Further details have come in about the Live Art Speed Dating event due to come to the West Midlands. We’ve been asked to help distribute them, so if you want to know more click here to download a PDF.
Speed Date Up-Date
September 1st, 2010More Space
September 1st, 2010
Unbelievably some people have been suggesting they’d like to do their thing @ A E Harris if only there were more space! Well, always keen to oblige, we’ve had a word with our friendly landlords and come up with… MORE SPACE. Today we got stuck into clearing it out ready for the forklift to go to work.
Eve accompanied me up to Willenhall in The Black Maze. Taking photographs on the way. It’s having it’s last tweak before Graeme drives it down to Montpellier.
Research
August 31st, 2010
Bank Holiday Monday at my parents’ and a chance to catch up on some research reading for the new show. The question is whether to push on with Thomas Asbridge or revert to the Ladybird?
Meanwhile – research of a more direct form is cranking up for this Autumn’s various outings of Of All The People In All The World. Craig’s had the bonnet up on Stat Centre and it’s now running smoothly with a new engine so, if you come across any good human statistics feel free to submit them to the site.
Live Art Speed Dates
August 27th, 2010We enjoyed our first encounter with Stoke Newington International Airport and their Live Art Speed Date in Tokyo (see the trailer). Now they are coming to the West Midlands on 25th September as part of Fierce Festival’s fun and games. If you think you may be up for making a 4 minute long intimate performance for them, then drop Greg a line via info@stkinternational.co.uk.
On the subject of Intimate/Immersive Theatre, Michael Coveney gave You Me Bum Bum Train a right going over in the excellent Prospect Magazine this month and it was refreshing voice to hear.
Japanese Embassy
August 26th, 2010
Having been initiated in the rigors of visa applications at the US Embassy it was a pleasant contrast to trot along Piccadilly to The Japanese Embassy. No appointment is required, taking in Eve and my mobile phone was no problem. There was barely a queue and Pro Yakyu (Japanese Baseball) was showing to pass the time. It was all very civilized.
I then found out I should have taken along a special delivery envelope, then that I hadn’t signed the form and latterly that they’d quoted me half the correct fee – so I ended up passing through security three times over two days with Graeme stumping up the difference in fee after that, so Eve and I got to know the place quite well. During this extended engagement I came to consider the Japanese flag to be quite excellent, in fact potentially – my current favourite flag. Maybe I should join this hilarious conversation.
New Notebook
August 18th, 2010
The shadow boxing is over. Things have got serious.
Bill Drummond swears by his Black n Red. Apparently part of what led Annie Leibovitz to the edge of financial ruin was importing her’s from Europe by courier. A few days ago I nipped out to get an A4 school exercise book. This can only mean one thing, a new show is on the horizon. This book has squares rather than lines. I don’t think that will be evident in the finished show, but it is apt as the piece is commissioned by Domaine d’O (alongside Birmingham City Council) and I always associate squared exercise books with French schools for some reason lost in my childhood.
Made in England
August 11th, 2010There is a rare, but possibly not rare enough, chance to hear me speak in public tomorrow as part of a panel discussion / debate on Industry – Creative and otherwise – Made in England.
Rice Art
August 11th, 2010
As we rev up to take Of All The People In All The World to Tokyo evidence comes in from Adrian that we are heading to the right part of the world.
Revolutionary Steps
August 6th, 2010After 3 and a bit days of cutting and sticking Revolutionary Steps is open at Watch this Space at the National Theatre.
This latest in the Steps Series imagines that Buchners ‘Danton’s Death’ has spilled out of The Olivier and into the rest of the building. Go along and perform your own revolutionary version of the show.
The Black Maze is there too until this Sunday.
Maze Mugshots
July 24th, 2010
Things are rarely simple in our world. The Black Maze is going to spend four days parked up outside The National Theatre. It should be easy except: the batteries had died, so we had to replace them. It’s had to go to be checked out for mechanical safety and for the erratic tail-lift to be looked into. Some how we’ve got to get it back for the excellent Graham Calvert to give it a once over with his PAT test machine. We have to get the congestion charge paid and to avoid having to pay £200 per day Smokey Old Lorry Tax we’ve got to detonate some ‘Fairground Vehicle’ waiver, which involves taking photographs from all for sides, scanning the log book and sending it all to The Big Smoke.
All this at time when we’re asking if the old beast is a luxury we can really afford. I hope at least Judy Dench has a nose around inside to make it all worthwhile.
