THE CLEANSING OF CONSTANCE BROWN presented by STAN'S CAFE
@ A E Harris, 1st - 19th March, 18.30 & 20.30 (running time 70min)
(no perfs. Sundays or Mondays)
TICKETS FOR ALL SHOWS ARE NOW AVAILABLE VIA THE MAC BOX OFFICE
Stan's Cafe were invited to pitch an idea for a participatory workshop for Creative Partnership's
National Conference in November 2006. There were to be 400 participants engaged for an hour in an
activity themed around the notion of a journey. The workshop had to be repeated the following hour
for another 400 participants.
We aimed to create an event that would combine individual engagement with a strong collective
experience. A messy activity was ruled out due to the numbers and repetition. Our pitch was
to create a sound piece with the delegates.
The final piece started with an airport style check-in queue and playful signage setting up
the creative process/journey metaphor. Check-in involves being asked a question by one of eight
stern staff and having to answer into a microphone. A post-it note is your passport to the next
stage of the journey. A large rectangular board is silhouetted in strong backlight and smoke,
on the reverse a landscape is built from post-it notes that have been drawn upon.
In the large main space participants hear their check-in answers within an audio loop piece.
A radio play telling the story of a creative journey is recorded live with participants providing
sound effects and performing fragments of dialogue. Finally a choral piece inspired by Cornelius
Cardew and requiring no rehearsal is performed with a guest soloist.
Devised and performed by
Graeme Rose
Amanda Hadingue
Jack Trow
Jake Oldershaw
Heather Burton
Jess Mackinnon
Chris Dugrenier
Jane Packman
Katie Day
Craig Stephens
Mike Kirchner
Ana Rutter
Soloists: Melanie Pappenheim & Manickam Yogeswaran
Direction: James Yarker
Audio Director: Giles Perrin
Lights: James Markey for Mulberry Grove
Sound Engineering: Brian Duffy
Stage Management: Karen Stafford
Photography: Douglas Cape
Administration: Charlotte Martin
Commissioned by: Creative Partnerships National Office