Funding success!
Greg Sinclair • November 6, 2019
New solo show coming soon...
I'm delighted to have been awarded R&D funding from Creative Scotland's Open Project funding for the development of my new solo show On and On and On and On and On.
On and On and On and On and On is a new solo show about group behaviour inspired by the fascinating true story of the Strasbourg Dancing Plague. In 1518 a woman named Frau Troffea began to dance in the streets of Strasbourg. Seemingly unable to stop, she danced until she collapsed. And then she got up and resumed her dance. More people started to join her in her dance until eventually over 400 people danced over the course of weeks. Many people died from exhaustion.
When I read about this incredible story I was really drawn to it. There's such a mystery surrounding it. At the heart of what I want to explore in my performance is how one person can influence the behaviour of a group.
I've got a great team of artists working with me:
Peter McMaster - dramaturg
Hannah Venet - choreographer
Mamoru Iriguchi - designer
James Johnson - lighting designer
Sarah Gray - producer
I'll be developing the piece over the next few months. Thanks also to Tramway and Magnetic North for offering residency and development opportunities too.
I think this is week 8 of lockdown. Like everyone else I've been experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions, sometimes in really quick succession. It's tough isn't it? I have had all my planned work cancelled. This included the return of Sound Symphony by Ellie Griffiths / Oily Cart / Independent Arts Project. I was due to perform in the show again for its tour to Bibu Festival in Sweden and Edinburgh International Children's Festival. I've also had cancelled work with long-term collaborators The Polar Bears; their show The Polar Bears Go Go Go! was due to tour Scotland this summer. And my show Lots and Not Lots received Made in Scotland funding to go to this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. All of it cancelled, of course. But I still don't think I've properly adjusted to how that feels. And so I've not had anything to do. And I've not really felt like I had any creative drive for this whole period of lockdown. And then I had a couple of really good conversations with friends. First was with my friend Shiori who reminded me that I shouldn't feel guilty about not making art. And secondly with my friend Chris who reminded me that creativity is also a passive thing. So all the films Im watching, the books I'm reading, the music I'm listening to - that's being creative. Chris described me as a fallow field - left to allow the ground to fertilise and not be over-produced. I really like that. I've started doing a couple more creative making things. I made a shaker instrument (image above) and I've been making some birthday videos for friends. But in general I'm just waiting to see what happens next. I'm pretty scared for the future. But I'm also trying to focus on the right now and taking this as time to rest and repair.
This year I am starting to develop two new projects. Seashells / On and On and On and On and On Seashells will be a video artwork exploring tonguetwisters with people for whom English is a second/third language. I'm working with a group of adults at North Edinburgh Arts to explore tonguetwisters in their mothertongue. They will teach me these tonguetwisters as well as telling me the stories behind them. I'm also working with costume designer Ali Brown. Ali will also work in collaboration with community participants to create materials for the final costume designs. So far we've got lots of knitted tongues! The final artwork will see me performing these non-English tonguetwisters wearing the costumes designed by Ali. Seashells is funded by the City of Edinburgh Council Culture Service Project Fund in partnership with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Supported by Magnetic North. On and On and On and On and On is a new solo performance based on the amazing true story of the Strasbourg dancing plague from 1518 . The work will be a mix of repetitive movement, Medieval folk singing and audience manipulation. I'm doing a short residency at Tramway, Glasgow in November and presenting a work-in-progress at Buzzcut's Double Thrills at CCA, Glasgow in December. Stay tuned for more information on both of these projects!
I've had a busy start to the year. First up was a new development of Volcano, the piece I am making with Ann Thallon and Kate Temple. We were awarded a place on Puppet Animation Scotland's Testroom programme. This is an initiative designed to give theatre-makers some time and mentorship to develop a performance project. Over the course of a few months the three of us met up with mentor Gavin Glover and the artists leading the other three chosen projects: Beth Hamilton-Cardus; Elspeth Chapman and Sonia Gardes; Lewis Sherlock and Ali Maloney. As part of Testroom we decided to use the time to explore some forms of visual theatre: livefeed camera, micro cinema, and object manipulation. We learned a lot and made some exciting new discoveries along the way. Then we shared what we'd been learning and developing at Manipulate Festival at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and Tron Theatre, Glasgow. The photo above shows Ann, Kate and myself in our home-made Volcano costumes! . . . . . And I've also been working as composer on two new children's theatre shows: The Whirlybird by Eco Drama and The Polar Bears Go Go Go! by Unicorn Theatre and The Polar Bears. The Whirlybird is a sweet, funny, moving show about two birds - one who can fly and one who can't. It's about celebrating diversity and uniqueness. The music is inspired by birdsong and features some recorded cello. The show is out on tour now. More information and dates here . We're currently in rehearsals for the new polar bears show - the third one we've made as a team! This one is just as silly as the previous two and sees the two bears deciding to go on holiday together. We head down to London to tech and open the show at the Unicorn Theatre and it runs throughout April. More information and dates here .