Maydays at Half Moon

A short entry - to start a bit of catch up.

Half Moon:  We are nearly into Session 5 at Half Moon - working with their senior youth group. I say ‘we’ - there are a lot of us ‘adults’ who are in the room with the group. Last week (22.5.12) there were 7 of us! Jo Scott, a PhD student at Central, joined me to help document and formulate the Half Moon work as a practice as research project. Then Anna Bosworth and Jo Yeoman from the MA Applied Theatre course are there on placement. Jo Y is helping evaluate and gather evidence of the project and Anna is with us to document, introduce media and the digital into the work - and around the outside of it. Cornflake trails have been captured (photo to follow) and short films have been made. Working with Vishni (ex-Central 1994 - so a highly constructive link) is facilitator and practitioner Sam West and Amanda Castro (from Clean Break and another ex-Central student from MA Performance Practices and Research). Amanda couldn’t make it but two other artists were with us - Steff McMann and Patrick Furnees (choreography and music/sound).

That’s quite a crowd. Interesting, though, how effective such a grouping can be. The two-hour slot (never enough time) expands into pre-workshop, mid-worrkshop and post-workshop discussions. There is much here for the nature of practice as research: the complexity of a distanced practical researcher! I’m getting my head round this. Currently, I provoke, question and plan with Vishni. A curious ‘mid’ role.

Cyrff Ystwyth: My dentist said to me today - presumably you fly to Aberystwyth? Hah! There are occasions on the train journey where the rain-soaked beauty of the landscape and the novelty of Birmingham New Street sandwiches has run thin when it seems like quite a good idea! Notwithstanding, Wed 9th May was quite an amazing experience. I want to return to this - hopefully in the next two days. Oldham, too, provided a fascinating visit last week…