So here we go, this is it, the top twelve things about 2013; how many did you get?
These aren't in any order or priority, by the way. This isn't necessarily my top event of 2013. But at times it certainly has been. It was certainly, by far and away, the best piece of theatre I saw last year, and aside from friendships and family and those moment on the walks, this is probably the one event that had the most profound impact on me creatively.
Words and Music, by Samuel Beckett and Morton Feldman, performed at Cheltenham Music Festival.
In conception and execution this was certainly the finest cultural experience of the year. The writing is impeccable, there isn't a moment out of place, it's precious and profound. But the performances by the actors and the BCMG lifted the experience to a new level for me and demonstrated what I found with The Gambit, that fine writing is only enhanced by fine performances, and that great performances are what I go to the theatre to experience. The staging was iconic, perfectly simple. There was nothing about it that wasn't spot on, because they didn't try to do anything beyond the text, but done so well that I left with all sort of tears at the end, bursting with laughter and fraught with emotion. It was stunning.
So that's it. Thank you for following over the past twelve days, and lets hope that everything we see in 2014 inspires us to do the same again next year!
Get in touch, let me know what you thought, and make sure I get a heads up on anything I ought not to miss...
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Day eleven, networking
Despite everything I've droned on about over the last ten days, a very large proportion of last year was in fact spent working on my own stuff, and a very grand time I had of it too. Along with many of you, I am often frustrated and downheartened by the difficulty of getting attention from other practitioners for my work, either for constructive feedback or getting it produced. I think this will be an ongoing issue, and largely because it's easier to feel frustrated than facilitated.
So it's salutary to look back over the year, see quite how much has been achieved, and pay tribute to the amazing people who have stepped up and made the work as good as it can be.
Of course I was incredibly lucky to be able to strong-arm Ben Rigby and Nick Pearse into taking on The Gambit; a play that pretty much everyone who had read it said would be too difficult or too boring. Their stunning performances did as much for that play as any other professional actors would be able to achieve. And they put their all not only into what happened between the characters, but in pushing the play, getting the word out, arranging the tour and stumping up cash to make it work. And driving me round the country, which was nice of them. I want them to be a part of everything that I'd ever do. For the stage. I should just be clear on that point.
Across the year I have launch a few little projects. I undertook a play-in-an-hour project for the First Draft nights curated by Faro Productions, which I called Escher's Birthday, and had seven amazing actors step up and take the risk for what could have been a complete disaster and turned out to be great fun, Adam, Nuria, Nicola, Rachel, Peter, Tal and Lauron.
Tal Twist and Lauron Stirrup also joined Richard Sails for a piece that I wrote for performance at the opening of Dan Fogarty's First Oxo Conference at Malgras. Another quirky piece that was really encouraging, challenging and again great fun.
Charlie Mortimer lead a workshop of a play of mine, Turing Test, up at Korova, and we were joined by Ben Rigby, Nicola Marsh, Andy Avery and Tash Southworth for a very entertaining and productive day. Don't worry, that's not lead to anything yet, but I was incredibly glad of their input and it was awesome to work with them in that environment, I felt very lucky. Korova also hosted a piece inspired by a play of mine just before Christmas, and they did an amazing job that I wish I'd been able to spend more time getting under the skin of.
My other big project in 2013 was Yawp, and there was no way when I started the ball rolling that it would turn out to tumble quite so incredibly as it did. There were many people involved as the project progressed, but the team of Michael Chadwick, Owen Rafferty, Janet Thompson and Meriel Pym quite frankly blew my socks off with their enthusiasm, engagement, professionalism and sheer talent and ability. Any success that piece had was entirely down to them, and I think it was a pretty successful experiment; it sent people thinking and it gave them an entirely new experience for Manchester fringe, and I was dead chuffed to have had them all on board.
So all in all it was an amazing year. I don't expect 2014 to be quite so packed. But thinking back, this time last year all I had was an indication from Ben that he would be interested in The Gambit, and a contact tweet from Nick who I think I'd spoken to once. Incredible.
Who knows what the future could bring.
So it's salutary to look back over the year, see quite how much has been achieved, and pay tribute to the amazing people who have stepped up and made the work as good as it can be.
Of course I was incredibly lucky to be able to strong-arm Ben Rigby and Nick Pearse into taking on The Gambit; a play that pretty much everyone who had read it said would be too difficult or too boring. Their stunning performances did as much for that play as any other professional actors would be able to achieve. And they put their all not only into what happened between the characters, but in pushing the play, getting the word out, arranging the tour and stumping up cash to make it work. And driving me round the country, which was nice of them. I want them to be a part of everything that I'd ever do. For the stage. I should just be clear on that point.
Across the year I have launch a few little projects. I undertook a play-in-an-hour project for the First Draft nights curated by Faro Productions, which I called Escher's Birthday, and had seven amazing actors step up and take the risk for what could have been a complete disaster and turned out to be great fun, Adam, Nuria, Nicola, Rachel, Peter, Tal and Lauron.
Tal Twist and Lauron Stirrup also joined Richard Sails for a piece that I wrote for performance at the opening of Dan Fogarty's First Oxo Conference at Malgras. Another quirky piece that was really encouraging, challenging and again great fun.
Charlie Mortimer lead a workshop of a play of mine, Turing Test, up at Korova, and we were joined by Ben Rigby, Nicola Marsh, Andy Avery and Tash Southworth for a very entertaining and productive day. Don't worry, that's not lead to anything yet, but I was incredibly glad of their input and it was awesome to work with them in that environment, I felt very lucky. Korova also hosted a piece inspired by a play of mine just before Christmas, and they did an amazing job that I wish I'd been able to spend more time getting under the skin of.
My other big project in 2013 was Yawp, and there was no way when I started the ball rolling that it would turn out to tumble quite so incredibly as it did. There were many people involved as the project progressed, but the team of Michael Chadwick, Owen Rafferty, Janet Thompson and Meriel Pym quite frankly blew my socks off with their enthusiasm, engagement, professionalism and sheer talent and ability. Any success that piece had was entirely down to them, and I think it was a pretty successful experiment; it sent people thinking and it gave them an entirely new experience for Manchester fringe, and I was dead chuffed to have had them all on board.
So all in all it was an amazing year. I don't expect 2014 to be quite so packed. But thinking back, this time last year all I had was an indication from Ben that he would be interested in The Gambit, and a contact tweet from Nick who I think I'd spoken to once. Incredible.
Who knows what the future could bring.
Friday, 3 January 2014
Day ten, drawing a line
My day ten highlight could, quite frankly, be my stand out event of the year for so so many reasons. Over the years, All Tomorrows Parties at Camber Sands was just about the most incredible thing I have ever had experienced. It was amazing to be invited to go, all those years ago, by Drew and Nick and the gang, and was absolutely the start of a chain of events that made me feel so much at home in Bolton and with the people here. Hardly ever was the gang who made it down to Camber the same group, but the interconnected web of friendships which hold and snap were the context that I've always enjoyed the festival.
There's all the amazing memories of my times there, underpinned by seeing bands like The Magic Band, Sonic Youth, The Fall, Aphex Twin, Tindersticks, Modest Mouse and The Shins, Sons and Daughters, all playing under a sign reading PONTINS: THE PARTY FOR KIDS.
And the creaky chalets, and the blasted landscape, and the fact that it's in the arse end of no where. I loved, dearly loved all these things and all the people I experienced them with.
Then came the blow that this December was to be the last ever Camber Sands ATP, and I had to be there. I had to be there for my own sanity, to draw a line under so many held and snapped friendships and such an extreme musical journey.
The final ever ATP did not disappoint; how could it? It was classic. And then it was everything I'd hoped. Much a good time with Lauren, such pleasure at the bands, such joy at this time actually engaging with the landscape of that part of the country to which it's unlikely that I'll ever return very quickly. I was full to bursting from setting off to arriving home, it was the best way to close a chapter of my life that's taken me in and out and through so much joy and love, it was truly an incredible thing. And now it is no more. Except that I'll always have what I've had, and I can really want no more than that.
Thank you ATP, and all who have sailed there with me.
(If you want to know, and weren't paying attention, my picks this time round were Comets on Fire, who were the greatest music I've seen all year, Braids and Les Colettes.)
There's all the amazing memories of my times there, underpinned by seeing bands like The Magic Band, Sonic Youth, The Fall, Aphex Twin, Tindersticks, Modest Mouse and The Shins, Sons and Daughters, all playing under a sign reading PONTINS: THE PARTY FOR KIDS.
And the creaky chalets, and the blasted landscape, and the fact that it's in the arse end of no where. I loved, dearly loved all these things and all the people I experienced them with.
Then came the blow that this December was to be the last ever Camber Sands ATP, and I had to be there. I had to be there for my own sanity, to draw a line under so many held and snapped friendships and such an extreme musical journey.
The final ever ATP did not disappoint; how could it? It was classic. And then it was everything I'd hoped. Much a good time with Lauren, such pleasure at the bands, such joy at this time actually engaging with the landscape of that part of the country to which it's unlikely that I'll ever return very quickly. I was full to bursting from setting off to arriving home, it was the best way to close a chapter of my life that's taken me in and out and through so much joy and love, it was truly an incredible thing. And now it is no more. Except that I'll always have what I've had, and I can really want no more than that.
Thank you ATP, and all who have sailed there with me.
(If you want to know, and weren't paying attention, my picks this time round were Comets on Fire, who were the greatest music I've seen all year, Braids and Les Colettes.)
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Day nine, where memories collide
This year was, as you can see, full of amazing things and good times. But not all of it. For some times, the most painful of events can haunt, and for some people no time is ever easy. The passing of Chris Evans brought some of these issues all too powerfully to light.
I didn't know Chris was well as many, some of you perhaps reading this. His death knocked me as something unexpected and unthought. I was unaware of so much. He left a hole in my life, but not as much as so many of the people I consider friends who had such a burden to take on; they did it bravely.
That made Dogstock this year such a bittersweet event. As ever, it was about music, and some of the greatest music my community has to offer. As ever, it was about drinking, and I think we nailed that one good and proper. As ever, it was about friendship, and that was so much more potent this year than I've known anything to be for such along time. I had a joyful and excitable weekend, and I was also proud. The Dog and Partridge is such an incredible place, such a strong community, and Dogstock is a true celebration of all that. And my bro seemed to have a great time.
In our occasional meetings in the months before his death, Chris and I had been toying with the idea of taking his band on a tour of Ireland with me tagging along to document it playwritey styley. I'm not sure I ever thought it would happen, but it was fun discussing the plans and imagining what could come of it. And that is why the event I really want to draw your attention to on this blog, and one of the best events of this year for me, was in fact nothing that I was involved in at all, but one I followed with admiration and jealousy. For my money, Total Victory are just about the best band in Bolton at the moment. They have some tough competition. The idea of them venturing to France for a tour (still) seems slightly bizarre. But they did it. And they're still together now. You can, and should, read all about it here:-
http://makeitalittlebitlouder.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/total-victory-tour-diary-part-1-the-start/
I'm sure Chris would've been chuffed.
I didn't know Chris was well as many, some of you perhaps reading this. His death knocked me as something unexpected and unthought. I was unaware of so much. He left a hole in my life, but not as much as so many of the people I consider friends who had such a burden to take on; they did it bravely.
That made Dogstock this year such a bittersweet event. As ever, it was about music, and some of the greatest music my community has to offer. As ever, it was about drinking, and I think we nailed that one good and proper. As ever, it was about friendship, and that was so much more potent this year than I've known anything to be for such along time. I had a joyful and excitable weekend, and I was also proud. The Dog and Partridge is such an incredible place, such a strong community, and Dogstock is a true celebration of all that. And my bro seemed to have a great time.
In our occasional meetings in the months before his death, Chris and I had been toying with the idea of taking his band on a tour of Ireland with me tagging along to document it playwritey styley. I'm not sure I ever thought it would happen, but it was fun discussing the plans and imagining what could come of it. And that is why the event I really want to draw your attention to on this blog, and one of the best events of this year for me, was in fact nothing that I was involved in at all, but one I followed with admiration and jealousy. For my money, Total Victory are just about the best band in Bolton at the moment. They have some tough competition. The idea of them venturing to France for a tour (still) seems slightly bizarre. But they did it. And they're still together now. You can, and should, read all about it here:-
http://makeitalittlebitlouder.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/total-victory-tour-diary-part-1-the-start/
I'm sure Chris would've been chuffed.
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Day eight, over the hill and far away
I think that if I'd chosen this list slightly differently, each of the twelve days would have been a walk; if I'd put all the walks together into one it would far and away have been the best experience of my year. The most intense experiences of the year were undoubtedly on walks, either emerging from the mist of High Cup Nick, or finding God in a Wiltshire field, retracing my steps on the landscape of Shropshire around Church Stretton, bounding across the marsh under which lies the abandoned Roman camp and medieval village on the Scottish border.
I'm picking one walk not because it's far and away the best, but this one encapsulated everything that I love about the way I walk, and ultimately the way I live.
I must have seen it before I'd heard of it, but I first came across the name The Cloud when researching the highest peaks of England a few years back. It also crops up as a National Trust site. Then when I first visited Congleton properly earlier in the year I chatted to a few very informative people who suggested it would be a nice stroll. Looking on the map I discovered something even better - it was ideal for a summer evening mooch. Armed with that information, I decided one random day in the office that I'd head out after work.
It was a stunning evening, and the walk itself was beautiful and full of interest. I got lost a couple of times where the paths had overgrown, which is always a sign of a good walk. The views from The Cloud were tremendous. I spent half an hour watching a bird of prey hunt, and explored a Neolithic burial chamber on the way down. And I was back at the station just in time for the train back to Manchester.
It's those moments along the way that pierce through experience into life and become the unforgettable.
If everything else goes by the wayside, I hope that I have much more exploring of the English country to do throughout 2014. And if anyone wants to join me there's always room for more. You can normally keep tabs on me on Twitter and I'll give you a heads up!
I'm picking one walk not because it's far and away the best, but this one encapsulated everything that I love about the way I walk, and ultimately the way I live.
I must have seen it before I'd heard of it, but I first came across the name The Cloud when researching the highest peaks of England a few years back. It also crops up as a National Trust site. Then when I first visited Congleton properly earlier in the year I chatted to a few very informative people who suggested it would be a nice stroll. Looking on the map I discovered something even better - it was ideal for a summer evening mooch. Armed with that information, I decided one random day in the office that I'd head out after work.
It was a stunning evening, and the walk itself was beautiful and full of interest. I got lost a couple of times where the paths had overgrown, which is always a sign of a good walk. The views from The Cloud were tremendous. I spent half an hour watching a bird of prey hunt, and explored a Neolithic burial chamber on the way down. And I was back at the station just in time for the train back to Manchester.
It's those moments along the way that pierce through experience into life and become the unforgettable.
If everything else goes by the wayside, I hope that I have much more exploring of the English country to do throughout 2014. And if anyone wants to join me there's always room for more. You can normally keep tabs on me on Twitter and I'll give you a heads up!
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Day seven, breaking the back
Past the halfway point, how are you holding out?
So I've had a whine about how ordinary I found the Manchester theatre scene this year, and I've made my case for my theatrical highlight. Except that it wasn't, quite; because as much as I love big, serious and challenging theatre and wish there was some in Manchester more than once a year, my theatrical highlight in the city last year was off the scale as far as entertainment went.
Billy, The Monster and Me! was frankly the most enjoyable time I've spent in front of a stage all year. Energetic, charming, genuinely funny and heartfelt. Watching it with friends helped, but in fact we were all friends five minutes into the story. The image of Gramps asleep in the chair, the monster scoffing- aww, I can't give too much away.....
Because you too have a chance to be a member of Team Billy! Get yourself along to rePlay at the Lowry later in January; I promise you it's a real treat. Anything that can keep me and a bunch of kids entranced must be doing something right.
While I'm at it, you should also check out The Man Who Woke Up Dead, which gets an honourable mention; seeing this piece develop earlier in the year was fascinating and while at the time I wasn't sure if the final show quite lived up to the initial potential, it was a stylish and intriguing story brilliantly produced and performed, and probably the only other show I saw on the local fringe that genuinely felt like a worthwhile way to spend time. Further development can only have improved it in the meantime. Both this and Billy are at rePlay.
http://www.thelowry.com/events/tag/replay%20festival
And of course I didn't see everything; on my list are One Hand Clapping and Lunch, both of which I've heard good things about. Let's see if they make an impact for this time next year....
There's one more theatre show to come in this list, and if you've spoken to me at all about theatre in the second half of this year you'll know what it is already....
So I've had a whine about how ordinary I found the Manchester theatre scene this year, and I've made my case for my theatrical highlight. Except that it wasn't, quite; because as much as I love big, serious and challenging theatre and wish there was some in Manchester more than once a year, my theatrical highlight in the city last year was off the scale as far as entertainment went.
Billy, The Monster and Me! was frankly the most enjoyable time I've spent in front of a stage all year. Energetic, charming, genuinely funny and heartfelt. Watching it with friends helped, but in fact we were all friends five minutes into the story. The image of Gramps asleep in the chair, the monster scoffing- aww, I can't give too much away.....
Because you too have a chance to be a member of Team Billy! Get yourself along to rePlay at the Lowry later in January; I promise you it's a real treat. Anything that can keep me and a bunch of kids entranced must be doing something right.
While I'm at it, you should also check out The Man Who Woke Up Dead, which gets an honourable mention; seeing this piece develop earlier in the year was fascinating and while at the time I wasn't sure if the final show quite lived up to the initial potential, it was a stylish and intriguing story brilliantly produced and performed, and probably the only other show I saw on the local fringe that genuinely felt like a worthwhile way to spend time. Further development can only have improved it in the meantime. Both this and Billy are at rePlay.
http://www.thelowry.com/events/tag/replay%20festival
And of course I didn't see everything; on my list are One Hand Clapping and Lunch, both of which I've heard good things about. Let's see if they make an impact for this time next year....
There's one more theatre show to come in this list, and if you've spoken to me at all about theatre in the second half of this year you'll know what it is already....
Monday, 30 December 2013
Day six, the meat course
Theatre. Where to begin?
Honestly? I've been really uninspired by virtually everything I've seen this year, especially from the main houses. Not that I've seen nearly everything (you may be surprised to hear), and I'm sure I've missed some gems. But what I have seen has been at best competent, at worst abysmal. So it hasn't been difficult to recognise what I've felt to be the highlights.
I very much enjoyed Dickie Beau at the Contact Theatre in Lost in Trans, thoughtful and challenging with powerful imagery that has remained in my imagination probably more than anything else I've seen this year, and I would certainly been keen to see his work develop in the future.
But my highlight for today is The Old Woman at the Palace Theatre, which was engaging and riveting and provoking unlike anything else I've seen this year. It demonstrated that stories are not always straightforward and that life isn't always easy to comprehend, but that your heart can be broken by the opening of an imaginary book.
It wasn't original and didn't altogether work, it was the sort of theatre that if seen on the London stage would have garnered a few admiring nods, it didn't break any boundaries of theatre practise or historical convention, but it was an imaginative show that with absolute honesty took no prisoners and sometimes all you want from a show is to emerge feeling satisfied or fired up with enthusiasm for the world. This show did that for me, and I appreciated seeing it on a big Manchester stage. Personally I didn't think it was 'brave' (whatever that means), but I get the feeling that Mancunian audiences weren't as captivated as I was. I'm guessing it wasn't a box office hit. Artistically it was honest, which is all I really want from my theatre, while taking me into a new realm, which is what I love to get from theatre and yet happens so very very rarely.
That said, there are a few other theatrical moments to come in my #12days, and I'd love to know what you think, feel free to comment, challenge or tell me what I missed....
Honestly? I've been really uninspired by virtually everything I've seen this year, especially from the main houses. Not that I've seen nearly everything (you may be surprised to hear), and I'm sure I've missed some gems. But what I have seen has been at best competent, at worst abysmal. So it hasn't been difficult to recognise what I've felt to be the highlights.
I very much enjoyed Dickie Beau at the Contact Theatre in Lost in Trans, thoughtful and challenging with powerful imagery that has remained in my imagination probably more than anything else I've seen this year, and I would certainly been keen to see his work develop in the future.
But my highlight for today is The Old Woman at the Palace Theatre, which was engaging and riveting and provoking unlike anything else I've seen this year. It demonstrated that stories are not always straightforward and that life isn't always easy to comprehend, but that your heart can be broken by the opening of an imaginary book.
It wasn't original and didn't altogether work, it was the sort of theatre that if seen on the London stage would have garnered a few admiring nods, it didn't break any boundaries of theatre practise or historical convention, but it was an imaginative show that with absolute honesty took no prisoners and sometimes all you want from a show is to emerge feeling satisfied or fired up with enthusiasm for the world. This show did that for me, and I appreciated seeing it on a big Manchester stage. Personally I didn't think it was 'brave' (whatever that means), but I get the feeling that Mancunian audiences weren't as captivated as I was. I'm guessing it wasn't a box office hit. Artistically it was honest, which is all I really want from my theatre, while taking me into a new realm, which is what I love to get from theatre and yet happens so very very rarely.
That said, there are a few other theatrical moments to come in my #12days, and I'd love to know what you think, feel free to comment, challenge or tell me what I missed....
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