Finding ourselves in this strange and unsettling time has naturally meant that we’ve had to rethink our wonderful project and to try as best we can to carry on with the activity and rethink what our final performance might be. Having said that, we still intend to follow the different stages of the project and continue to develop the material, as well as introduce some new aspects that I think will make it even richer.
This stage of the project is focused on the development of satellite pieces. These are individual performances of some of the stories we’ve collected using the Hear Us Out technique. This is where performers wear headphones and present the stories as they listen to them. The way it works is that a performer is sent the recording in advance, gets familiar with it and then works with me, as director, to find a way to present this monologue, as authentically as possible, as a piece of theatre. We’ve prepared about 12 stories ready for production and these will be sent out to those who have been to performer workshops and have expressed an interest in performing. Once these are ready we’ll record them as audios and as short films. The plan is to present these as a series of streamed performances as well as post them on the Hear Us Out website when that goes live.
A number of writers, who attended writing workshops, have written creative pieces to go alongside some of these stories. I’ve worked with them on some minor edits and these wonderful pieces of writing are now ready. These will also be recorded as performances and readings and streamed alongside the original stories.
While all these are being prepared I’m also setting some ‘create at home’ tasks for all participants to do. Please do take part in these. The idea that these, as well as being put together as collective writing or as audio, will also contribute to the development of the final piece of theatre.
I’m still keeping an open mind about the final piece though I’ve started doing some writing bringing all of these stories together. Currently we’re thinking of it as an audio piece of theatre, a bit like a radio play but with a difference!
All the material we create and prepare will be part of our Hear Us Out festival, though we’re holding off deciding when that will be!
I’ll keep you posted as the piece of theatre and the festival itself starts to take shape so keep in touch, take part in the ‘create at home’ activities and carry on contributing to what I believe will be a wonderful piece of theatre and festival – whatever form it takes!
April 2020
