PANeK

PUBLISHED: January 6th, 2011

Autumn Showcase

Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
Friday 19th November 2010, from 6pm, £3.50

During the evening six of Kent’s most original and innovative companies brought tasters of their new theatre, music, dance, circus and story-telling. The audience (58) was invited to talk to the artists, share their response and give feedback with the aim of helping the artists shape the completion of their shows.

The performances were all extracts of work at different stages of development. All the pieces were shown consecutively followed by a short break. Audience members were then invited to return to the theatre to talk to the companies.

The first piece by Bright Shadow was an interactive piece which will take place in the bar area near the entrance to the theatre from 6pm. The rest of the pieces took place in the theatre from 7pm.

Bright Shadow presents Gulbenkian Hair Design
Meet Dianne and Joanne, two vivacious and entertaining hairdressers who would like to welcome you to sit in their chair, have your hair styled or head massaged, listen to a story or two and perhaps share your own story with them. Dianne and Joanne’s passion is to make people feel a little bit special-both inside and out and to entertain people with stories from their professional experiences.
Bright Shadow was established in March 2009 by performers and facilitators Katy Hirst and Rhiannon Lane. Bright Shadow is a community performance company whose mission is to strengthen, value and celebrate the lives, stories and character of communities and individuals and to enable those individuals to be active members of their community. We provide performance workshops, long term projects and produce high quality site-specific performances that are captivating, accessible and participatory. Bright Shadow’s work is always inspired by and created for the community, sharing the brightness found in the shadows.

This installation of ‘Gulbenkian Hair Design’ was created as a result of Bright Shadow’s 2010 summer production ‘Tales from the Chair’, a task-based theatre production performed in a hairdressing salon in Herne Bay. The performance, commissioned by People United as part of their ‘We All Do Good Things’ project, was created as a result of the company working with hairdressers in the town to collect stories from them and their clients about kindness and good news. Wanting to explore the potential of the Dianne and Joanne characters, the company installed ‘Gulbenkian Hair Design’ into the Gulbenkian cafe bar over the University’s Arrivals Week. From these performances, Bright Shadow is now hoping to develop the piece as interactive theatre for festivals, fetes and fairs next summer.

Scandalmongers
A Greek Myth ‘turned rock and roll’;an exploration of the power of mythology combined with playful live music written specifically for the story

Scandalmongers is a vibrant storytelling theatre company, led by Emily Parrish. Passionate about storytelling as live performance, we bring exciting new work to both theatre and non-theatre spaces across the South East and beyond. From storytelling walks along the coastline to site-specific work in old boats to performances in theatres, galleries and arts centres, we are dedicated to exploring the ancient art of storytelling within a meaningful contemporary context.

Recent research has included a visit to Crete for a storytelling myth and music course and the aim is to perform ‘big’ stories and collaborate with musicians. The plan for this piece is to create a full length, accessible and unique show bringing storytelling to new audiences across the southeast! 

Musician, Filipe Gomes (www.filipegomes-jigsawpieces.com) specialises in Sonic Art and recently completed an audio book adaptation of Michael Rosen’s Sad Book. He is also involved in other Sound Art projects ranging from event sound installations to radio advertisements. Aside from sound art, Filipe is involved in writing, performing and producing his own and other people’s music under the name ‘Filipe Gomes & Jigsaw Pieces’ or ‘Left Turn 4 Records’. He’s currently working on an audio dramatisation of John Boyne’s ‘Noah Barleywater Runs Away’ as part of a BA in Sonic Art.

ivivi present Shared Space
Performed by Stephanie Clarke, Gregory Kite, Ema Staicut, Andrea Wood, Michaela Cisarikova
Shared Space mixes physical theatre and contemporary dance. It examines the concepts of “shared space” and negotiation. Originally made and performed outdoors in Ashford’s shared space road scheme, it is now being remade for indoor spaces.

ivivi strives to INVOLVE, INDULGE and INSPIRE audiences and participants from all walks of life by using theatre and movement to deliver performances and projects. ivivi provide workshops with all productions and have an array of site-specific / venue led performances that can be booked. We specialise in transforming ideas into thought provoking physical visual translations using 
performance. 

ivivi would like to adapt Shared Space to become a 45 minute piece for a venue production. The production would incorporate everyday elements of our lives that are set in place to benefit us in some form and question whether there is a better way just as the Shared Space does with road signs. We are currently in the research stage of this process for two more sections.

Website under construction – in the meantime please contact Stephanie on 07972126938 / stephanie_clarke@live.co.uk’

Bingo’ing Crazy - a new play written by Sarah Davies
CAST:
Raymond The Bingo Caller (present day): Neil Sutcliffe.
Young Raymond: Amy Flight.
Mother and Ideal Woman: Anne Molloy.
Bingo Helper: Lizzie Chittenden.
Director: Sarah Davies.
This interactive dark comedy explores the life of Raymond, a has-been bingo caller whose obsession with the game has slowly but surely ruined his life! Tonight’s 15 minute extract comprises the first 3 scenes. Sarah Davies, a Drama lecturer and Writer based in Kent, graduate of the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writers Programme and member of the Starter for 10 playwriting initiative at the Theatre Royal, Margate. A version of ’Bingo-ing Crazy’ was first performed at Lounge on the Farm Festival, Canterbury in July 2010. The aim is to develop the play into an hour-long piece, utilising audience feedback and response as a starting point. 

Intimations Dance Theatre – Running Lines
Artistic Director: Lucy Lungley
Music: created in collaboration between Lucy Lungley and Skyplane (music duo Sherrie Tappenden and Karl Musson)
Dancers: Caroline Boulter, Charlie Leyser and Lucy Lungley

These work-in-progress extracts are from Running Lines, our first work together fusing physical theatre, text, song and soundscapes. Exploration of the ways people can get trapped into destructive situations in life and how fears and negative or critical thinking can keep people in bondage; causing them to retain themselves in unhealthy confines, or put others into damaging situations, unnecessarily. Considering words and thoughts as having the power to create or destroy, the responsibility we all have to love ourselves and others and the need to notice when things are not as they should be; to encourage people to take action. The completed work will consider awareness, love and forgiveness as key factors that can initiate transformation in all circumstances.

Intimations was launched in September 2010 and the artistic team are building this work to a 30-minute piece, ready for a preview performance at The Folkestone Academy on 15th December 2010, who has sponsored the project with in kind rehearsal space. Thereafter we hope to secure an artistic residency and funding to turn this into a touring production.

Since graduating from DeMontfort University, Leicester in 2005 Artistic Director, Lucy Lungley has spent 5 years making work for platform events such as Northants Dance’s Springboard (2006, 2008/9), Derby Dance’s Ignite (2006), directed various dancefilms, site-specific and community projects. In 2008 Lucy received funding for Opus:one from Arts Council England South East and has recently been awarded the Artist SEED Fund from Shepway District Council to help her develop her practice through this project.

e: intimationsdancetheatre@live.co.uk
w: www.facebook.com/people/Intimations-DanceTheatre/100001676692181
www.unsigned.com/spyplane, www.facebook.com/pages/spyplane/41710155158

Acrojou present Wake
Performed by Barney White and Jenni Barnard
Wake is a reflection on existence and mortality portrayed through contemporary circus, predominantly German Wheel, Cyr Wheel, Dark Clown and acrobatics, with physical theatre, design and film. 

Directed by Flick Ferdinando, Wake is Acrojou’s (www.acrojou.com) first full length show and is currently in the Research and Development phase. It is due to be touring in Autumn 2011.

Acrojou Circus Theatre are the UK’s leading German wheel duo, working physically and creatively with this spectacular acrobatic discipline. Creating shows for theatre venues, outdoor events and corporate entertainment, Acrojou produce highly skilled physical performance with emotional integrity and original design. Artists In Residence at Stratford Circus