Political Theatre – Page 4

A really quick update to announce proper a couple of exciting additions to the A Conversation With My Father working process. I’m delighted to announce a fourth week in residence – at the brilliant Theatre in the Mill. They’re being extremely supportive and I’m really happy to be adding that extra week on just after the week in Sheffield – Yorkshire ‘r’ us, and also, 2 weeks solid feels properly productive to get the show tied up at the end. The showing at that week will be fully public, and pay-what-you-can, so if you’re in the area, you should definitely come along.

Also, I will be running a workshop at ARC in Stockton on the 6th of February. A bit of blurb here:

A short 2 hour workshop with time for discussion afterwards. Looking at autobiographical performance as a manner of addressing the wider political questions of contemporary life; from personal relationships, everyday encounters, to conflict and large-scale historical events from the point of view of the individual.

More info and booking on their website.

So, just to round up, here’s how the next couple of months looks:

Residencies:

4th-8th Feb – ARC, Stockton
25th Feb-1st Mar – The Crucible
4th-8th Mar – Theatre in the Mill

Showings:

February 8th 2013 – ARC Stockton (mid-process work in progress) — 4.30pm in the Studio – contact me for tickets
March 1st 2013 – The Crucible, Sheffield (invited showcase) – 6pm in the rehearsal room – contact me for tickets
March 8th 2013 – Theatre in the Mill (open showcase) 6.30pm in the main studio pwyc tickets from their website

Workshops:

ARC 6-8:30pm Weds 6th Feb book here.
Theatre in the Mill – Weds 6th Mar – Studio space. Booking and content tbc (contact me if interested)

So, week one of four down as part of the A Conversation With My Father making process. Man, it was properly intense. It was also lovely, and natural, and sad, and strong and relaxed and heartwarming and hard to articulate. 5 days in a room with the effortlessly brilliant Alex Kelly at Embrace Arts in Leicester. Joined on day 3 by my dad, who talked to us both a bit more about policing, politics, protest and public order. By the end of the week we had a piece that ran to an invited audience at 50 minutes, with 5 major new sections, all of which expand on one of the three threads of the piece; policing, protest, and family. The post show discussion went on for over an hour, with people still wanting to talk more about all of the ideas bubbling under it. Here’s some highlights drawn from pictures I shared along the way. (And next up: Stockton on Tees at the ace ARC 4th-8th of Feb. Come along to the showing on the 8th if you can – let me know if you want a ticket)

All the kit ready at the beginning of the week

Alex and me on the first day in the studio. Where we did a lot of talking about me, my dad, and our history. We discovered the carbon monoxide story. And went through a lot of old photographs.

The beginning of the second day in the studio. Alex found two footballs. This day was much more heavily political. We talked about the things you wear for protest. We researched the laws around protest, kettling, policing public order, and talked about preparing for a protest. I drew diagrams. We found the exploded diagram protest gear section. Continue reading A Conversation With My Father Week 1

Tag: Political Theatre

Stockton Workshop and Bradford Residency

A Conversation With My Father Week 1