Tonight would have been the final night of my student’s show that I facilitate and #direct. My last post here was about the rehearsals, we start gathering ideas and working on it in January. Funnily enough the students chose a theme that reflected the virus: ‘#Sonder’, even before it happened…
We had started to work shop ideas to do with personal stories, what linked us all, shared experiences and #connections. COVID hit and I couldn’t help but think of the link of their chosen theme. All of us locked down in our own spaces with our own personal stories as the enforced isolation halted, in person, connections.
Having to tell a company of young performers that their show, one they have been working on and looking forward to for two years, was no easy job. This was also the second contemporary #circus and physical theatre performance we had to cancel our 1st years where due to present, their first show with us, Adapting Stories, the week we locked down.
During that first month the creative world, true to their nature, went in to overdrive… problem solving, getting together, and embracing online technology. During the twenty plus years I have been working, professionally, in the creative #arts I say with confidence that this is what we do best. Team work, thinking outside the box, taking minimal resources, 0 funds and creating stories to change the world, inspire and remind everyone what it means to be human.
Though with heavy hearts, my students also rose to the challenge. We directed, created and devised work #online for the new #COVID digital age and the pieces they produced are heartfelt, powerful and a nod to the future of performance. I cannot share their incredible work but I can share some of the innovative, creative work, made during lock down that we used as inspiration:
Our Youth Circus (#Circomedia) took to YouTube and created a fabulous series of videos if you need to improve your fitness, try out some circus skills or keep a youngster entertained at #home.
It is worth the 9 minutes – this one is from Julliard. My director’s brain explodes at the planning and work that went into this success!!
As discussions begin, in the press, about the possible end of the West End, my colleagues, friends and I in the industry talk about the potential of street #theatre, small, #immersive, festival style performances and how we can build upon this online digital success.
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