The day before Yesterday:
Two rectangular rostra in the middle of the hall, not something that would normally confuse me, but that they were covered completely with an array of objects and props.
If I'd been able to do anything I'd have tidied up, or slept.
As it was I acted my way through the caressing of a few small things as if they suggested some trace or remnant in my mind, before finding what didn't, if I'm honest, feel like mine.
It took a while to make sense of that:
an empty stage is a terror I find beautiful, and familiar -
fill it with props and its like a desert to a collector.
Discomfort can be very productive: I'd have loved to have been watching the line of us watching. I'll keep you posted on how it works out.
Yesterday:
Sleep patterns, bodies in a space making spaces, and this is where I see the stories.
Blimey.
JBx
Friday 31 July 2009
Thursday 30 July 2009
Wow what a day!
Hello again!
It's the end of day 4, I simply can't believe it! How time flies when you're having fun! And what fun was indeed had today......
Sleep inspired movement sequences, so ingenious to experience the wonder and magic that can be achieved, from the simplest of naturally occurring movements, and what an impact can be had from mass group synchronisation. I have to admit, I'm a bit biased when it comes to mass synchronisation within movement, I simply love the power omitted from a group of bodies all working as one, projecting an overwhelming sensation that I personally find spine tingling!
And then it was playtime!!! Object inspired movement routines! I was in my element! and the group feedback sessions were invaluable! I think I'm now really starting to get to grips with the whole devising process, (at least in theory anyway...) So bring on tomorrow! As we delve further into the unknown and explore our newly adopted spaces, and let ourselves be led by the stories they tell! I simply can't wait!
It's the end of day 4, I simply can't believe it! How time flies when you're having fun! And what fun was indeed had today......
Sleep inspired movement sequences, so ingenious to experience the wonder and magic that can be achieved, from the simplest of naturally occurring movements, and what an impact can be had from mass group synchronisation. I have to admit, I'm a bit biased when it comes to mass synchronisation within movement, I simply love the power omitted from a group of bodies all working as one, projecting an overwhelming sensation that I personally find spine tingling!
And then it was playtime!!! Object inspired movement routines! I was in my element! and the group feedback sessions were invaluable! I think I'm now really starting to get to grips with the whole devising process, (at least in theory anyway...) So bring on tomorrow! As we delve further into the unknown and explore our newly adopted spaces, and let ourselves be led by the stories they tell! I simply can't wait!
My favourite catchphrases so far
Here's what we've been saying the last few days:
Screwdriver!
Scalpal!
Clear!
Aaaaahhhhhhh!
Stop. Write it down.
Apocalyptic mushroom.
The woman with the make-up is now beautiful.
....regrets capitalism.
....suspicious yellow flip flops.
I say bless you. Does that make me a good person?
This is a central line train to Ealing Broadway.
Pigeon 1. Pigeon 2. Pigeon 3....
Ready for immediate occupation
Car. Car. Car. Damn!
Close your fucking mouth when you sleep.
Objective:
It could just be a packet of crisps.
I contemplate the stitching on my rucksack.
Those children shaking machines.
The stickman gets a rough deal.
No returns. Credit?
Sale!
Lighten up!
Lyndal Marwick
Screwdriver!
Scalpal!
Clear!
Aaaaahhhhhhh!
Stop. Write it down.
Apocalyptic mushroom.
The woman with the make-up is now beautiful.
....regrets capitalism.
....suspicious yellow flip flops.
I say bless you. Does that make me a good person?
This is a central line train to Ealing Broadway.
Pigeon 1. Pigeon 2. Pigeon 3....
Ready for immediate occupation
Car. Car. Car. Damn!
Close your fucking mouth when you sleep.
Objective:
It could just be a packet of crisps.
I contemplate the stitching on my rucksack.
Those children shaking machines.
The stickman gets a rough deal.
No returns. Credit?
Sale!
Lighten up!
Lyndal Marwick
whoops
I broke a toilet! It now resembles something far less comfortable - but in it's way, a piece of art. Sorry peopleshow!!
Loved the sleeping standing up - what fantastic sculptures and images we created - and a fresh way of approaching this kind of work was relieving, easy, natural, and fuelled by the wonderful subconscious.
I feel like the artist i'm told I am.
Bring on day5,
James
Loved the sleeping standing up - what fantastic sculptures and images we created - and a fresh way of approaching this kind of work was relieving, easy, natural, and fuelled by the wonderful subconscious.
I feel like the artist i'm told I am.
Bring on day5,
James
I am an artist!
Yes, I am an artist.
However, I am not (yet) a theatre person.
The first two days confused, challenged and intimidated me: coming into a room where everyone wants to be barefoot, trying to raise my voice over a crowd of people knowing exactly what kind of wonders there are in a boring-looking suitcase, feeling the pressure to come up with something brilliant. At the end of day two I wanted to hide in a corner and watch through a gash in the curtains.
I'm glad I didn't. Today I was rewarded with a growing confidence that made it completely normal to reveal my sleeping positions to a group of people who were strangers not too long ago. Maybe because sleep is one of my favourite things to do, it felt comfortable enough. I found myself almost falling asleep vertically. And now we're starting to create our own bits, I reach more familiar territory - developing ideas, visualising, lighting - I'll get to use projectors, my how I love projections! - but I am no longer scared* to stand on a stage as a performer, too.
Anna Benner
*well, yes I am, really, but it gets a little less every day.
However, I am not (yet) a theatre person.
The first two days confused, challenged and intimidated me: coming into a room where everyone wants to be barefoot, trying to raise my voice over a crowd of people knowing exactly what kind of wonders there are in a boring-looking suitcase, feeling the pressure to come up with something brilliant. At the end of day two I wanted to hide in a corner and watch through a gash in the curtains.
I'm glad I didn't. Today I was rewarded with a growing confidence that made it completely normal to reveal my sleeping positions to a group of people who were strangers not too long ago. Maybe because sleep is one of my favourite things to do, it felt comfortable enough. I found myself almost falling asleep vertically. And now we're starting to create our own bits, I reach more familiar territory - developing ideas, visualising, lighting - I'll get to use projectors, my how I love projections! - but I am no longer scared* to stand on a stage as a performer, too.
Anna Benner
*well, yes I am, really, but it gets a little less every day.
An Early Blog
Morning People,
So the experience for me so far has been one of immense joy and discomfort - not two things i generally feel at the same time, so thanks.
I'm so glad that as a goup we are slowly beginning to form our own rather large peoplette show under the tutelage of these fantastic artists.
Fuck me yesterday was great - the stand up - the connection - all the journeys , all so diverse yet all starting from exactly the same spot - interesting how some people mainly noticed 'suspicious yellow-looking flip-flops', whilst others noticed 'a man with a really really bushy black beard and no hair, and I thought in my head of turning his entire head upside down so he had a beautiful head of hair with a clean-shaven face'. How we all view the world from a different perspective - this is gonna be great for the piece.
Speaking of piece all I can keep thinking is apocolyptic mushroom. Images are emerging in my head that link all our diverse journeys to one port of call, one airport, one train station, the last place on earth - how did we get there? who did we see? why are we here? what have we got to show for our journey? what are our fears, hopes, dreams?... cough spit drool sneeze cough...frantic mushrooming uncontrollable...who knows!!
Right got to go or will be late to see you.
James
p.s. something that came up on the first day with the whole group music movement leper thing - with so many of us we can create such strong images of waves/walls/armies/towers etc etc - looked amazing with incoming tide of hands - loved it.
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Thoughts that remain with me as I am about to go to sleep, thoughts that have made it through the last three days (relatively) unscathed, but who knows if they’ll still be with me in the morning:
“I can see in his eyes that, yeah, he regrets capitalism.”
You’re trying not to be visible but you are, and it’s beautiful and it’s like a painting.
As a performer, find the point at which you know you are being listened to.
The importance of the dynamic of a show, but not necessarily as in beginning-middle-end, instead to do with instinct, like a day going from night to dawn to light to dusk and night again.
I want to see (and hear) two minutes of just the balloons squeaking minutely against each other in front of the microphone.
I want to hear Delano tell his whole journey home by only describing people’s shoes.
I want to see Ruby just stand and lick the inside of a chocolate bar wrapper until the lights go out.
Ira x
“I can see in his eyes that, yeah, he regrets capitalism.”
You’re trying not to be visible but you are, and it’s beautiful and it’s like a painting.
As a performer, find the point at which you know you are being listened to.
The importance of the dynamic of a show, but not necessarily as in beginning-middle-end, instead to do with instinct, like a day going from night to dawn to light to dusk and night again.
I want to see (and hear) two minutes of just the balloons squeaking minutely against each other in front of the microphone.
I want to hear Delano tell his whole journey home by only describing people’s shoes.
I want to see Ruby just stand and lick the inside of a chocolate bar wrapper until the lights go out.
Ira x
2 Minutes of Standup!!!
Well what a day! and a thoroughly entertaining one at that! Firstly thank you to both Mark & George for an insightful start to the morning, the sharing of memories, info and experiences, straight from the horse's mouth as it were, simply priceless.
And then came the 1st major challenge of the day...the editing of an entire 3 hour home journey, (and that excluding the detours,) into 2 nerve racking minutes under the intensive glare of a spotlight, in front of a foreboding looking mic! Talk about throw you in the deep end, and you know what, I am SO GLAD it happened that way, and feel privileged to have been witness to the birth of such a flourish of sensational, highly amusing and beautifully delivered 2min stand up pieces, I'd most definitely have paid good money to see what I experienced during those 42 mins of captivating and as I said, often hilarious storytelling. I still can't get the coin powered 'child-shaking machine,' out of my head, and in away I think that kind of hits it on the head, it is the mundane, everyday things in life, our behaviours, habits, routines, that ordinarily make sense to us and/or others when in their everyday context, but for some reason or another take on this whole other aesthetic when scrutinized, or abstracted from the 'accepted norm.' And its this that can make something so simple work so well, and cause such humour, and/or move us as the human being and audience member, to experience and be transported by the kind of heart felt moods & emotions that make up good theatre & performance.
Well enough of the philosophical stuff for now, time for beauty sleep in prep for all that tomorrow will bring!
Chantal Francis
And then came the 1st major challenge of the day...the editing of an entire 3 hour home journey, (and that excluding the detours,) into 2 nerve racking minutes under the intensive glare of a spotlight, in front of a foreboding looking mic! Talk about throw you in the deep end, and you know what, I am SO GLAD it happened that way, and feel privileged to have been witness to the birth of such a flourish of sensational, highly amusing and beautifully delivered 2min stand up pieces, I'd most definitely have paid good money to see what I experienced during those 42 mins of captivating and as I said, often hilarious storytelling. I still can't get the coin powered 'child-shaking machine,' out of my head, and in away I think that kind of hits it on the head, it is the mundane, everyday things in life, our behaviours, habits, routines, that ordinarily make sense to us and/or others when in their everyday context, but for some reason or another take on this whole other aesthetic when scrutinized, or abstracted from the 'accepted norm.' And its this that can make something so simple work so well, and cause such humour, and/or move us as the human being and audience member, to experience and be transported by the kind of heart felt moods & emotions that make up good theatre & performance.
Well enough of the philosophical stuff for now, time for beauty sleep in prep for all that tomorrow will bring!
Chantal Francis
After having a lovely time today, experimenting with prop/object, I thought I would post a couple of sections of poetry from one of Gertrude Stein writings, Tender Buttons, which considers the private discourse about private perceptions to objects, food and rooms...
A CARAFE, THAT IS A BLIND GLASS
A kind in glass and a cousin, a spectacle and nothing strange a single hurt colour and an arrangement in a system to pointing. All this and not the ordinary, not unordered in not resembling. The difference is spreading.
And especially for you Lilly...
A FEATHER
A feather is trimmed, it is trimmed by the light and the bug and the post, it is trimmed by little leaning and by all sorts of mounted reserves and loud volumes. It is surely cohesive.
Nicola x
A CARAFE, THAT IS A BLIND GLASS
A kind in glass and a cousin, a spectacle and nothing strange a single hurt colour and an arrangement in a system to pointing. All this and not the ordinary, not unordered in not resembling. The difference is spreading.
And especially for you Lilly...
A FEATHER
A feather is trimmed, it is trimmed by the light and the bug and the post, it is trimmed by little leaning and by all sorts of mounted reserves and loud volumes. It is surely cohesive.
Nicola x
Story telling
We had our last morning with Mark this morning. I could listen to him tell stories, jokes and impart words of oh so wise wisdom for days on end. So I am sad about this. But the hour we passed with him and George Kahn was a pure delight and I have locked many of their words away in my head for when I am still a struggling artist 50 years from now!
Just listening to Mark tell story after story made me think that not enough good stories are told nowadays and it is rare to find such a charasmatic story teller in this modern world of texts and msn.
And so I was pleased to find we were honing our own story telling skills that very day. With the terrifying microphone centre stage and the even more terrifying spotlight we individually told the stories of our journey home last night. Who'd have thought Bethnal Green hight street could hold so many wonders!
It was a truly captivating afternoon-every story enticing you in a different way. I want to tell more stories like these...Rubyx
Just listening to Mark tell story after story made me think that not enough good stories are told nowadays and it is rare to find such a charasmatic story teller in this modern world of texts and msn.
And so I was pleased to find we were honing our own story telling skills that very day. With the terrifying microphone centre stage and the even more terrifying spotlight we individually told the stories of our journey home last night. Who'd have thought Bethnal Green hight street could hold so many wonders!
It was a truly captivating afternoon-every story enticing you in a different way. I want to tell more stories like these...Rubyx
Tuesday 28 July 2009
Bits Remembered (of days one and two)
A Documentary:
- How we met: "were you the one where I had to lift up the bus?"
- A science experiment: how to Fly with non-bio
- The last two people on earth want to talk about water
- How to wash up, part one
- Sailing around the world goes badly wrong (have they even left Portsmouth yet?)
A Suitcase:
"I think I could take it on Easyjet without having to pay extra"
"Everything anyone ever wrote down ever"
"Would you let poor Janet die in there?"
Some Keys:
"I used to be tone deaf, but now... listen..."
"You're lucky you've got a key. A man came round with a box and everyone else got a key and I got a lock"
Some Departures:
- A passerby
- Another passerby
- A child
- A suitcase
- A cleaner
- A person in a bag
- The word No
- White face masks
- An Iron
- A Lampshade Woman
- A traveller
- A sneeze
- A woman with one shoe
- A headless green dress
- A seagull
- Another sneeze
...
And more to come...
Jade Blue x
- How we met: "were you the one where I had to lift up the bus?"
- A science experiment: how to Fly with non-bio
- The last two people on earth want to talk about water
- How to wash up, part one
- Sailing around the world goes badly wrong (have they even left Portsmouth yet?)
A Suitcase:
"I think I could take it on Easyjet without having to pay extra"
"Everything anyone ever wrote down ever"
"Would you let poor Janet die in there?"
Some Keys:
"I used to be tone deaf, but now... listen..."
"You're lucky you've got a key. A man came round with a box and everyone else got a key and I got a lock"
Some Departures:
- A passerby
- Another passerby
- A child
- A suitcase
- A cleaner
- A person in a bag
- The word No
- White face masks
- An Iron
- A Lampshade Woman
- A traveller
- A sneeze
- A woman with one shoe
- A headless green dress
- A seagull
- Another sneeze
...
And more to come...
Jade Blue x
Sweet Jesus,me blogging I can hardle believe it!I can barely get my e mails and Im repeatedl being told I cant spell,so there is no need to tell me again folks,its a risk you run!!
Here it is ,Its the peopleshow three week workshop,its show 120,its day two,we are twenty three in total,a large about of the female variety and sadly a bit thin on the man front,the two we do have however are hot so, thats ok for three weeks anyway!
Its day two ,every few hours my reasons for being here change and thats great and unsettling and I like it.
Mark Long gave a chat this morning on the "serious" business of making theatre,devising,the ingredients ,what its all about. The irony of him losing his place and steam of thoughts on his lecture pages were very pleasing to me and summed up the genie in he bottle of what it is we are trying to do for these weeks!Thank you mark.
Group dynamic is very interesting,Im getting the feeling we are all very suggestable and sensitive ,which is a good thing but not so good before lunch and the energy is focused on internal wholegrain or white debate!
Im enjoying asking the others what they do,getting a glimpse,getting the in jokes, when what they say might at other times seem a strange things to say,like lily saying the suitcase may contain lips eyes and skin.You see normally that might seem a strange thing to say but when you know our lily likes to stuff dead animals then its just a pleasing notion!Why wouldnt the case be filled with those things!
I love to watch gareth when he is watching others perform,its like reading a good book.
The coming together of the group in exercises seems very apocoliptic to me,yesterday for me was lepers crawling towards a saviour crossed with shaun of the dead today it was killer flu out outbreak.Not a good way to die,very unattractive.
With this session, I got images of the july bombings several years ago.I had a friend seriously hurt in the edgeware road blast,that morning she pushed her way onto that carriage,she was saved by her rucksack on her back hitting the tunnel wall instead of her spine when the bomb blew the doors off. With all the coughing and spluttering we were doing today in the exercise, something she told came back to me.
That it was fucking manky dirty down there,soot black dark,filth,years of fumes and ratty decay,mix a bomb in that and what you have is dark colours,body parts,blood,lipliners,a single shoe,saliva,hair,tears,screams,white teeth,piss,snot and shit mixing with soot,oh and a lot of bad language!It was a lot of peoples memories of my friend , her appaling diatribe of base filty dirty cuss words.she cant remember any of this!
A uniform colour but with different heat and consistancy,tears creating lines on faces made equal by something horrible.Everyone pitch black,sounds,smells,textures;Slippy too!
Time to go now,thank you for baring witness to my first every blog,21st century here I come!xMichele Moran
Here it is ,Its the peopleshow three week workshop,its show 120,its day two,we are twenty three in total,a large about of the female variety and sadly a bit thin on the man front,the two we do have however are hot so, thats ok for three weeks anyway!
Its day two ,every few hours my reasons for being here change and thats great and unsettling and I like it.
Mark Long gave a chat this morning on the "serious" business of making theatre,devising,the ingredients ,what its all about. The irony of him losing his place and steam of thoughts on his lecture pages were very pleasing to me and summed up the genie in he bottle of what it is we are trying to do for these weeks!Thank you mark.
Group dynamic is very interesting,Im getting the feeling we are all very suggestable and sensitive ,which is a good thing but not so good before lunch and the energy is focused on internal wholegrain or white debate!
Im enjoying asking the others what they do,getting a glimpse,getting the in jokes, when what they say might at other times seem a strange things to say,like lily saying the suitcase may contain lips eyes and skin.You see normally that might seem a strange thing to say but when you know our lily likes to stuff dead animals then its just a pleasing notion!Why wouldnt the case be filled with those things!
I love to watch gareth when he is watching others perform,its like reading a good book.
The coming together of the group in exercises seems very apocoliptic to me,yesterday for me was lepers crawling towards a saviour crossed with shaun of the dead today it was killer flu out outbreak.Not a good way to die,very unattractive.
With this session, I got images of the july bombings several years ago.I had a friend seriously hurt in the edgeware road blast,that morning she pushed her way onto that carriage,she was saved by her rucksack on her back hitting the tunnel wall instead of her spine when the bomb blew the doors off. With all the coughing and spluttering we were doing today in the exercise, something she told came back to me.
That it was fucking manky dirty down there,soot black dark,filth,years of fumes and ratty decay,mix a bomb in that and what you have is dark colours,body parts,blood,lipliners,a single shoe,saliva,hair,tears,screams,white teeth,piss,snot and shit mixing with soot,oh and a lot of bad language!It was a lot of peoples memories of my friend , her appaling diatribe of base filty dirty cuss words.she cant remember any of this!
A uniform colour but with different heat and consistancy,tears creating lines on faces made equal by something horrible.Everyone pitch black,sounds,smells,textures;Slippy too!
Time to go now,thank you for baring witness to my first every blog,21st century here I come!xMichele Moran
Monday 27 July 2009
Day one...
It has begun.
23 workshoppers have officially infested People Show Studios and my, what havoc has been created already.
In day one of devising there has been (among other things) unrequited love, epic rounds of keepy-uppy, silent movie-making, countless entrances and exits, sibilance, resonance, sustainance, baggy pants, shouting, running, falling, dying, breathing, coughing, coffee, laughing, crawling, falling, screaming, yawning and a whole lot more besides. (deep breath!)
We have been inspired and we have expired but we'll be back tomorrow with fire in our bellies and twinkles in our eyes to build on what we began to give birth to today.
Here's to day one.
Laura Milnes
People Show 120: The Workshop
23 workshoppers have officially infested People Show Studios and my, what havoc has been created already.
In day one of devising there has been (among other things) unrequited love, epic rounds of keepy-uppy, silent movie-making, countless entrances and exits, sibilance, resonance, sustainance, baggy pants, shouting, running, falling, dying, breathing, coughing, coffee, laughing, crawling, falling, screaming, yawning and a whole lot more besides. (deep breath!)
We have been inspired and we have expired but we'll be back tomorrow with fire in our bellies and twinkles in our eyes to build on what we began to give birth to today.
Here's to day one.
Laura Milnes
People Show 120: The Workshop
And so begins People Show 120: The Workshop
Welcome to the Blog of People Show 120: The Workshop
On 27 July, 2009, 23 emerging practitioners joined the People Show artists on a three week, intensive course in our own particular method of devised theatre.
Over the course of the next three weeks, and beyond, the participants in this course will put their ideas, thoughts, rants, images, films and reactions to PS:120 here, in this blog.
People Show is the UK's longest running experimental theatre company, now in its 43rd year. This course has been made possible in part through the generosity of Arts Council England and London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Thanks for coming,
David Duchin
General Manager
On 27 July, 2009, 23 emerging practitioners joined the People Show artists on a three week, intensive course in our own particular method of devised theatre.
Over the course of the next three weeks, and beyond, the participants in this course will put their ideas, thoughts, rants, images, films and reactions to PS:120 here, in this blog.
People Show is the UK's longest running experimental theatre company, now in its 43rd year. This course has been made possible in part through the generosity of Arts Council England and London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Thanks for coming,
David Duchin
General Manager
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