MFA Journal

Id been walking and drawing through most of February making marks while going back and for between home and Cardiff Met – about a 15 minute walk. I had used 4 concertina sketch books and filled them with different kind of overlapping traces – I had become immersed in my changing attention – the different traces – and my responses to the traces. I also used a walking contraption – shown in another blog post to explore what it was like to make continuous marks. I was enjoying the new looking at a familiar path -I was loving my new oil stiks which seemed just right to grab texture and gesture – I was also loving the freedom I felt while making waxy marks with a blender stik – not to be revealed until I washed it over with this water colour traces of the next journey.

I was all set to carry on with all this in Ambleside – I was looking forward to dong familiar walks with a new added drawing perspective.

How come I had forgotten how demanding the terrain and weather can be – or how much talking and just being with I do when walking with loved ones? I ended up with a new perspective but not through drawing – through intending to draw and then not drawing. I noticed how much we storied our lives each year by marking familiar and new walks – the walk we always do on the  first day – I don’t remember this bit – was it always this steep – or have they cut the trees this year – do you remember the year we came when we had just ………the years we have seen red squirrels or not … the years when different friends and family had joined us or not –

So – walking and –  noticing – how here drawing would be an unwelcome distraction and an encumbrance that would distance me from the matters in hand – watching where I was putting my feet – and being present with my walking companions. Whereas drawing had been my companion in itself on the walk to college – had helped me find new magic in the pavements of my neighbourhood.

My small camera was less of an encumbrance and I am happy to share some shots of well loved paths.

I am left thinking some more on what it is to draw and not to draw.

I had the opportunity to go to a workshop run by the Clarks after their Smash It Up show at Chapter Arts centre Cardiff.  Now on tour from 17th February. If you have the chance – go and see it – there are two blogged reviews of it on a-n one by myself and one by Lisa Evans.

Three of us turned up for the workshop – which seemed a very small group (too small?) especially as I wasn’t sure what we would be doing.

As it turned out we had a real treat and the small number made for quite a special and intimate experience. I didn’t know what to expect – it couldn’t have been better.
 I was glad I had seen the show first as it all fitted together. We began with some fairly aerobic warm ups, which gave us an insight into how the Clarks work,  and we experienced how quickly contact and rhythm can be built up through a series of carefully constructed and energetic exercises. We were also given a taster of what it might be like to develop a piece from fragments of life experience into something a group might do together –  how exciting is that for someone who has never done anything like it before.  I also understand a little now how you might choreograph / structure the elements for a performance.

I loved the way that repeated practice built into a pattern which allowed us to stay free in the moment. The practiced elements soon started to dance together in a life of their own within the boundaried pattern and set of instructions that we had worked out together at the begining. Experiencing these ideas bodily – outside of my usual context – brought a new perspective that I hope I can take into my arts practice.

And a grande finale of three solo performances wow!

The Clarks were both so generous with their time and energy.

Thank you

I was delighted when I heard that Good News from the Future will be performing again soon at Chapter – I was even more delighted when they agreed that I could watch their rehearsals and do some drawing. I am putting their flyer up now so that people get to hear about the performance. I am still photographing the drawings – some of them are on a long roll of paper that Im still working out how best to capture.

Here is the flyer – sadly the image is lost – but you can find it on Chapter Art Centre Cardiff Web site.

GOOD NEWS FROM THE FUTURE

presents

WHAT COMES NEXT…

THEATR SELIGMAN THEATRE

CHAPTER, CARDIFF

FRIDAY 18 & SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2016 8pm

‘We are happy in our own skins – our maturity brings a whole new set of delights.’

Another chance to see a surprise hit of last November’s Cardiff Dance Festival.

What Comes Next… is simultaneously a statement and a question, a fresh view of the hunger to dance, a seizing of the time to give it a good shaking.

A dozen singular performers rub shoulders and energies in a wildly eccentric, exuberant improvisation of solos, duos and freewheeling group encounters laced with effervescent humour – in a spirit of playfulness to be enjoyed by all ages.

Good News from the Future brings together pioneering physical theatre practitioners, a clutch of people who haven’t performed for a long time and some people who’ve only just started. It marks and celebrates the wisdom of mature selves, the experience of older bodies and the adventurousness of time-travelled heads.

The accent of our work is on valuing the creative potential of the mature performer.

The group begin with exploratory workshops in the summer of 2014 and is led by Mike Pearson and Nigel Watson, drawing on physical theatre exercises used by Cardiff-based theatre companies in the 1970s.

Fortnightly sessions began in early 2015 and in the run up to the premiere of What Comes Next… in November, the group met every Sunday morning in Chapter.

Good News From The Future includes members of past Cardiff companies including Brith Gof, Cardiff Laboratory Theatre, Made In Wales, Man Act, Red Light and Theatr Taliesin; and contemporary companies including Good Cop Bad Cop and Theatr Iolo.

What Comes Next… is performed by Gilly Adams, Pat Adams, Jill Greenhalgh, Phil Harris, Miranda James, Yvette Vaughan Jones, Jill Kirkpatrick, Kevin Lewis, Richard Huw Morgan, Elaine Paton, Jennie Pickstone, Simon Thorne and Nigel Watson.

What Comes Next… is coordinated by Mike Pearson and Nigel Watson.

And here are  some of the drawings

I already knew that Natalie’s work was concerned with the body; the invitation to watch the performance was illustrated by a tweezer – what was this going to be? I was already thinking about my own conflicted history with hair and depilation while I walked over to the studio. As a young woman in the 70’s I had ‘loved’ my body hair – and left it alone as was the norm for my group – only really being happy with that after a year abroad had effectively bleached it invisible.  My relationship with wanted and unwanted hair continues to change, as do the available techniques and methods for promoting its growth and removal.   However my chief anticipation of a plucking performance was of a succession of short swift moves evoking mixed recollections – including discomfort, pleasure/pain, tedium, and the mild satisfaction of a job done.

I was unprepared for my encounter with Natalie in performance. She was sat on the floor in a dark space – she and three small transparent receptacles in a row beside her were bathed in a golden light. The contrast between her long dark shiny head of hair and dark soft clothing, and her now golden lit bare arms and lower legs,  seemed sculptural as she moved slowly about her business. What was her business? This wasn’t plucking as I knew it. There was a slow grace in her movements – was she really removing her leg hair – it looked so effortless. Yes she was. Her grounded attention and focus to the process gave each act such gravity, every hair was of equal importance. I was becoming immersed in her process.

I had come to watch and draw – I was unsure now – would my drawing disturb her? Would marking the moments be too puncturing? How would drawing affect my attention to her process?

I was glad I had brought an oil stik and concertina note book – because as I allowed myself to be with a new way of plucking – I was able to continue to move the soft dark stik over the paper in a soft gentle response. I could caress the paper as she seemed to be caressing her body as she plucked. I experienced some synergy with her movements and almost forgot she was removing her hair.

Then – just as I was settling into her and my rhythm something changed – Ouch – she has moved – equally gracefully into a new position – and had started to pluck hair from under her arms. Her experience appeared to be continuous —  mine wasn’t.  Ouch.  I moved my oil stik more stabbily and more quickly – instead of being able to respond to her experience – my experience of removing underarm hair had taken over – the drawings were now more about me my body and my memories of hair removal. Ouch.

However as I continued to watch – – her continued attention and focus drew me back to her process – – each hair – –  each movement – –  carefully considered – –  each taking – –  just as much time as it needed.

Neither plucking nor drawing will be quite the same next time.

Smash It Up  with Mr and Mrs Clark

Performed at Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff and on tour from 17th February 2016.

The evening started with participants wandering around perhaps a little anxious and confused, all looking round at tables of broken stuff. What were we looking at?  I wasn’t sure. Was I going to have to stand for an hour or so?  I found myself looking out for a seat. Then I had a sense of being corralled into a corner of the space. Those venturing out from behind the barrier were ushered back by a penetrating gaze and a moving  barrier that had clearly taken a bashing in previous encounters. We were being controlled, kettled even  – we couldn’t choose where to stand. Then the black and yellow tape that had prevented us from sitting down had gone – and everyone – possibly with some relief – gained refuge in the rows of familiar theatre seats.

Ah, now we know what to do, we can sit and watch a performance. But we weren’t done with. Someone from our midst  (was she prepared?)  was called on to make difficult choices.  Which precious objects to hammer to destruction first? Would I be called next – what would my decisions be? Where would I stand now?

And so as the performance continued we were challenged – we couldn’t be bystanders. What happens when people don’t take action? What has to be protected ? What needs to be destroyed?Can destruction liberate? Will you take a stand?

Individual personal stories emerged, interwoven with world events, cinematic clips, and footage  from local actions in a collage of physical theatre and video backdrop – familiar and less familiar juxtaposed words and images evoked memory, outrage, curiosity and laughter. The physicality of the performances was both breathtaking and joyous in celebrating what bodies can do.

I was hammered.

In my comfortable and safe theatre seat – amongst friends – and soon to be returning to my safe and comfortable home.

Where do I stand?