the battlefield of the high street soon I hope x x x. DocTue, 27 Feb 2007 23:03:12 GMTdochttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic470-31-1.aspxThe Artspace Lifespace Project which became the working title for the pulling back from the brink of the Old audi garages last summer have managed to secure there first llicensed building here in Bristol. Ironically its the old Police station on Somerville Road ! just past the old swimming baths on Gloucster road. It is a limited use facility compared to the sprawling caverns of the Audi building but offers a secure base for the project as well as supporting some other local groups with office and studio space. We also have two reasonable sized meeting, rehearsal or exhibition rooms as well as a courtyard suitable for summer activities available for hire, we would like to invite any one in need of creative space to get in touch and we hope to be able to expand our project to accomodate more artists studios soon.We are also negotiating for another big venue style building and have had positive responses to enquiries so far. if all goes well this facility will be able to offer full theatre rehearsal and studio workshop spaces.The Artspace project is an artist led initiative run on a voluntary basis by its members. there are many organisations currently recycling inner city space but usually for priuvate gain, where by they rent out space to artists at cheap rates but thats where it stops. As an artist led project we recycle space for low cost hire and feed the resources back into the creative pool.so fundraising events, hire fees etc can all go back into sponsering creative works, new shows, exhibitions, essential repairs, charitable donations etc etc. We hope to be able to secure some of the empty space hanging in development limbo and create a foot hold for the creative community which has in many ways put the city on the map, but may well be forced out by the wave of development.the Audi garage coming down heralds a time of big changes for this part of Bristol, right now there are quite a few big empty buildings hanging in Limbo, westmoreland house the most prime example, orhow about the fate of the old swimming baths more or less sealed to private development although a workable community alternative exists. the best part about the Audi project for me was the way so many different creative energies came together and worked towards a whole, which no one person could quite see on there own.it would be great to apply that to the whole city ! Docwww.artspacelifespace.com artspacelifespace@gmail.comSun, 18 Mar 2007 01:15:41 GMTdochttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic419-31-1.aspxHi Everyone,Below are all the documented issues raised at Open Space this weekend I have given each a seperate thread. Doing it this way means you will be able to add comments directly underneath but unfortunately means we can't post the drawings.I will also put the document online to download in full, drawings and all.When you "reply to a message" you will be automatically given the option to quote the previous message. Please only quote what you need of the original text and delete the part you don't need. Otherwise there will be too much to trawl through. If you don't understand this, you will when you reply to a message.If anyone has still to document their session please email them to me: seth@theatrebristol.netAlso, if you were in a session but your name isn't noted on the document then let us know and we will ammend it.SethWed, 13 Dec 2006 16:06:35 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic395-31-1.aspxIssue number: 23Issue: Why does it cost so much to go to the Theatre?Convener(s): James StenhouseParticipants: Phelim Mcdermott, Lucy Foster, Gemma Paintin, Sam Berger, Leiza Mcleod and others…..add your names here…..Summary of discussion and conclusions: • It costs a lot to pay people• Venues don’t really make money so its not their fault• Pressure from the arts council and funders to create revenue other than fundingWHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE IT WORTH GOING TO?• Make good work• Double bills• Clusters of work, weekenders, festivals particularly with added extras i.e music, DJ’s, booze, festival passes (if I see all the work it costs me less)• Venues can be more imaginative, innovative with ways of presenting work.HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO GO? People who don’t usually go to the theatre are reluctant to take the gamble especially because its expensive so how do we get them in the theatre?• Make good work• Ambassadors – some kind of formal scheme where theatre goers are encouraged to bring along friends who are non-theatre goers and get in for cheap• ‘This is one of those shows scheme’ a stamp for work that is the kind of the work that anyone could enjoy to encourage the more reluctant and make sure their first experience doesn’t put them off for life i.e DE LA GUARDA is ‘one of those shows’• Theatre virgin card – Issued by venues or new work network so theatre virgins can get in free or reduced cost.• Lets start asking when we go to the theatre at the box office – do you do the theatre virgin card here? Have you got any discount tickets for artists? Can I get a concession because I’m an artist? Is it pay what you can night tonight? I’ve only got three pounds is that o.k? The more we ask these questions the more venues will respond with these kinds of schemes because they know there is a demand.• Can new work network or Theatre Bristol issue cards or codes for members to get discounts on theatre tickets?The question then became: Why does it cost so much to be an artist and what can we do to help?• Two Books: ‘Making a life worth living’ and ‘A Guerilla Guide to Performance Art: How to make a living as an artist’• Website: Creativepeople.org• Artists work for free for a certain period before they expect to be paid. The danger is venues expecting that artists are unpaid and artists expecting not to be paid. As artists we need to be very careful how long we work unpaid and how we use that time effectively so the right people see the work and then when its time to be paid expect it and demand it and know your worth• ‘I never knew….’ web log. A resource that new artists can draw from and add to to increase our knowledge of how to make a living. For example: I never knew you could apply for research and development funding, I never knew you could fund work that doesn’t lead to a performance, I never knew you could get in at the old vic for a fiver on Fridays, I never knew there was a live art platform at the so and so, I never knew there was a new work network, I never knew theatre Bristol had a creative producer…. Add your I never knew……..here:• Finally support for students and new artists who can subsidise their income by working at universities. Can universities employ artists who have been graduated for 3 years or 1 year or 5 years or 20 years and are making a living to teach some of the most current skills (including admin, proposal writing, networking, making work, finding space) and help them access the right information as well as providing a link to the most current work.• Resource: Stans café lecture on their website about how to make new work when you’re just starting out.Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:47:17 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic427-31-1.aspxhello all,have been reading your posts with interest,I opened the audi space with ed in spring and stayed at the wheel through its summer span. It was a huge undertaking and as ever the first step was the biggest, it took 2 months to repair and get running and due to its size was a difficult project to run. sad as i am to see it sitting empty again, there was a sense of critical mass being reached with the number of live in members etc and lack of real administrative structure.that said it did run itself on an amazing organic system with people turning up just in time to take on tasks and a high turn over of passing contributors. it also hosted some great art events and cabaret shows and funded itself purely on donations by its members.upon closing the project the remaining core team felt a need to step back and let the dust settle. it was always going to be a bit hectic and it was also an experiment in itself the results of which are very positive indeed. it showed that even without structured administration or funding a collosal semi derelict space like that could be transformed into something creative and active again.we set up a studio space in the nine tree hil building with a live in team of four. other core members living in the local area. we needed to regroup. The Invisible Circus is a project I have been working with for 15 years and it became a supporting element of the Bristol arts trade centre hosting fundraisers etc and The Road To Nowhere a site specific show towards the end of the project. The Circus has been a travelling platform for young acts and new work since it began, coming from a street theatre back ground the stage shows have been running since 2002 and always provided an open space for experimentation and development. more recently blending more theatre into the standard spectacle of circus shows.I moved to bristol about a year ago not knowing to many people, i was looking for a space to do something big in and wanted to create a more permanent base to work from. the first part of the mission has been achieved and as we set up the exhibition last week I realised it has created a great portfolio. We also currently have occupied the magic box, this venue was about to start a downwards spiral with doors open and holes in the roof, the side alley is a shooting gallery for addicts also which has been a bit of a challenge. we had avoided it until we met a man cleaning up the needles in the side alley, he told us it was open and urged us to sort it out.both our spaces are due to close in the new year, the magic box running on borrowed time. we will be looking for a new space and what we really lack is hands on deck. we have been making links with council and developers but also need to stay on our toes in the mean time as the wheels of the machine grind slow when its at our bidding. The project has also just won the golden banana award from the venue which is a useful accolade in the seeking of space and funding.in the mean time we have the basic equipment required for a theatre stage and a venue that used to be a cinema. its is of course one of the busiest times of the year for people so we are stretching ourselves to cover weekend events. all of the shows at the audi space covered the running and repair costs of the project as well as set up for shows and exhibitions. Cabarets and events since have been contributing to equipment .I would like to invite you to hold a meeting here at the gallery in nine tree studios. we will also be holding events this weekend which you are welcome to attend to see the exhibition and the magic box space. new projects we are looking at are quite challenging especially for winter but we would like to keep the momentum going with what as been achieved. its good to know it has been an inspiration to so many people, we loved watching people stop to look in the windows !! a multi use arts venue run on a recycling principle or even a few of them are just what this city needs. would be amazing to establish the first one in 2007.bit of a life story size post ! but it was a big splash of colour in the grey concrete keep it surreal ! XX DFri, 15 Dec 2006 04:41:34 GMTdochttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic414-31-1.aspxIssue number: 4Issue: Ten minute stretchConvener(s): The We Are Not Yoga Teacher’s associationParticipants: Lucy…please addSummary of discussion and conclusions:We met around the microphone for “The ten minute stretch”. A new session, springing up mid-morning, pre-pie, for those whose bodies, as well as brains, needed a little attention. Maybe see you there again same time tomorrow?Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:53:41 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic403-31-1.aspxIssue number: 15Issue: CAN WE LEARN TO USE THE DIFFERENT LOBES OF THE BRAIN TO STIMULATE EFFECTIVE CREATION – a long & interesting rambling response .Convener(s): LES BUBBParticipants : WAYNE and .. . Please add your name :- Summary of discussion and conclusions:The brain is like a tool that needs to be used correctly to maximize it’s efficiency . To do that, it helps to be aware of it’s DUAL-LOBED nature .Science informs us that the right and left lobes of the brain perceive differently . We may use this simple scientific fact to aid the creative process as each lobe , although connected via synaptic pathways to each other each has specific strengths :The LEFT LOBE (LL) is largely logical , organised, objective and in most of us governs the hand with which we initially learn to draw and write .The RIGHT LOBE (RL) is more emotional , subjective , intuitive and CREATIVE .As an experiment I chose to tape up my right eye for an hour in an attempt to ‘see’ if I noticed any change in my perception or ability to express ideas .Many suggestions and experiences of the participants were explored and some general conclusions reached . Some folk present were inspired to go off and experiment on how these facts can change their perception and creation processes .Some specifically related to learning a particular juggling pattern or other physical co-ordination learning activity .My own interest was sparked in this many years ago , when due to a damaged right eye I had sight only in the left , resulting in having little or no access to the opposite (LL) . Unfortunately , exam results were much poorer than expected and at last I have thought of an excuse as to why this was … . .with only the less-scientific emotional brain as my purveyor of information the results were , well . . less scientific and accurate .It was mentioned how people with damage to one lobe or the other acted in accordance with the healthy side , which was now naturally dominant . Dominant LL’s told jokes in a familiar way with the standard twist in the punchline to produce the laugh. RL dominant folk with a more creative bent would tell ‘the joke’ but being unable to deliver it in a standard patter would more likely produce a weird unexpected ‘off-the-wall’ RANDOM punch-line, which in a Pythonesque (who?) way would often be as funny if not even funnier . There are connections between the lobes although the synaptic pathways we create are made by our brains very early in our development as a baby and on through childhood. This process can go awry when a condition on synesthesia occurs, and this condition seems to occur more often to artistes musicians poets as a percentage . It is probably this condition which actually ‘makes’ artistes in the first place since synesthesia is where wrongly the brain has wired it self up incorrectly and the person with this condition may seem to smell a colour, see music , or perceive numbers in 3D etc. Motivational speakers and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) practitioners use many aspects of integrating the roles of the LL and RL in order to have a more powerful affect on their students . The messages are drummed home simply and efficiently empowering the ‘speaker’ with better communication skills.These techniques long since known and only recently exploited by businesses should be very useful to the theatre makers, those manipulators of human emotions and experience .Two books were mentioned when Phelim came to brighten our growing circle of interested participants :- “Acting with the Right side of the brain “ and “ The Right Brain Experience” which has many useful exercises for the brain in an attempt to more-fully integrate the lobes and therefore maximize the brain efficiency.Other strange facts were noted that a brain-damaged person could still SING despite no longer being able to even speak. People who stutter also tend not to do so when singing – so, a healthy lobe can be trained to cover the areas dictated by a sick or damaged one. Nowadays, children are encouraged to follow their natural inclinations and use whichever hand feels most natural when learning to write .Creative processes are often liberated by the enforced use of the RL and it’s associated ideas – by wearing the patch over my right eye (left brain logical side quashed) I was able to sympathise more with a story I had previously found funny several hours earlier .Hitler was a fan of uniformity and had no time for RL left-handers who were exterminated simply for getting the Nazi salute wrong ! A more obediant reaction of the right-handed ‘HEIL’ was the preferred Nazi standard . He had no time for the creative brain that might feel it’s actions as ‘wrong’.If we give the LL the correct job to do it is very happy. Within this logical framework in place and functioning, the RL has a chance to flourish with it’s creative process without the over-tempering of the LL’s influence.We discussed further techniques as laid out in the aforementioned books and a model of ‘CREATION’ was mapped out and explored by Phelim .In it the act of creation was visualized as a circular process through the characteristics of :- DREAMER REALIST CYNIC . The dreamer must first function unencumbered by the restraints of logical processes .The realist helps it get into perspective and deal with practicalities, but the cynic also feeds the process. At any time you may step out into the all-seeing eye META model, observing with a detached manner from outside of the circle , before going back to the start as the dreamer again .Much of this process has the ‘realist’ and ‘cynic’ arguing with each other over various points . We should remember not to let the Cynic raise it’s head too early as the much broader RL governed creative processes are quashed by this, and a negative pattern of early cynicism can take root and ruin.At the end of the session I had trouble keeping my logical brain (LL) going through descriptions of what I (it) was trying to do. It was easier to be distracted and make jokes – I was losing the plot in my ‘own’ discussion.Luckily, more sensible brains had taken over by now and upon removing the sticker from my right eye and moving it to cover the other eye I found some changes to my perception .Apart from everything being brighter, people actually seemed flatter , less lively more monochrome versions of themselves . I did not engage as much with them and felt more isolated in my thoughts whereas previously I had the feeling of us all ‘being together’.Whilst agreeing this kind of subjective experiment proves nothing I am now more convinced of the importance of these strong yet subtle currents , and plan to explore in more detail .Anyone else wanna play ?FINISHED MISS LUCY . . . . . . X X Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:36:53 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic417-31-1.aspxIssue number: 1Issue: Is Theatre Universal?Convener(s): HelenTomlinParticipants: Helen Tomlin, Sam Parker, Rob Porteous, Andrew LawleySummary of discussion and conclusions: Is theatre universal or is it audience specific? Discussion around participation in creating theatre being linked to creating relevant theatre/audience specific. We all have story to tell – how do we convince people to tell their story? In telling our story other people may tell theirs.Discussion around young people’s perceptions and engagement – In order to change people’s perceptions of theatre should the shows be audience specific?Young people don’t know what they’re going to get and so they don’t engage. We need to encourage people to take risks.Theatre is potentially universal but at this moment in time it is not. We are all however striving to make it universal – accessible to and accessed by everyone.Recommendations:Community theatre and institutional theatre should work in close partnership – they both need the other in order to keep from going stale and ensure quality.We need to try and understand what the barriers – both to participation and being an audience member - are and how we can work to remove them.Theatre should be relevant to the audience. Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:58:18 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic416-31-1.aspxIssue number: 2How does theatre respond to the green agenda?Convener(s): MelskiParticipants: Eileen, Leiza, John, Les, Wayne, Andrew and a few others….thank you!Summary of discussion and conclusions:Initial moans & challenges: As individuals, we are active, living greener lifestyles, that of the ‘converted’ but concerned this is not in our practice or in society enough. Failure of Modernism / current Industrial approachPressures of modern lifeEconomic pattern of exponential growth - finding balance is complex.Priorities; financial / greenLong term / short term Fear & discomfortEmpowerment, out of hopelessness.Issues too big; where to start? What is relevant? Feeling overwhelmed!Is this ink eco-friendly? How much paper is OK?!We have so little time to live a greener life-style, or to make the changes happen.Individual levels “I wish I could do more but I didn’t have much power”Is making theatre fiddling while Rome is burning?No – it is very useful and can be the stuff that‘s necessary. We can combine with practical approaches.Theatre can model the transition we are undergoing (to greener, more peaceful / globally equal living)Normalizing the alternatives e.g. de-stigmatising green-ness.Advertising alternative notions of reality e.g. life as granny did it.Modelling good eco practice.The increased quality of life from developing green lifestyle.It’s beyond “issue based”This is relevant to our UK consumer society.How can theatre /arts help with this change process? (to a greener lifestyle and healthier world)andHow can theatre be responsible for itself in this world?Eco audit your work! Yet it’s more than paying attention to the resources we use. Working together co-operatively.Speak for this incredible madness we live in.Using our madness to reflect the madness: the ancient archetypal role of theatreHow do we do this without preaching and to whom?Playfully.Using the skills and qualities that theatre brings. To a space of debate and progress.Provocations – being the foolBeing the magic maggot in the appleIt’s all relevant, even ruffling the feathers of the so called converted. Using the art of symbolic/gesture-making is a refined way of inspiring/mobilizing/provoking/campaigning.Go to a space that inhabits the place between what people do and what people know.The approach: more important than the content you explore?The playfulness and lightness: you can disguise / surprise within your relationship to the audience. Getting the audience into complicity with you.The careful manipulation of the reality that we are working in.Looking playfully at the topics and contentWe need the lightness AND we have the skills to do this!Good theatre has the power for creating images that burn into your mind and really change things.More striking IMAGES for us please!• Oh the pleasure, the simple sheer pleasure of experiencing those!• Oh darling, the magic of theatre.• Creating symbols • Fairy–tales re-do (Scrooge, Hare and Tortoise, 3 brothers) with modern stuff• Joseph Beuys; did some great magical provocation in 60s and 70s.• IMAGE of people carting around the waste they produce in one day.• That visual / performance artist guy who threw away / sold all of his possessions as a work of art. • Journalists in US last election mimiking and following RepublicansWe need imaginative ways, eg using the energy produced running a gym to power a café or juice bar.ThE S L O W E R L I F ECafe Lente in Taunton, above Café NeroTakes 2 or 3 hours to get a coffee, it’s a SLOW café! Challenge to the customer!High QUALITY is important (in professional theatre), rather than just produced in an eco-friendly wayImagine a self-powered self resourced theatre co that are really eco up together but produce pants work. Its so important to maintain the quality. Bcos its easily slotted into a hideous pigeonhole of cringe-worthy worthy eco performance and other horrors!Using research to process consciously what is relevant / important / progressive. With a thorough and imaginative research strategy, the quality of your work will improve and will be more relevant.Everything we do has a consequence. Therefore we can add to and increase the ‘richness’ of our lifeImproving the quality & relevance of our theatre practice reflects back into our own lives.These things, if we commit to them, help create QUALITY in our work.How will life AND theatre look like in 100 years time? How do you want it to look? Or imagine it at worse? These sci-fi thoughts can help us think ‘how can we do this NOW?’ Speed up the process; our job is to speed up the journey of social change.Fashions and trends e.g in theatre always come and go, yet we can also capture the moment or the zeitgeist to challenge a current mindset.E.g. we’ve done ECO, lets move on….Reminding ourselves (and audiences / participants) what is important. What is?• Being present• Embedding your practice in your daily life at home and in the community (of location and of interest)• Arts of enchantment • Small actions can have a great difference.Training for both theatre and activismUsing the effectiveness of activist as tools in your worldIssue/activist versus theatre art. Everyone does theatre.The public want to be the performersTheatre workers have great transferable skills.Is it useful to keep in touch with other people and co-operate to give our skills and time to campaigns, social organizations etc? Another network, another thing to do! AAAH! BUT yes, still worth it. Model: Artists Against The War were effective in early anti Iraq war demo’sTouring – there is a place for it, so how?Decision on theatre miles and approach.Move towards eco-friendly touring as part of good practiceSite? Has an impact on the total effect of the show in audience. Site specific. More outside or in places you want to draw people’s attention to. Site as model of good practice too.Question of audience relations, site spaces and participation.Bigger question of what is theatre / performance, and unconventional strategies to redefine this. Theatre is always about debate and discourse. Therefore it is always issue based and has a moral quality / message / opinion or standpoint, and is a vehicle for change, however subtle or indirect.Topical work is not just the territory of participatory arts, community arts and education. Also studio theatres, Royal opera House etc and technological applications e.g. multi located performances, international links, user of technology in performance. In short, all kinds of practice.Economics – challenging practice and policy, highlighting inequality and privilege.How we investigate this. The big doo dahs e.g. big biz chief polluters. How do we tackle those / who do we work with to do this? Collaborate to work with big businesses to help their process of change.China & India. Addressing more distant global issues and how they impact UK society.Other ways we mentioned:• Supporting the new generation to pester their parents.• Getting wisdom from our grandparents and elders.• Offering diverse points of view• Recycling and re-using. Eg paper & print cartridges• Linking with EU countries, or stealing their progressive green ideas / practices.• Helping young people to identify& act with these experiences (e.g not being frozen like the fear response to the nuke issue in the 70’s)• Creating an emotional process of engagement• QUALITY and magic of CONTENT• Reflect current events e.g. tornados,• Modelling a way of life & lifestyle changeTo end, look at the complexity of this approach: not preaching, instead feeling the interconnetions and sensitivities about these topics in our society. NOT getting pulled into the denial or fed up place. Using our humanity as people and artists to address these topics, not as an expert but as a member of society or average Joe who fucks up as well, gets annoyed with the slowness of change and the unbearable unbearableness of being with it all. If you get the drift.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:57:23 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic415-31-1.aspxIssue number: 3 Issue: What is the role of the producer?Convener(s): Sheila Hannon and Jude Merrill Participants: Sheila Hannon, Jude Merrill, Briar Monro, Kate Hartoch, Rachel McNally, Katie Keeler, Sam Park, Sam Bergher, Helen Crocker, Kate Dean, James Stenhouse, Wayne Clendennen, Kate Yedigaroff, Gemma Paintin, Dot Peryer, David Rogers, Ben Piper, Pippa Jones, John Lee, Sarah Pym, Seth Summary of discussion and conclusions:We talked about • the evolving role of the producer • about the different definitions of the role creative producer/artistic producer/producer • about what the rights of the producer are – can they lead the vision/initiate projects• the vast spectrum of the role from unlocking/realising the creativity of a company to unlocking/realising the creativity of a city• the function is the same but the scale is different• whether the role is proactive, reactive or both – that the producer needs to respond both to vision of artists and climate within which art is being produced• as we become more subject to market the producer role is developing• that there may be a danger if we look at what has happened with TV where the producers hold the ultimate artistic decisions• that the producer needs primarily to be there to support the realization of the artists vision• that ACE is supporting the development of producers – recognizing that they are able to be light on their feet – to see possibility and respond• whether this support is another way of distancing themselves [ACE] from the artist• the producer as the mediator between public funds [which have a dedicated agenda that often isn’t arts specific] and artists, between artists and audiences• that public money needs to be seen as an investment and not a subsidy and that there is always going to be an interface issue between public funds and artists – creative producers can spot the opportunites/possibilities to make the best use of the resources• that producers are catalysts – people who can make things happen• can you train a producer or do they have to evolve• that creative producers are a particular type of people, you can’t make them• how producers and other ‘drivers’ can be supported – could there be an action learning group• producers can translate the value of the work to bring in other investment• the need for there to be an agency that advocates the value of the arts to business – the placing of arts and creativity at the centre of development• the creative producer allows the artist the space to be the artist• that in our current climate the role of the producer is to hold this creative space ‘sacred’Definition of the role/what a producer does• being entrepreneurial – spotting possibility/catching ideas and making them happen• facilitate• advocate• shovel shit• hold the vision• marriage broker• believe in the artists• support creative team• partner the artists• administrate/fundraise• make sure all roles are covered• counselor• opportunity finder• critical friend• creative partner• catalytic glue• negotiating ownership of project• walk on eggshells/balancing needs• asks right questions• managing risk• bring ruthless/prepared to offend• advocating what the arts can do• keeping an eye on the market• being realistic about what can be achieved• sounding board for ideasConclusions/recommendations• That the relationships between producers and artists need to be supported/developed• That we need to find out if there is an agency that is specifically advocating the role/value of the arts to business/the corporate sectorRecommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:55:25 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic413-31-1.aspxIssue number: 5Issue: Joined up TheatreConvener(s): Rina Participants: Rina Vergano, Jon Beedell, Phill Haynes, Claire Teasdale, Ruth Hecht, Becky mills, Mike Jones, Sam park, Lucy Gibbs, David Rogers, Tanuja, Amara Soraya, Kate Yedigaroff, Seth Honnor, Tim Atack, Birgit Binder.. and others who came later…Summary of discussion and conclusions: We ended up with a wish list as follows :1. better communication needed to link up the divide between ‘squats’ and ‘institutions’ . TB ( theatre Bristol ) website needs to be more ‘alive and human’Instant messaging ? 2. Rina will start a group by e mail for meeting and doing stuff…3. Finding suitable HOSTS is VIP. Could be Venues or People / persons with status or kudos ( to attract people to come and participate ) For LABS Hosts are VIP but must have (a) resources ) (b) ‘marketing / communication4. ‘Migrating Labs’ . i.e happens in different spaces5. More wine and cake do’s… i.e. mini ‘parties’ around food and feasting…social events… for networking and chat and ideas forum..6.THE ethos of a LAB space is Equality. All in it together. NO status, NO hierarchy.7. A theatre / café on the model of the Rhombus Club ( an open space for performance – informal, cheap, etc.. )Discussions covered a lot of ground … including :Is a LAB space physical or conceptual space ? It’s about organizing it and getting it on.The space needs to be hospitable and welcoming inviting… like the BAC model ( Battersea Arts centre – scratch nites etc ) – Tho it has taken a long time to establish that…It is for dreamtime and playtime. To fall on yr face or not.The space needs to be a central nucleus for artists.There needs to be strong visibility of the networks and the opportunities…LAB = experimentation.Arnolfini should be functioning as a LAB. ( And BOV as well. ? ) Why not ? Does not ‘have the resources ‘ ???? Why not ? What are the resources needed ? Drempelfrese ( dutch word ) = fear of… ?TB has funding to do ‘The Dark Side’ bi monthly event hosted by artists for discussion / netwoprking etc..Why is a LAB NOT being facilitated and produced ? Are they anyway and we just don’t see them ? Model : jude kelly’s METAL. Gathering around an Aga for food and drink and talk.Do people go cos of being paid ? cos of Kudos / status / or cos they’re invited ?i.e’ the Venue or Host is VIPLAB shd have access to or be part of a Public Space… so that work can be seen.Like BAC where you may see things u wdn’t nec pay for.Is it commercially driven ?Is experimentation a luxury ?BOV theatre school does ‘process weeks’. i.e. investigate something for a week, then present it. ( not rehearse a 5 min piece to death.. ) but show work in progress / half formed ideas etc… BUT then … where do you GO with it ?Step ONE is the process week. What is STEP 2 ? There is also the Young Vic directors workshop…. U make a written proposal then there is a selection processWhat does the HOST ( arnolfini / w’shed get from it ? What If ? CAST hosted weeks – the needs for that are slightly different from studio theatre space work…. Cos it is more about Street and Circus work… ?Is it difficult to cross over ? What are dating clubs ? Do we need them ? How do they work ? Are they simply forums for meeting people and is that enough ? WHO ARE WE ALL ? in this group. Some wanted to say, some preferred the anonymity…………..To have the LAB for ‘wrters actors and directors’ is good – but what about the musicians designers etc… ? BUT don’t people self select ? It won’t be all everything and all amorphous and huge .. or should it ?What about the producers ?? Fuck that . Apply for project money. Why don’t more of us do that ? Lack of motivated organizers ???People are scared of applying for money ? The difficulty of getting 3 or 30 people to DO IT.Can TB help ? Tb as facilitator / to assist people in making applications …What about the politics / Does it put some people off ? the perception of a closed shop or a clique ?... & those internal relationships, or is this just an excuse NOT to ACT ?... or should it all happen OUTSIDE these institutions anyway ?MODEL : ‘The Apathists’ 6 or so writers … do stuff / write on a Saturday and then perform it on Monday night A LAB is ‘looking for a common language in order to work with people’.It begins with a meeting and becomes a love affair….MODEL : Spaghetti Club : with 3 minute warnings / open and broad platformsVery good – a collective that grew out of a group ( live Art Forum SW ) 3 people carried it on… peer support / showings / network / …NO FUNDING unpaid and unfunded advice and support..Either / or driven by passion / action led 2 -3 people motivated to continue…OR Funding Led ( is this Step Two ? ) - Money can inhibit the creativity…- Does it then have to start from ground up ?How to get work shown ? The dutch MODEL : ( more money for a start ! ) Helen as the Dramaturg, 5 years to develop / amazing programme / Bristol AIN’T Amsterdam ! Why can’t it be ? Different Audiences, different culture, different history , different geographyCREATIVE KITCHEN – overflowing soup..What does Bristol need ? what models to look at… ? Art Space / lab Space…is trying to get old school in Clifton…and looking at other spaces Magic Box at the moment…MODELS : The Cube / Dover Court garages..How do you ‘join’ the Cube ? You just have to join in…You volunteer.., you hang out….Tobacco Factory is ‘up for experimentation ‘. Housing the starting points…Q: What’s a clique ? A: What you’re frightened of .Identity is very important..Where’s the Underground ? Valuing the homegrown product.Showcasing what’s developed in Bristol from the grass roots…………………..FACT : BOV does not have LAB space .“ The BOV is the furthest away from me… “Education Officer from BOV pipes up…. “ It’s NOT ‘all imported from London…’”“ O that it was… “ opines someone else….…………………….There is a longtime problem with Bristol in that the most exciting stuff is happening outside the mainstream.Does that matter ? What do we aspire to ? Is it about wanting an audience to see the work ?BOV is not necessarily the right space…How do you find the ‘right audience’ ?David Farr at the Arcola in Dalston had huge audiences – pulled them in cos it’s not a conventional space .. ? and cos of good review in Time Out…and about the local community…Where are the spaces in between the BOV and the squats… ?ANSWER : outdoor spaces Bristol AIN’T London ! so no point in comparisons…There is a Cultural Apartheid in Bristol.MODEL : Chapter in Cardiff. “house” How to mix audiences from BOV to Squats…Becky Knowles ( BOV ed officer ) says there is a Community project on boat next year So what ?There IS a huge amount of ‘LAB’ stuff going on…So WHY do we feel it’s NOT ?- Communication ? TB website ? - Is TB website used more by ‘seekers’ than ‘do-ers’ ?Cyberworld doesn’t DO. People get ‘secret’…. Why ? Cos exposure of work makes you feel it needs to get hidden ?....Fear of being ripped off ? That stuff might get stolen ?Are you then deliberately avoiding people… ? THEREFORE : There can be no ‘love affairs’ without trust.How are people empowered to do something themselves ?TB is about ‘responding to need’.TB website could be seen as ‘an office..’ …Check out unit 19 Barton Hill Trading Estate…Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:48:50 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic412-31-1.aspxIssue number: 6Issue: How do we make theatre, be a mum and keep the family happy?Convener(s): Jenny Sanderson Participants: Julie, Pete, Phelim, Toby Summary of discussion and conclusions:• Is theatre and having a life incompatible?• “You can’t be a theatre maker and a good mum” – it’s important to be aware of our self limitations• Problem of headspace, actual time and opportunities compatible with family life• Poverty mentality at play• Having what you want can be scary… If you were guaranteed 100% success what would your ultimate dream be. Why is it so hard to answer this question?• Self value – I can make theatre my living and be a mum. Paradigm shifts. Permission to be an artist• Staying connected with your artistic community – knowing what’s happening and who’s aroundRecommendations:Send an e-mail to friends/colleagues with children and offer my house one morning as a space to meet and talk with or without our children. The intention is to set up an informal network and see what happens… community and support.Lets all jump in the same boat!Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:48:00 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic411-31-1.aspxIssue number: 7Issue: Engaging the community – no matter how defined – in theatre to change social attitudes.Convener(s):Ralf TogneriParticipants: Tristan, Bec, Refkah, Dubon, Sarah, James, Sam, SueSummary of discussion and conclusions:Actors with disability are not taken seriously.The theatre makers’ do not take it seriously – disabled actors are treated in a tokenistic way.It will be necessary to treat the actors – all actors – professionally. Some companies have just ‘ticked boxes’ by using disabled actors; disabled actors are elbowed in to prove a point.How do you use people as a director? You have to work to people’s individual strengths to empower that individual or group of people. Disabled actors are not often performers in the mainstream theatre. Would the film ‘What’s eating Gilbert Grape’ have been better if it was played by a disabled actor rather than a Hollywood name playing a disabled person?Disability is in all of us: we have to be generous about accepting it both in ourselves and in others.How are marginalized and excluded groups perceived by society generally?Why can’t communities find theatre for themselves?We have to recognize that time is a constraint and that when we work with communities of difference we need to allow more time than if we were working with a group for whom the skills and knowledge are already embedded. But recognize that frequently we under pressure to deliver a product within a fixed timeframe imposed by the funder or organization.We need to recognize what we mean when we talk about ability. There are levels/ scales of taste/ judgments. We need also to accept that the process and the product are both important the balance being which is of more use to the community itself at that particular time and space.Theatre is an important tool for change: Cathy Come Home 40 years ago raised awareness and generated action on the plight of the homeless using the stories of the homeless to bring out the issues. In this case the product helps to take the story out to make it known and to change social attitudes. The process also changes the participants – the community.Does ‘theatre’ define the performance space? Does it have to take place in a theatre? Does it dignify the performance by bringing it to a traditional theatre space? Should we take it to the schools to change attitudes at an early age? If the word ‘theatre’ puts people off – change it! If theatre is seen as a barrier not an open door we have to do something about that.As per Boal we have to hand theatre back to the people to share their stories. The use of ‘invisible theatre’ to help engage the disengaged. Theatre practitioners can make this happen but it does happen without them. It is experiential!!When we talk about excluded communities of people we have to be conscious that people can and do self-define. Thus we can all relate to exclusion. Therefore as we break down one barrier self-definition builds another wall elsewhere. We reinforce our exclusion by ‘celebrating’ our difference and hence the thing which excluded us.We tend to devise world-pictures of us and them – should we try to normalize them to become more like us?Community – what do we mean? Is it physical, geographical, educational, sexual, racial? Does it involve class, interests or power? How can we use theatre to engender understanding and trust between disparate communities?It behoves us to have maximum awareness of all issues and to be non-judgmental. It does not mean we are neutral or neutered as we bring our life experience and prejudices with us. How do we use the product to change attitudes? So, who is the work for? Are you preaching to the converted? Should you target groups who have conflict and deliberately try to change them? i.e. new Bristol Radio station run by religious groups from different standpoints. So when you are making a piece of theatre you should be clear who it is you are trying to reach.How do we find processes that are right for each community? Is it people specific or site specific?Note that theatre and the arts is not always the answer. Groups need balance between supporting and leading. They may not know what they are capable of until they are given the opportunity. Do not impose!!Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:46:54 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic410-31-1.aspxIssue number: issue8.docIssue: Theatre as a bridge between children’s imagination and their reality.Convener(s): RobParticipants: Jude, Melski, Tessa, Rina, James.Summary of discussion and conclusions:We came together in St Paul’s church on a warm afternoon in December to explore a space called ‘Here.’ ‘Here’ a child is performing on stage, witnessed by an adult in the audience. ‘Here’ the child holds reality and fantasy in mind simultaneously. ‘Here’ s/he makes connections and reflects on experience. Benches are transformed into boats. The ground rules of the space are established at the start, and then broken. At any moment the unexpected can happen. ‘Here’ the law of reality meets and interacts with the law of the imagination, so that both are enriched. Whatever is condescending or false has no place ‘here.’ Nothing is wrong. Everything is appropriate. ‘Here’ is a space, safely contained, that values the child’s internal world and the riches of the imagination. ‘Here’ one can be moved to tears, or transported into another world. All stories that are told with passion and genuineness are welcome ‘here.’ In this space we suspend our disbelief and see things through a child’s eyes. We feel the beauty of repetition and of silence. Playing with language, the child speaks us of their yearning for understanding, for magic and beauty. Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:45:54 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic409-31-1.aspxwe are trying to find it.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:44:37 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic408-31-1.aspxIssue number: 10 Issue: Are Plays Prosaic?Convener(s): Sam BergerParticipants: Sam Berger, Rachel McNally, Katie Keelan, Jude, Merill, Sam Park, Lucy Summary of discussion and conclusions: The discussion covered not only the issue, but also examined the writer’s role in modern theatre practice.- There can be a disassociation between the play and the company producing it.- There is a renaissance in devised theatre occurring at the moment.- Remounting plays (however old or recent) can lead to theatres becoming like museums.- Who makes the play? Can a devised piece be classed as a play?- Having the writer in rehearsal can create issues over ownership during the creative process and can ‘muddy the waters’ when it comes to focusing on the production of work.- Is it narrative that is prosaic? Is there a shift in theatre practitioners’ artistic concerns from story telling and narrative, to something else (issues, themes, specific artistic concerns). Which is more valid?- How idealistic should we be about what we’re trying to make?- What is the validity of putting on a play that’s already been produced?- What makes a play not prosaic? Emotional engagement, surprise (in form as opposed to shock tactics), creativity in stage craft, engaging experience (can be abstract), plays that treat you as an intelligent human being.- Lots of new writing is very similar: almost as if writers are ‘painting by numbers’.- Experience means you can see the building blocks of a script.Recommendations:A ‘treatment library’ where outlines of ideas of plays are stored allowing directors/producers to view ideas before a writer commits to scribing a complete play.More collaboration between writers and the company producing the work.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:42:39 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic407-31-1.aspxIssue number: 11Issue: WHO WHY WHAT ARE WE DEFINING AS THEATRE?Convener(s): JULIE MATTHEWSParticipants: JULIE, EILEEN, GEMMA, REFKAH, BEC, JENNY, PAUL, JON, BRIAR, PIPPA Summary of discussion and conclusions:The discussion focused on the definition of the word theatre and how it is perceived, rather than how we as practitioners defined theater and the work we make, which is how I had intended the question. But this raised lots of interesting stuff anyway.Began by realizing that we all grapple with trying to define theatre. Definitions offered that seemed to give some satisfaction were;Anything with an audienceA shared experienceMost of the group at the beginning came from a participatory arts practice, which is why they had been drawn to the question. There was a feeling that we did not define our work as theatre.There was a sense of frustration at having to define ourselves, who do we do this for?The general experience was;Funders need itAudiences need itVenues need it Paul from BCC joined the group and revealed his position in funding. He said that he did not feel funders now needed to have work so tightly labeled and that ‘arts’ was a good enough description. That this was also true of the Arts Council. There has been a shift in funders thinking. Perhaps this needs to be communicated more clearly to arts practitioners.Paul stated that to get resources from BCC we should represent our case for ‘The Arts’ in Bristol, rather than just theatre.Also that the name ‘Theatre Bristol” limits the ability to generate funds and resources as it is a narrow definition.There was a suggestion that Artists and Funders could work together to build on this shift to change/educate audience’s perceptions/need to label work, (or even if this is still the case).Here was a conclusion that at the moment we need to market our work differently to The audience, funders, participants.And an acknowledgement that this is time consuming.Which led to discussion of the role of Creative Producers. Their role as a link between artists and funders/authorities was valued. Paul did state that BCC offers a similar service through its neighborhood arts officers but none of the artists in the group had experience of this working in practise.It was felt that Theater Bristol offered this independently, efficiently and practically in a way which saved artists time and opened up networks and opportunities. Recommendations:Artists need an independent advisor/consultant/mentor who provides a consistent quick process of advice, information and support.Need for continuation of role of CREATIVE PRODUCERSArtists and Funders work together to change/educate audience’s perceptions/need to label work.To get resources from BCC we should represent our case for ‘The Arts’ in Bristol, rather than just Theatre.The name ‘Theatre Bristol” limits the ability to generate funds and resources as it is a narrow definition.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:41:44 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic406-31-1.aspxIssue number: 12Issue: How big or small can theatre be inn terms of how much physical space it takes up.Convener(s): Eileen HasteParticipants: Summary of discussion and conclusions: The question puts into question the parameters of theatre and why and how we should challenge and break them.Although an immediate response might be that they could be as big or small as you like I wondered at which point a piece loses it’s sense of theatre and what it is exactly that creates that sense of theatre.Is it an enhanced or altered relationship to an other or environment that makes theatre meaningful?If so if, there is no physical boundary then is an essence lost?And how does that impact on the role of the audience.Is it the shared experience that makes theatre meaningful?Is there a human need that is satiated when people gather in space?What’s possible and who cares?Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:40:30 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic405-31-1.aspxIssue number: 13Issue: Celebratory Theatre Spectacle vs. participation Convener(s): Ben Piper Participants: Rob Katie LiezaBenSummary of discussion and conclusions:We discussed various aspects of the question, coming to the conclusion that there is no conclusion to be made - or hard and fast rules to be followed – rather : There is a need to pay attention to finding a balance between a collection of opposing elements.In brief;Inclusion Exclusion Viewing Product Making Process Event ArtifactRecommendations:It needs to be recognized that Celebratory Theatre is becoming a more and more relevant part of contempory theatre practice – taking theatre out of ‘Box’ contexts and fulfilling a cultural ‘Need’ for events that give ‘pause for thought…..’ Moments that contextualize the observer/participants location in their own, [ and their community/affinity group’s], past, present and future.Location in the present, further, contextualizes an individual within their environment, immediate and wider. Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:38:45 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic404-31-1.aspxIssue number: 14 Issue: How can the performance spaces in Bristol be expanded or radicalized ?Convener(s): James Page Participants: Phil, James, Dave, Kate, Katey, Ed, Rachel, Jenny, Birgit, Sam, Helen, Mike, BrianSummary of discussion and conclusions:To be radical is to change and challenge. If your work moves from an illegitimate space to a legitimate one, have you sold out ?No. The only time one sells out is when one censors their show under the demand of their venue/institution.Can you compromise without selling out ?Yes, money is needed to sustain your workHowever, money can be dirty or clean, what demands come with the money?If you survive on donations does your work begin to appease your audience rather than confront them? Does the need for audience enjoyment begin to outweigh your political intent? If you get paid does this mean you are no longer able to create radical work?No – eg. Banksy, Vacuum CleanerNo – eg. Work within the institutions can still be radical – Cathy Comes Home.Radical theatre/performance is not reliant on a radical space and a radical space does not create a radical performance.Communication between yourself and the institution is vital.Knock on the door of the Old Vic and Arnolfini.Work within a space should open its doors to an audience, but also an audience who want to share their resources and perhaps add work themselves. Evolving space. Should radical work be state funded? What will the tax payer pay for? What do you dare do with someone else’s money rather than your own?How could we radicalize the Old Vic ?- Open the doors, - Lose the conventions of the stageHow can we find empty spaces ? - Register for empty spaces – city councilChoose a space which enables the crossing of boundaries, the opening of doors to enable an active exchange between performance and community. Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:37:41 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic402-31-1.aspxIssue number: 16Issue: what is / could be popular theatre nowadays and how is it made ? Convener(s): Dave Participants: about 12 at various stages Summary of discussion and conclusions: Popular is; wide audience demographic, full houses, long runs, extended runs…. Here are various quotes and précised thoughts: Popular theatre pays more attention to the audience. Audience participation doesn’t necessarily make it popular though; Shunt cited as an example. (maybe she meant ‘populist’ in this case?). Little Britain is popular theatre. Variety is roots of popular British theater. In recent Cardboard Citizens post-show Q and A we discovered that audience liked being implicated or messed with and we could have got away with more. Confinement isn’t popular, unlike a gig you can’t chat or sip a drink between songs and being kept in your seat isn’t always fun. Other art forms may be equally as boring in essence but the attractiveness of the sociable ritual generates more of an audience. Quarantine at Arnolfini was cited as a popular show as it left enough space for the audience to take away what they wanted from it Hard for people to say, ‘I don’t like music’ if asked, but many would say ‘ I don’t like theatre’. Is it a promoter’s responsibility? Is the lexicon of theatre marketing elitist, wordy and impenetrable and full of clichés like ‘innovative and dynamic, that turn people off., There’s a lot of shit theatre. Its less risky when going to cinema because one knows how much has been spent on it, and numerous brands or reference points to hook the punter. A lack of good criticism in Bristol theatre. An idea for Venue to employ freelancers better versed in theatre. Also Venue should be going to see more shows. We need more terrible reviews / frankness in our criticism, to up the ante or the quality control factor. Theatre Bristol could use myspace as an alternative conduit for theatre reviews. With better, accessible, theatre writing, people’s articulacy about the subject improves, people need a common lexicon to have something to talk about socially, a bit like the way lots of us are back seat England football managers. Franchising out a name, ie National Theatre, can help popularize a show. Theatre writing is thus unpopular because the stakes are too low and the parameters too narrow. Problem is also ‘theatre makers’ and how we communicate the work to potential punters, we need to describe it better. Clever branding is required, if people recoil at terms like ‘street theatre’Then call it ‘outdoor spectacle’ instead. Longish runs are required if word of mouth is to kick in and also for the benefits of good reviews to yield an audience.Recommendations: Provide venue with a list of specialist writers to do reviews and give them a free ticket. Other recommendations are in the summary.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:56:50 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic401-31-1.aspxIssue number: 17Issue: I miss an informal platform for experiment – 3 minutes warning.Convener(s): BertitParticipants: Rachel McNally, Katie Keeler, Michelle Roach, Edward Rapley, BeckySummary of discussion and conclusions:We want a scratch night/platform to experiment with new work.Really good to have a feedback mechanism – two models discussed, peer review i.e. closed session with other practitioners or audience feedback e.g. after a performance a mentor facilitates a discussion between audience members and performers over a pint.It’s really important to create a comfortable setting for both performers and audience to be in. This can either be venue driven or compere’s responsibility/style. There was lots of discussion about how different venues create different atmospheres are attract/put off different audiences.Such a platform should be low tech and relatively simple to ensure that it was not too onerous for organisers – bearing in mind it is usually just a couple of people who set these things up and it is almost definitely not paid.Recommendations:We are going to do it!Actions – Need to research existing platforms/scratch nights such as Kazaam/BAC/Exeter Phoenix so that we learn from similar schemes and don’t re-invent the wheel…possibly as square!Good to keep record of method/formula so that other people don’t have to reinvent the wheelWould be good to have a local platform section on Theatre Bristol websiteBOV Basement/Tobacco Factory could be good spaces – slight preference in group for BOV basement and could tie in with MayfestKatie Keeler will do some of the initial research – and feed back to the group re existing platforms, methods and venues. Group will then continue the work.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:55:52 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic400-31-1.aspxIssue number: 18Issue: Are Audiences Dead?Convener(s): Pete BailieParticipants: Ralf. Pete, Lucy, Kate Y, Sam, Jon, Clare, Wayne, Seth, Summary of discussion and conclusions:We ranged pretty widely – discussing what interested us as audience members; passivity and activity in audiences; entertainment and engagement; Does a narrative – just following the story – encourage audience passivity? Is there a difference in style between the clown and street performer and the actor in a more conventional theatre context? Why do we go to the theatre as an audience? What do audiences look for? Is the ‘suspension of disbelief’ still a valid idea?As audiences we want to be reminded that we’re alive.Audiences like to be interrupted, surprised, disturbed, absorbed.Entertainment isn’t a dirty word. Entertainment is a precursor of engagement, education, the permission to disturb.The etiquette of theatre – dressing up, sitting in seats, in buildings, or wherever, is a huge factor in potentially limiting the spontaneity we look for.We want to feel as an audience.It’s good to be given permission as an audience – the law of two feet applies.There’s a huge range of different audiences.Risk, as a performer, being dangerous, is one way we capture attention.Listen to your audience whilst you’re performing – physically listen.Part of the theatre is sitting next to other bodies that are alive, watching together.We hate people who talk in the cinema, or clap at the end of a film. We love it when theatre audiences do those things.You can have irony that’s warm, as well as irony that’s cold.Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:54:20 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic399-31-1.aspxIssue number: 19Issue: Supporting people who drive creative innovationConvener(s): Helen CrockerParticipants: Summary of discussion and conclusions: ResponsibilitiesResponsibility of individuals to: reframe self perception value selves and demand recognitionchange own behaviour set agenda with LA’s, DCMS, Ace etcset up support networkpass on experience and skillsrecognice need for less dependency cultureborrow from business models whats usefulvalue and market experiencebe very loud and vocalbigging up experience and knowledgeuse existing networksmake BCC aware of what resources are available to them(information needs to flow up)be a clear and coordinated lobbying force being clear about needs and onjectives( not just saying give us more money) assume we have the power to change the game planEG influence criteria (boxes that need tobe ticked0)recognize that arts/voluntary entrepreneurs have to take risks like business sectorlearn from business not an us and them situationsay to funders you need us more than we need you Needsneed champions (circus and street arts has advocate)creative drivers need recognition and material rewardneed platforms if not building based or part of an organizationstructures which empower eg CIC’s (community Investment Companies)BCC has to get its own house in order , in order to be a fit for purpose mechanism for atrtists in the city BCC short of money What doesBCCneed from practitioners Days like tyoday are very useful Communication between theatre Bristol artistic community and BCC needs to be improvedtweo wap process with BCC then BCC can influence central government from the ground up Both sidesneed to be shouting out about what they are doing and what is being achieved There is a sea change there are now ears that hear in positions of powerAgenda 21Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:53:20 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic398-31-1.aspxIssue number: 20 Issue: What makes you want to see a show?Convener(s): TanujaParticipants: not recorded! PLEASE ADD YOUR NAMES IN HERE, Thanks. Summary of discussion and conclusions:RECOMMENDATION FROM SOMEONE YOU TRUST IS BESTMany people choose by reputation – either of the artist/company or venue (individuals tended to go veer towards one or the other) The fact that a show is on at a particular venue is sometimes enough in itself to make people see shows e.g. some people will go and see anything at Arnolfini because have a sense of what area of work it might be and feel there’s enough probability that they’ll like it. Some people felt it was important to have an idea of what the piece might be about – even if it was abstract – needed something to hook into. TICKET PRICESLots of talk about prohibitive ticket prices and its impact on how inaccessible theatre can seem to many people. We discussed the impact of price in making the decision. People were more likely to take a risk, or see something they may not like if the price was relatively cheap. We discussed price a lot and £5 seemed to be used quite often as an example of a relatively cheap ticket.Some people were willing to pay a lot more than they would normally to see work by a particular company they were loyal to e.g. Punch Drunk. But sometimes, shows are simply, actually not affordable. It was pointed out that we shouldn’t get overly hung up on ticket prices as plenty of people don’t choose to go to the theatre no matter how cheap it is.NOBODY SEEMS TO REALLY TRUST WRITING AROUND THEATREThere was lots of discussion about copy and about whether brochure copy should try and encompass what a piece of work is. Does it matter what sort of theatre it is or what it is about, or what the artist is trying to do/say?Lots of discussion about how meaningless brochure copy can be and how sometimes it can have a directly negative effect and make people actively not want to see the show. The phrase “an exploration into…” seemed to make most (but not all) of us groan.Some people don’t want to be told what to think. Don’t tell me what the show will make me ‘think’.Some people do want to have an idea of how a piece might make them react.A general feeling that copy tends to be a bit rubbish and nobody seemed willing to trust copy ever.No-one seems to trust reviews either. But some people felt certain reviewers and certain papers had a particular ‘taste’ so you could take a gamble on whether to see something, often in opposition to whether the review was positive/negative.No-one had ever gone to see a show purely on the strength of a positive published review. But a couple of people had gone to see something just from a flyer or a poster in a window. A flyer might give a sense of where the work comes from e.g. if it’s quite lo-fi or looks quite underground which might inspire someone who wants to support more ‘underground’ work to go and see something. Or it might flag up a location/site which you didn’t know was used for performance and you might go along just to check out the site.We talked about the relative level of risk involved with choosing to go to and see a show. It’s a long time since you used to have to actually BUY an album in order to hear most of the tracks. Nowadays, you can use MySpace or YouTube to check out music or film clips prior to buying an album or a cinema ticket. You can’t do that with theatre, you can’t trust the copy or the reviews (or the reviews aren’t there), so it seems like a greater risk to take. PEOPLE THINK THEATRE IS ‘NOT FOR THEM’Many people’s first experience of theatre is with school. The shows chosen tend to be more traditional (boring?) productions, linked to exam texts – compounding the idea that going to the theatre is straightjacketed, boring and hard work. Need to find ways for people to access a range of high quality theatre from a young ageAre audiences put off by preconceptions of what it is to ‘go to the theatre’ (dressing up for the theatre, being ‘trapped’ in a dark space, possibly having to ‘participate’…)? British culture doesn’t encourage people to take theatre (or arts in general) into their lives. People aren’t encouraged to see theatre as something they might enjoy. It’s a class thing. Theatre tends to be mainly seen by and made by middle class, well educated people. And in this country, mainly white people.People that haven’t had that kind of middle class education don’t necessarily want to be associated with something that has the whiff of privilege about it.Need to empower audiences to feel like they can make quality judgments. A lot of people will say theatre ‘isn’t for them’. What they probably mean is that boring theatre isn’t for them, but they either haven’t had a chance to see different types of theatre; or they think that if they’re bored, it’s because they didn’t ‘get it’ rather than the possibility that it might have been a bad show.IT SHOULD BE EASIER TO FIND/ACCESS GOOD THEATREFestivals as a good opportunity to see a range of work, meet lots of people. It should be easier to ‘find’ theatre. Easier to access and navigate the full range of what’s out there. Theatre needs to be welcoming. Venues, the language around work etc needs to be welcoming. Audiences need to be open to different ways of reading/receiving something. People shouldn’t be pummeled into thinking ‘theatre’ only means one thing (education again?). Is it the responsibility of the artist to instruct or suggest ways that the audience could view a piece?Trusted or well-known institutions need to invest in artists and audiences and this might involve financial investment. Making good theatre accessible to theatre makers is important e.g. should the National Theatre be offering cheap tickets to artists for key shows? Should we encourage people to blag tickets for shows, if it effectively makes shows more accessible?IS IT TOO EASY TO GET AWAY WITH ‘BAD’ WORK?Should people walk out more? Would it encourage better work? This was all a bit contentious – people have different ideas about their responsibilities as an audience member and/or an artist and/or a member of the ‘theatre community’.Do people invest more when they go to the theatre (than when they go to the cinema) so do you feel more ‘abused’ when theatre disappoints and therefore less likely to take a risk again?Is the reluctance to take a risk to do with there being a fairly high chance of see a bad show – of bad quality? There is value in seeing bad work – for artists, clearly. And for audiences?Should the theatre community be more supportive? Is the theatre community more generous because they understand the processes/skills involved?Is there too much theatre made only for people who make theatre? LOOOP.THERE”S NO ACCOUNTING FOR TASTESome people won’t go and see long shows.Some people really love the idea of going to see long shows in foreign languages. If they’re the right show.Some people want stories.Some people want to see something which does exactly what you expect it to.Some people don’t want something which does exactly what you expect it to.Recommendations:- Get a better range of info about theatre out there for people to access.- Ensure people get to access a range of theatre experiences from an early age.- Don’t try and talk to everybody at the same time – different people want different information when making decisions.- keep ticket prices as low as possible.- Welcome people into theatre more – make it less of a scary prospect.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:51:40 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic397-31-1.aspxIssue number: 21 Issue: Creativity and Motivation for the Solo ArtistConvener(s): Wayne ClendennenParticipants: Katie KeelerWinnie LoveEd RapleyTessa Summary of discussion and conclusions:Many issues were presented during this discussion,Here are some points brought up.• Its important to get feedback for your work• Use the Disney diagram separating the dreamer, realist, critic and meta• Self confidence is paramount• Know who to ask and what to ask for• Idea of forum for feedback• Embrace change, either highs or lows• Acceptance, self awareness, self belief• Gammin Bank, see current nobel prize winner, the idea of having a group fund to draw from (loan, support, etc…)• Sketch nights with mentors who can help give moderate feedback or control the quality of feedback of the group. The mentor acts like the chairman but can also give non biased feedback.• Its been suggested that one shouldn’t be possessive about ideas, open them to the group• Collaborating is important for inspiration• Bring unfinished work to the group environment for completion• Action learning groups – Google it.Recommendations:A job in the bank.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:49:38 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic396-31-1.aspxIssue number: 22Issue: Is Theatre Really EssentialConvener(s): Briar MonroParticipants: James Page, Tim Atack, Helen Crocker, Ben Piper, Eve Houston, Becky Mills, Les Bubb, Sarah Pym, Julie Matthews, Kate Webb and various others Summary of discussion and conclusions:We discussed• Origins of theatre that made it essential – ritual/shamanism• That theatre gives us opportunity to experience roles/rituals• There is a creative element for audiences too• Theatre has evolved through play – is the ‘play’ still present• Bringing resonance to the work – archetypal journeys• TV getting more interactive – is this the future of theatre? No because it is the live and collective experience that is essential • forum theatre and playback mentioned as forms that are very much directed by the audience• Essentiality lost when it becomes a commodity rather than having an impact on a community• Essential when it gives us an experience we wouldn’t normally have• We need story/experience/creativity• Participation is the value added element of essential theatre corporations selling branding through theatrical experience• Is there a danger that the trend towards anonymity e.g. email, texting will drive people away from the intimate experience of theatre?• Theatre is stuck• Is it a dying art form? NO! It’s an evolving art form• Having a range of work is essential• How do we entertain and make ‘worthwhile’ work at the same time?• Is it most essential to the people making it?• People are still engaged in rituals/patterns which are theatrical in their performative nature• A lot of theatre/ritual in youth culture• Hunger for collective/expressive experience• Question should be reframed as ‘Is performance really essential?’• We need the ritual/pattern/way of making sense• Choosing rituals/belonging to social groups which have specific rituals• Difference between theatre and sport – sport is more primal, embodies success/failure, taps into primal experience• How to make theatre that creates a primal experience• Circus offers this, but performers need to understand the symbolism of what they are doing to make it work• There is risk on stage – the performer take the risk – they can succeed/fail – the live performance, the moments when things go wrong, raise the stakes• The audience matters, their presence is vital• Carnival vs culture• Breaking the safety zone – allowing the risk to be present• Interest in creating spaces where people can act out and spaces that don’t need a performer but rather the space allows the audience member to become the protagonist• Possible problem with theatre is that we al assume that what we are doing is worthy• Getting an audience of 5000 shouting to burn an effigyConclusionIt is essential but not in one formBut……How can we make it essentialRecommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:48:47 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic394-31-1.aspxIssue number: 24 (goes with diagram!!)Issue: ‘self appointed cultural demi-gods of Bristol, how do we as an arts community topple them?’Convener(s): Once – Bec & RefkahParticipants: Seth, Tanuja, LeizaSummary of discussion and conclusions:People who are locally pulling the strings & controlling what happens culturally – if they are doing a bad job what can be done about it?Artists don’t all want to have to be individually whinging – it needs to be a collective professional united voice - its not about emotional individual experiences – but it feels irresponsible to accept certain behaviors and not to speak up Its not about demi-gods so much as structures – although the 2 are inextricably linked. They need to be there, we are not talking about removing them for the sake of removing them – but they need to be transparent, accountable and reflective. They need to be solid enough to be productive, but fluid. Funders have a responsibility to check and ensure that the bodies or institutions they fund to carry the cultural torch are doing the job properly – in the opinion of those that are equipped to judge and also those they are claiming to represent.Cultural leadership – very important to be able to say what we DO want and not just to be critics – but just because something is there doesn’t mean it automatically should be there.The answer perhaps is not to put our efforts into toppling the monoliths or ignoring them but about creating an environment in which the monoliths are no longer dominant – by being strong, cohesive and proactive together, developing the cultural activity to levels that reduce the relative height of the monoliths and therefore their influence and status.This model also means the arts community can be getting on with creating work whilst circumventing the obstacle – rather than using all their energies to remove the obstacle before beginning to create work.However if the base level community is lacking in trust, cohesion and openness with each other and are expending their energies on infighting and isolationism they can’t develop the strength to match the monolith and make it monolith irrelevantp.s. – A recommendation – in resources on the Theatre Bristol website – a record of current and past models of platforms and networks Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:44:40 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic393-31-1.aspxIssue number: 25Issue: What do we mean by political theatre. How can we use it today?Convener(s): Beckie MillsParticipants: please add Summary of discussion and conclusions:Is all theatre political? Probably.What does political theatre mean? Theatre that responds to social issues, springs from a community, excites agitation, promotes debate.The worry is that political theatre means white middle class guilt…The culturally diverse can use it as an avenue to define themselves – this can be fanatical rather than representative.In it’s negative sense, political theatre has become associated with a form where an issue exists in a bubble, with no life and no connection.There has to be something more to excite and provide space for debate, whether it’s a vox pop / in the audience’s head There is a difference between being engaged, and being mugged by an issue / didacticism.David Hare’s new Broadway play looks like a political debate at the dinner table on stage.Example of interesting political theatre –Iraqui project interviewing multinationals about the elections – important, but not a great piece of art.Piece on a patch of grass- responded to issues from within that space- Fugard’s The Island – enabled the performers to escape Apartheid- documentary theatre / verbatim theatre – guantanamo etc. however, should theatre feel like a substitute for reading a newspaper. Is there enough of a live experience in these to set them apart from TV?Issue number: 25 Issue: What doe we mean by political theatre. How can we use it today?Theatre makers have a responsibility to spark debate. If would want to change people’s minds at the theatre, you have to be open to the possibility that your own mind will be changed.Political theatre seems similar to radical theatre – see those issue notes – it should come from passion, but it a different label.Politics can’t be the enemy of art, but we should strive to not always just be reacting, but also be creative – think more dreamer than realist or critic.There should be rooms for ideals without being horribly worthy.Political theatre is defined by it’s context. It shouldn’t be over intellectualizedRecommendations:To reach a wider audience, political theatre should return to its roots (Commedia / street theatre) and reach people who wouldn’t expect to be reached.Public spaces,AgitationEmpowermentWed, 13 Dec 2006 14:41:46 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic392-31-1.aspxIssue number: 26Issue: What’s Healthier – competition or collaboration?Convener(s): Sam BergerParticipants: Sarah Pym, Rachel McNally, Leiza McLeod, Dot Peryer Summary of discussion and conclusions:- Competition pushes the creativity of the artist- Collaboration is good because of the added input- One doesn’t want to dilute the artistic vision, but it is useful to get input and resources from outside sources- How does one collaborate?- One needs to work with people you know but fresh input from ‘outsiders’ can also be important- Applying for funding is, by its very nature, competitive. i.e. other people want the money too- How does you support artists who may have legitimate artistic concerns, but are not very good form fillers?- One shouldn’t ‘shoe-horn’ your artistic vision for the sake of getting funding.- The collaborative process is good – more than the sum of the parts.- Collaboration can be competition – vying for ideas, etc.- Competition forces you out of your comfort zone.- Collaboration can sometimes be too democratic – people need a leader/key-decision maker.- If there are clearly defined roles, people will work to their strengths.- Anyone in performance wants to engage with people, so you have to collaborate.- The artist has the right to work in an enclosed society (e.g. Odin Teatret, Maly Drama), but don’t expect people to enjoy it.- Performers need to be collaborative with their audience. The audience needs permission to react (which comes from other audience members, e.g. laughter).- The dynamic between audience and performers is fragile and hard to define.- Feedback – when and who from? Director – immediate; audience – later, time to mull things over. Although this is not necessarily possible as the audience will often leave immediately straight after the performance. Feedback forms are a means to record an audience’s immediate reaction to a show.- Feedback in making/rehearsal process.- Peer review in making/rehearsal process (Arts Matrix; Creative Skills)- Danger of changing things because of feedback from peers. Muddies the artistic vision. But can be important for the piece.- The performance needs to be of a certain standard on the first night for the sake of the audience. Issue: lack of rehearsal time.- There is a need to trust the peer review process.- Is there a case for match making service for peer review in the South West – a critical friend at the right time. The person needs to be trusted on an artistic level.- A painter doesn’t change their painting if someone doesn’t like it (e.g. “I think there should be more flowers in the top left corner”), so why should the theatre artist need to make changes because of another’s opinion. Integrity to one’s own artistic vision.- Peer review is not infallible.- Feedback can be structured. Perhaps like the European model where a dramaturg works as an outside eye. Not just script focused.- It’s easier for an outside eye to reclarify the artistic vision- Low budget can stimulate creativity and lavish productions can be dull (e.g. Edward Scissorhands)- Concern about artists having to deliver government agendas just to get funding. Recommendations:- Region wide match-making service for peer review.- Review available at key points in the making/rehearsal process.- OK for people not to want the review.- Feedback should be structured (e.g. feedback)- NB: arts more democratic and more respected by decision makers – change of environment.- Theatre tool for social change – but should be artist and not government driven.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:40:03 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic391-31-1.aspxIssue number: 27 Issue: What is radical anymore and how do we do it in Bristol/ When can we do it in Bristol ?Convener(s): Jon BParticipants: Jon B, James, Les B, Julie, Ben, Lizzie, Imre, Tanuja, Lucy, Helen, Briar…..then most of the group. Summary of discussion and conclusions:Its radical now to stand up for something that you believe in.Radical performance has to be extraordinary- outside the box- get hurt/ burnt/ wet- breaking health and safety rules- being dangerousLeo Bassi – provoking and endangering himself.Radical ideas – content – Can we do The Twin Towers? Is that blasphemous? Is radical about breaking taboos?Provocation can be really reactionaryi.e. showing your bumRadical has to keep new and relevant. Therefore what would be radical in Bristol?- Abolition 200- Contemporary slavery- Apology FestivalAre controversial subjects taboo? Is it radical to address these issues?Entertain, engage, educateWhat form? Flash mobs- text messagesIs doing something radical carthartic?Does radical have to be extreme?Now there is a chance for new radicalism/ avant garde.What about disruption for its own sake? Does this have value as radicalism.i.e Yippie santasin MaceysDo you need to justify your radical acts or can it just be about disruption to the norm?Example of First Bus from Bristol University. John Jordan (Recalim the Streets and Clown army) heading up Radical theatre course. Students up for doing stuff.Radical theatre needs an intention and relevance to Bristol- press coverage.Anti- consumerism appears to be a popular issuePraying to the Temple of Consumerism – cross of balloons twisted in to a pound sign.Lords prayer about moneyPackaging protest – every till at the same time stripping purchases of packaging. LETS DO IT – WHEN? WHERE?Subverting Christmas – Happy Birthday to Jesus – what will we buy him…..Radical actions strengthened by force of numbersExamplesThe Yes Men created copy of WTO Website….When does it hurt people ?The invented Fake Supermarket.Lies and gullibility - i.e. Borat, Bear Cheese etc.Is it enough to simply exploit people’s gullibility and leave them to question their own gullibility. No but what happens next? Simulating action…..?Invisible theatre…Very important that the spectators never know its theatre. Are people changed by this?Context – John Lennon/ Vietnam/ Iraq warTherefore are we all more pathetic now and powerless.Do we just have micro-actions now?Is it that the status quo doesn’t take notice.Do we therefore need more direct approaches such as smashing up submarines and WMD?Radicals have been affected by the suspension of civil liberties. The irony is that gov’t has become more ‘radical’ in a different way.There is a generation of disempowerment.Perhaps there is a new radicalism coming up i.e. the ALDI/ Magic Box squatters. Is the fiery radicalism happening elsewhere and not in theatre i.e. the internet.The Western world revolves around money therefore attack the epicenter i.e. business and consumerism. SCALE is important in theatre and community – the importance of critical mass.We forget the importance of Time. Protest is a practice – change can take a long time – radicals need to adopt long term thinking. Within the timescale it is easy to feel powerless as we live in culture of instant gratification.Is it enough to provoke questions?Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:38:37 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic390-31-1.aspxIssue number: 28Issue: More about open space: Doing it, Being it.Convener(s): PhelimParticipants: Leza, Edward, Irena? Please add name thankyou! Summary of discussion and conclusions:This session was kind of called to communicate some more info people might want to ask about open space. My main recommendation was: JUST READ HARRISON OWEN’s BOOK:Open Space Technology: A user’s handbook. It really is all in there!I realized it was hard to do the session and take notes. But didn’t quite sort out someone else recording things. However here are my memories of what was discussed.I talked about the “what happens next?” question which gets asked after these events. I mentioned that Harrison says :notice that the group has actually already done it. Look what happened in two days what happens now is to notice what you did and own that. This is empowering for people. `I drew Harrison’s diagram which shows the expanding awareness web. Some things are after the event very clear and become “Do it”s. Some things are cloudy and need more info before they become “Do it”s and some things are cloudy and confused and you need to open space before they become “Do it”s.We talked about how the principles and law were Taoist. And how its about NOT DOING. Facilitators job is to do nothing. We talked about how the open space model was useful for other work situations and how we’d like to try it elsewhere. I talked about how pushing for action from open space is kind of against its nature and it involves a level of trust and a commitment to keeping the spirit of open space going beyond this event. I talked about people who had used it in their theatre companies and that it can be done with large and small numbers. Hoi Polloi had used it for meeting in their company. Improbable used it working on a creative project and that there are no limits on what could happen in sessions tyey could be dancing or making sessions and it could all end in a celebration.Harrison Owen: “It all hangs out in open space.” I talked about practice of peace and how Harrison says it works well when there is potential for conflict. And how it falls flat if people try to use it to force an agenda. I mentioned Harrisons open space events with Leading Imams and Rabbis working together in Open space.. We talked about events where there was a difference in an event which had the expert/learner dynamic and that it was empowering to realize that we had the knowledge necessary. We were all interested in how this work could be used elsewhere. I mentioned the impulse to tweak it and try different things but that we had discovered the guidelines in the book were often there for a reason that Harrison and co had discovered. We talked a bit about the principles and the Law of two feet. We discussed the difference between a Law and a Rule. And decided that in a rule there was an authority figure present and that they seemed “man made” and that a law had a deeper dimension and was connected to nature and was even spiritual. A law meant you would tend to hit the floor if you fell off the balcony because of the Law of Gravity and a Rule said “don’t go up there because you’ll fall off!”Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:37:17 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic388-31-1.aspxIssue number: 30Issue: Is true wordless communication in theatre possible or not? (in red, green and blue ink)Convener(s): LesParticipants: Rachel, Lizzie, Lisa, Sam, Lucy and others – sorry can’t remember everyone’s namesSummary of discussion and conclusions:(It is really hard to summarise this discussion in words, colourful pens help.)Wordless forms of Theatre:Butoh – stylized language, precise, powerful, human communicationGesture, Dance – open to more interpretation than words?If you don’t have the words to express what you want to say, then gesture, dance, mime and sport are useful?What makes us think that words give a precise articulation of our feelings and thoughts?Audiences have an active role in interpretation / interpretation can be cumulative Power of Movement – show about prisoners of conscience – because of the subject the movement and gesture held a lot of power without wordsHarder to get subtext with physicality, without words but still possible, but you can get at a physical truth – harder to lie with your body than with wordsPhysical performance – can be frustrating if words are artificially missing.Dancing with dead faces, more of a novice.Complicated subjects that are hard to express with words can be expressed very effectively with gesture e.g. epigenetics – how genes interact with the environment - dance piece.Is physical wordless communication honest? Most effective when it is.Body and physical movement is an international language – understandable and interpretable by all ages and races.We are psychological and emotional states are shown in our bodies on stage. The way we carry our bodies on stage is a subtle reflection of our emotional and psychological states. Therefore, the interactions with other people and props can be very powerful.The Smoking UsheretteA physical piece – over the duration of a cigarette – expressing her emotions and thoughts – tragedy of past and hope for the future.The Smoking DancerAgain, over the duration of a cigarette – German cabaret piece. Physical act of smoking became a metaphor for how she really lived her life. Extremes of physical movement whilst having a fag!ALL OF THE ABOVE IS OPEN TO INTERPRATION.Recommendations:Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:35:10 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic387-31-1.aspxIssue number: 31Issue: What stops the talk and inspired ideas becoming reality and fact.Convener(s): Participants: please add Summary of discussion and conclusions:It’s not about funding. You start the journey why does it stop, what Would keep it going Sometimes just life gets in the wayThe need to push yourself, invite yourself to action of if the answer is NO, give to others.The need to confirm that it’s a good idea the need for sounding boards . Conformation and assurance The need to reflect back idea The use of mentors A doing space, a place to play, do, create and experiment. The need for that place to be non judgmental, safe, with an audience fit for purpose. ( informed in the way and ethos of the space and their responsibility to it and the work) You need to believe in the work therefore yourself.The need to combat fear.The biggest block is fear in many forms, self critical, the fear of failure, the fear of setting in a chain reaction associated with success, phoning, applications, booking tours setting up a company.Challenge fear, make it a right to fail a part of the creative process. Challenge the notion of failure in the context of creativity The space to fail or abort an ideaWork that can surprise Can I do it, cant I, do I like my answer?? The fear that you will disappointed by myself. The fun may turn into work!!!! Keeping the creative drive created by the idea into the actualization. Self knowledge, honesty The belief in what is possibleDreamer, Realist, Critic. the need to stay in the space of possibility and belief Isolation …. The need for lab spaces, ‘scratch ‘ type events , networks for platforms and onward discussion groups.Fast tracking to the fun. The huge leap of faith and skill required to go from the idea to the realization. The need to access to information networks and the skill of others to facility the leap.Talk is valuable, but needs to be of quality, talk and action go hand in hand one does not need to stop to allow room for the other. The conclusion of this session was that invariably it was fear and insecurity in the broadest terms that stymied action and the development of ideas but that to combat this would be relatively easy. That the ultimate responsibility lay with the individual and this too was an isolating experience. TIMERecommendations:To better network and advertise the sounding boards, forums and platform and showcasing experimentation opportunities, to create a network for the support of developing new and experimental work.To be open and willing to be an educated experimental audience.Investigate LAB working opportunities.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:32:55 GMTSethhttp://tbf.winonaesolutions.net/Topic386-31-1.aspxIssue number: 32Issue: If all the public investment in theatre in Bristol had not yet been allocated how would we allocate it and why?Convener(s): Seth HonnorParticipants: Refkah, Bec, Seth, Jude, Tanuja, Lisa, Julie, Gemma, Phelim, Phil, Summary of discussion and conclusions:Is it important that Bristol Old Vic (into which a relatively large amount of public money is invested) is represented at a senior level this weekend?It is important that someone employed at a senior level in an organisation into which a relatively large amount of public money is invested should care enough to want to prioritise a weekend like this. Or at least illustrate to the Bristol Theatre Community why the haven’t prioritised it.Public money should be invested in organisations that also have a remit to “develop” the industry. And that there should be appraisals of practise not just product.Bristol City Council were very well represented by Claire and Phil, Paul Barnett and Simon Cook. Phil attended for the full two days. Kate Dean also attended and if it wasn’t for being taken ill would have been able to attend for longer. BUT we shouldn’t have to be surprised – this should be what we expect. It is a model of good practise.Bristol Old Vic has the same industry development responsibilities as a small emerging theatre company producing work. Therefore why should they take on that responsibility if it is not demanded of them? Too much responsibility, wherever it lies, can create a monolith. The conversation moved on to how the environment can be most appropriate for the creation of Art. The conversation was specifically about the way that policy from central government is created and then is passed down the line until it meets the artists at which point it no longer makes all that much sense to the artist. The conversation moved onto the matter of value and art having to justify itself in a culture where financial value is gaining dominance. There is a fear of the “creep” of the increasing tendencies to [have to] justify art financially and that we might not realise that it’s happening but that we might suffer from fighting the wrong battle. In fighting one battle (articulating financial value of art) and advancing we might leave our homeland (the other values of art) vulnerable.It is up to those who understand the value of art to continue to articulate this and advocate to those that don’t understand the values above and beyond economics.We also need to find ways of articulating the financial value (without allowing the creep caused by the increasing dominance of financial value in our culture).If you put a frog in boiling water it can jump out but if you put it in cold water and increase the temperature it boils to death because it doesn’t notice the gradual increase in temperature.Saucepan of water = policyFrog= ArtThe frog that jumps out of the saucepan turns off the heat and then can swim in the subsequent cold water with which it now has a simmerbiotic relationship.Recommendations:Public money should be invested in organisations that also have a remit to “develop” the industry. And that there should be appraisals of practise not just product that take into account this development.There should be dialogue between those who are making policies for investment in art and those who are making art so that the environment is most appropriate for the growth of art.Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:30:54 GMTSeth