Research Update

I haven’t written a proper update for awhile so I thought I would write what I have been doing the last couple of weeks. I have been working with three groups at Theatr Clwyd; Cwmni 30, Curiad and Cwils. 

Cwmni 30 is an acting group for those aged 30-65:

“Explore your own creativity and learn about theatre making with the Theatr Clwyd team of talented artists and theatre professionals. During the first term you will make new friends and develop your skills. In the second term we’ll build on masterclasses and workshops.

Finally in the final term we’ll create a show (performance on stage is optional).” https://www.theatrclwyd.com/event/cwmni30-1 

Curiad Movement and Dance is an adult dance group for those aged 17+:

“Explore your body through movement and dance in our contemporary dance focussed sessions that are open to everyone aged 17+. No experience necessary.

These sessions are brilliant for developing fitness as well as supporting good mental health and wellbeing. We customise our sessions so that everyone can take part – we can work around physical barriers – from fitness to injuries – and there’s no steps to learn, just exploring movement and music through our bodies.” https://www.theatrclwyd.com/event/curiad 

Cwils Writing Group is an adult writing group for those aged 17+:

“Explore and build your skills as a writer alongside our experienced course leader. You’ll examine different genres – from comedy to drama – and the key elements a great writer needs to understand including developing plots, writing brilliant beginnings, marvellous middles and exciting endings, and crafting believable, realistic characters.

You’ll talk to visiting writers, see shows and analyse the work you see, and develop your understanding of how theatre is made.

Finally, you will create your own work, receive professional feedback in a warm and supportive environment and even get the chance to see your work workshopped and performed.” https://www.theatrclwyd.com/event/cwils 

I first attended the workshops to introduce myself and explain the research. I did the ethics formalities-filled in the consent forms etc. The following week each group got to explore the empty building before it is handed over to the builders. It has been stripped of all asbestos, there’s no electricity or heating. It was dark, damp and empty. 

I asked the groups to react to the space within their disciplines. The acting group created scenes in groups that were filmed by the theatre. The first group consisted of four people. They stood in a circle, arms outstretched touching the person next to them. One broke out of the circle and spoke, ‘to be, or not to be, that is the question’. Their voice getting quieter and then the group reassembled. They moved as a group, anti-clockwise. The next person now facing to the audience acted out the charade of a camera. The group moved again with the next person breaking away to come centre stage. They looked as though they were looking for something. One of the broken circle shouted, ‘He’s behind you!’. To which they replied, ‘Oh no, he isn’t!’. The rest of the group then replied and this continued, with the volume getting quieter as they regathered as a group and moved anti-clockwise again. The next person acted out drinking whilst another in the group mimicked the tannoy, ‘The show will begin in two minutes’. They spin again so they were all now back in their original orientations. Two then crouched on the floor and the group stated, ‘2022, 2023, 2024, 2025’. All of them then lifted their arms to the ceiling and broke the circle and became a line in front of the audience. They then bowed. 

The next group started with two standing in what looked like tree like shapes, arms out at different angles and remaining relatively still. A person walks over and picks something off both and puts it in their pocket. They then continue by pretending to wield an axe and cut them both down, they fall to the floor and hide behind two chairs. The person who did the cutting then digs and plants something on the chairs. They then water the chairs and walk away. They come back and pretend to take a photo. They walk around for a couple of seconds and return to the chairs. The two hiding behind are slowly emerging, like a growing plant from behind the chairs. The ‘gardener’ continues to ‘water’ the chairs, take photos of the progress and then walk around. This happens a few times as the ‘trees’ grow bigger and bigger. Eventually they are fully grown again and a final selfie is taken with them. The group then states. ‘Destruction, rebuilding, community’. 

I can't describe what the third group did. I don’t know if it is because acting is not my discipline and I have know knowledge of contemporary drama. I have asked the workshop lead to let me know what it meant and they are still to get back to me. The other two scenes were readable. In a short amount of time, they were able to convey a narrative of history and memories to renovation and rebirth.

Each workshop is a different discipline so the outcomes were completely different. Curiad danced in the space and played with the building’s surfaces, light and shadows. We took photos and videos in the spaces. Without being told to do anything, they started to play with the shadows and interact with the space. It was organic but I wasn’t expecting it. The spaces were so far removed from what they were when the theatre was open that I didn’t expect the group would react so playfully. It was great to be an observer and record the joy the group experienced. It’s interesting when one of the research themes is playfulness. The theatre wants to encourage play for all ages and it was surprising how it happened without any interference. I have some really interesting images of the dance group introducing light into the spaces. I used long exposures to record the movement rather than the person. In some images, translucent limbs can be seen in shot like an echo of the past. Here are a few:

Cwils reflected on the space and memories through prose. The theatre collated all the outcomes and passed them on to me. There are some amazing pieces of writing expressing their thoughts and feelings at this stage of the renovations. The creative engagement associate who leads the group also created a piece. 

As I walked around with the groups and attended the following workshops, I listed the keywords they were using to describe the theatre and how they felt:

“memories, curiosity, disorientated, confused, overwhelming, barren, bare, underwhelming, soulless, silent, anticipation, optimism, melancholy, hiraeth, flashbacks, unsafe,  unstable, stories, nostalgic, dangling, ghostly, ethereal, spooky, haunted, eerie, empty, echoey, disturbing, laughter, shadows, labyrinth, imagination, chaos, destruction, rebirth, open, holes, 70s, musical, dance, history, sawdust, sawdust, time, impatient, cables, potential, empty, emptiness, holes, industrial, torches, contemplative, suspended, abyss, corridors, columns, hollowness, nostalgic, still, home, anticipation, light, dark, sadness, hidden, smells, dust, underwhelming, evocative, scars, beginnings, excitement, positivity, costumes, creativity, rehearsing, performing, nerves, scary, experience, family, friends, dust, debris, re-purpose, renewal, eerie, empty, hollow, opportunity, sadness, regret, nostalgic, end, anticipation, reflection, destruction, re-building, memories, community, togetherness, artistic, support, hub, inclusive, friendship, rebirth”

There may be something interesting I could do with these words within my own work. I have asked for some of the existing tiles and bricks which are being removed as part of the renovations. I want to recycle the discarded, it’s sustainable and plays into one of the themes I am exploring. It will be interesting to see what I can do with them. I’ve also asked for clay from the building site when the footings are being dug. I want to create a clay body from the ground of the theatre and make things from that.