tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2136889687311092972023-11-15T19:34:17.014-08:00Forest FringeA space for risk and experimentation at the Edinburgh Festival and beyond.Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-85566648351152109652010-08-02T12:43:00.000-07:002010-08-02T12:49:07.680-07:00We have moved!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/64015728_19e34ace8d.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/64015728_19e34ace8d.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Thanks to everyone who's followed what we have to say for ourselves here in the bustling online metropolis of blogspot. It's been delightful.<div><br /></div><div>Now that our <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/">beautiful new website</a> is finished and online we've moved the whole blog operation over there. <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/about-us/blog/">You can find the blog here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>So update your RSS feeds and take a moment to join our own miniature online community, via our social networking forum - where you can leave your own posts, start groups and debates and hopefully find yourself ever more involved in the world of Forest Fringe.</div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-21046481580060850052010-07-28T12:06:00.000-07:002010-07-28T12:13:34.887-07:00William Shatner Karaoke: Now open for 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thephilter.com/oldimages/william-shatner-kidney-stone.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 304px;" src="http://thephilter.com/oldimages/william-shatner-kidney-stone.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">fig. 1 William Shatner, ready to blast you with his love machine</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So you may well have started to hear rumours of this mythic spectacular called <i>William Shatner Karaoke</i>. Well, if you want in, the time has come to lay down your cards, cross the line, and do all the other things that historically designate that you want to be involved. </div><div><br /></div><div>But first, the preamble. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>What is William Shatner Karaoke?</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Way back when in the mists of time Forest Fringe co-director Debbie Pearson was almost unhealthily fixated on the musical oeuvre that one-time Sci-fi embarrassment and latter-day post-ironic superstar William Shatner was busily carving for himself. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>If you haven't had the opportunity to experience the musical stylings of The Man the kids call Shat, then let us illuminate you:</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Shatner takes a popular song.</i></div><div><i>Shatner transforms popular song into an evisceratingly earnest monologue, to a gentle instrumental backing of the original songs melody</i></div><div><i>Shatner delivers said monologue clutching a cigarette a speaking straight to camera.</i></div><div><i>The world looks on aghast/amazed. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Here's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN3MGN899yE">one example</a>. Here <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0GAjK64VZg">another</a>. Here, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWOmHUvKBw">my very favourite</a>.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>In thrall to this spectacular act of re-interpretation, Debbie coined the idea of William Shatner Karaoke. An opportunity for all of us to treat some classic songs with the kind of painfully serious monologuing they never asked for or expected.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>A legend was born.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Flash forward several years...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>On Monday 9th August, as part of our night of music and performance at Forest Fringe from 11pm onwards, we are going to host William Shatner Karaoke in public for the very first time, with live musical accompaniment from the good, good people of <a href="http://www.littlebulbtheatre.com/">Little Bulb Theatre</a>.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>So here's what you need to do to be involved:</div><div><br /></div><div>1) Choose a song.</div><div>2) In the comments or via email to andy[at]forestfringe.co.uk, leave us the name of that song and your own name, and any accompanying notes you might want us to have.</div><div>3) Turn up on the night ready to deliver that song to camera as a totally earnest spoken word monologue. </div><div>4) You do not need to deliver it in the style of William Shatner, in fact, you should almost definitely find your own style for it.</div><div>5) We'll provide musical accompaniment and a live video feed projected on a giant screen behind you. </div><div>6) Try and bring the lyrics along with you though we will also endeavour to supply them ourselves.</div><div>7) We'll also try and have some extra spots for people to join in on the night.</div><div><br /></div><div>AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please also note that if this proves spectacularly popular two things will definitely happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>1) We won't be able to get round to everybody's song.</div><div>2) It will make a return at our closing party on the 21st August. </div><div><br /></div><div>Right. Good luck. Get suggesting. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Let us boldly go where none of us have dared go before. </b></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-42787023114309791322010-07-27T03:58:00.000-07:002010-07-27T04:10:23.526-07:00A Festival of Secrets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdLnqfkvl_tmjl5v6AvSC_htnaIcZWS6C3aATcORBX_jkcIXc40mPP5WKYAa2uKD1gepTj08GPpxmeOvx4juc4KLb8f4eDjPZNYlfVkXoZhw0aOioZAnZBsbX9161uO8wH6hLMXep6V0N/s1600/Action+Hero+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdLnqfkvl_tmjl5v6AvSC_htnaIcZWS6C3aATcORBX_jkcIXc40mPP5WKYAa2uKD1gepTj08GPpxmeOvx4juc4KLb8f4eDjPZNYlfVkXoZhw0aOioZAnZBsbX9161uO8wH6hLMXep6V0N/s400/Action+Hero+1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498541711356984226" /></a><br /><div>Not satisfied with the four miniature festivals we've already put together for you we've decided to add another...</div><div><br /></div><div>As is almost always the way we've had an incredible last minute rush of exciting little projects and experiments that we've decided to smuggle into our programme, all of which we've decided to gather together under the banner of a <i>Festival of Secrets</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>We can't yet tell you where and when, or even what, these may be, but keep a track of us on twitter, facebook and by dropping into the venue and you'll find out how you can experience some secret projects by the following artists:</div><div><br /></div><div>Action Hero</div><div>Chris Thorpe</div><div>Nigel Barrett and Louise Mari of SHUNT</div><div>Kindle Theatre</div><div>Charlotte Jarvis</div><div>Ryan Van Winkle</div><div>Jo Bannon</div><div><br /></div><div>Just two weeks to go now. Let the good times roll... </div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-2690291278108264812010-07-27T03:49:00.000-07:002010-07-27T03:57:51.648-07:00Online Reservations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RaQYhpksatNwntnae3W0AziR1jlwN-_DF96TEXJj1wBFp8QaHJiHkHfproHxZ1ompoYMY-hjDWxZJXF9TadMRz0bQlR-NONhdZqo2HkxD3dwFHkM3krWyhJuI6fs58XA8cwmz7PQuTVX/s1600/Tania+El+Khoury.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-RaQYhpksatNwntnae3W0AziR1jlwN-_DF96TEXJj1wBFp8QaHJiHkHfproHxZ1ompoYMY-hjDWxZJXF9TadMRz0bQlR-NONhdZqo2HkxD3dwFHkM3krWyhJuI6fs58XA8cwmz7PQuTVX/s400/Tania+El+Khoury.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498538392875692242" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>We're delighted to be able to let you know that for the first time ever this year you can book reservations for Forest Fringe shows online, in advance of the festival, thanks to the lovely people at <a href="http://uk.brownpapertickets.com/">Brown Paper Tickets</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>They've helped us to set up a special page where you can reserve a place for any of the shows taking place in our main hall and a number of the off-site projects we're running as well. To have a look around and make some bookings <a href="http://uk.brownpapertickets.com/producer/22978">go here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully this means that if you're the kind of person that likes to be able to plan everything out in advance you can now do so. If however you enjoy being able to roll up to Forest Fringe five minutes before a show is starting and just jump in, don't worry as we'll be making sure we still have plenty of space available on the door.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also note that you don't need to book for anything happening in our <i>Festival of Ideas</i> between 12pm and 5pm every day or any of our late night performance events running after 11pm. For all those projects you're free to drop in and out whenever you like. </div><div><br /></div><div>And, of course, all the shows and events you'll find with us are all still totally free. </div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-86431237391700921092010-07-13T05:01:00.000-07:002010-07-13T05:02:26.139-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFikwltT5245hredvjQ4AKqob7uMdxq44iRGxf1QhfAa-ph7dgcZfYrYaIN6_DIBlORh07yzS8XATOcf9B9ng9vwe46FV63KH5qzBcxH-Q0Tvl-eh5nF-RAYuvxMutOfnYzuL6JLVOx7w9/s1600/E-Flyer+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFikwltT5245hredvjQ4AKqob7uMdxq44iRGxf1QhfAa-ph7dgcZfYrYaIN6_DIBlORh07yzS8XATOcf9B9ng9vwe46FV63KH5qzBcxH-Q0Tvl-eh5nF-RAYuvxMutOfnYzuL6JLVOx7w9/s400/E-Flyer+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493359961272266658" /></a>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-6202650510216935752010-07-04T09:03:00.001-07:002010-07-04T09:45:24.193-07:00Making Days and Manifestos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbKXF_61YMtAsIghnr4DbEpliH-Ec6SiUS54oI43OAkC7PFzQaZPNeW5MclegZPBf2zxHnl8VnPZLUp2_ux0kHRFmXOm2-RbMGdf-bPo08HGzlB5WEBvoCVZwXb93hlBGPvGx2Hgh5oek/s1600/FOREST_FRINGE_@_BAC_104.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbKXF_61YMtAsIghnr4DbEpliH-Ec6SiUS54oI43OAkC7PFzQaZPNeW5MclegZPBf2zxHnl8VnPZLUp2_ux0kHRFmXOm2-RbMGdf-bPo08HGzlB5WEBvoCVZwXb93hlBGPvGx2Hgh5oek/s400/FOREST_FRINGE_@_BAC_104.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490092502473548434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(Melanie Wilson at the Forest Fringe Microfestival at BAC, image by Ludovic Des Cognets)</span></div><i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div>This is a call for all the artists and actors and makers and doers who are thinking of heading to Edinburgh this summer. This is a chance to do something different with your time whilst you're there. </i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>We wanted you to be able come together during the festival and make something new. To learn from some incredible artists. To be fired up and inspired. To leave Edinburgh with a new project, new collaborators and a different way of thinking about theatre. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>To that end, we have two projects for you:</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Forest Fringe's Making Days</b></div><div><i>13, 19 & 21 August 2010</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to the support of the lovely people at the <a href="http://www.jerwoodfoundation.org/">Jerwood Charitable Foundation</a> we've been able to bring together an eye-wateringly exciting collection of artists to help us with a new project we're calling the <b><i>Forest Fringe Making Days</i></b>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Part scratch, part workshop, part discussion, each making day is a chance for a group of artists to explore a different way of making live performance. Beginning at 10am, over the course of each day you'll create a new piece, something very raw and new in which hopefully will be the seeds not just of a new future project but of a broader understand of a whole way of making theatre. Spread over the course of the festival we'll have three of these making days, each led by two incredible artists:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Friday 13 August - Audio Performance</b>: A chance to explore the diverse possibilities of<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>making audio work, experienced via headphones, led by Duncan Speakman and Melanie<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wilson.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thursday 19 August - Intimate Performance</b>: A day spent looking at the kind of <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>intimate relationships that theatre can create between artists and performers, led by Adrian <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Howells and Deborah Pearson.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Saturday 21 August - Site-specific Performance</b>: A day for exploring how <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>performance can be site-specific and what that might mean for the relationship between a <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>place and what we make of it, led by Grid Iron's Ben Harrison and Geraldine Pilgrim. </div><div><br /></div><div>Each day will finish with a sharing where an audience can experience the result of your day's work, followed by an informal discussion involving artists, audience and anyone else who might be interested. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Making Days are, like everything at Forest Fringe, a totally free opportunity. If you're interested in being involved please email <b>andy[at]forestfringe.co.uk</b> with a brief description of who you are and why you're interested. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>There is unfortunately a very limited amount of space for each day. You don't need to have any prior experience in any of this kind of work to take part but if you could let us know why you're interested that will help us try and make the very tricky decision as to who can be involved. For the same reason we'd appreciate if people could apply for no more than two of the Making Days and state which of those two they are most interested in. </i></div><div><br /></div><div></div><span><span><b>Take This Longing:A DIY project by Simon Bowes</b></span></span><div><span><span><i>20-22 August, 2010</i></span></span></div><div><span><span><br />For a weekend, outside Edinburgh, off from the Fringe, we will encourage each other. Participants will negotiate between themselves (and then name) an achievable outcome – a project for the future – enriching our various practices and creating a point of convergence between us. Together we will identify needs, wants, and frivolous wishes and aim, somehow, to fulfill them. We might discover common ground or shared need (or we might discover we have nothing in common). Whichever the case, we will find a way to agree on what needs to be done. We may end up calling this “a project”, a practice”, “an ethos” or “a movement”. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"></span></div></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>For more information please have a look <a href="http://www.thisisliveart.co.uk/prof_dev/diy/diy7_simon_bowes.html">here</a>.</span></span></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-24364216535016793342010-07-02T04:29:00.000-07:002010-07-04T11:28:28.915-07:00Forest Fringe 2010 Part 4: A Festival of Experiences<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigraT8mdvBC8QkjpPQ2PhmHKs-1eytdtzrEvf88nRXHM4poYZCL8p481XE1xKHXLYUQlD7XZaKeCfPs38Z1bIkDGeQ-7nmz1FM7EZdhW-S7E8uBlAbp2WHFmrnvIBS8SJQZTv_MJlFiqnX/s1600/Stoke+Newington+Airport.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigraT8mdvBC8QkjpPQ2PhmHKs-1eytdtzrEvf88nRXHM4poYZCL8p481XE1xKHXLYUQlD7XZaKeCfPs38Z1bIkDGeQ-7nmz1FM7EZdhW-S7E8uBlAbp2WHFmrnvIBS8SJQZTv_MJlFiqnX/s400/Stoke+Newington+Airport.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489307142687518802" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(STK International, image by Briony Campbell)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The reason Forest Fringe is able to exist at all in Edinburgh is thanks to the people at the Forest Café. It was they who first invited Debbie to use their beautiful upstairs space to create a performance programme for Edinburgh and their involvement with Forest Fringe continues to be one of the main things that gives our place its character.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Every day during the festival when we finish at 10 the hall becomes home to a series of incredible music nights and parties hosted by The Forest café. This year they are going to be particularly spectacular as it’s the Forest’s 10 year anniversary – a pretty incredible lifespan in the face of an ever-changing and city. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>After experimenting last year with hosting a couple of these parties ourselves as, including a legendary night of STK International’s Live Art Speed Dating, this year the Forest have given us the chance to programme a whole series of late night events across the festival. Come along on any of these nights for a delirious cocktail of performance, music, film, unusual encounters, strange experiences and general good times. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><b>DETAILS</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>LoveSong (a night of music and performance hosted by Forest Fringe)</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 August, from 11.30pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Live performance and live music bleed into each other in unexpected ways. Hosted by Little Bulb Theatre, you’ll get a chance to experience music from Over the Wall and our house band The Suitcase Royale alongside hidden experiences with artists including Brian Lobel. There’s also an opportunity to play Forest Fringe’s very own William Shatner Karaoke, with live accompaniment from the lovely folk at Little Bulb. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>MoveyHouse (a night of film and performance hosted by Forest Fringe)</b></div><div><i>Tuesday 10 August, from 11.30pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>A chance for artists to have a meddle with cinema and see what they come up with. Featuring an audio-visual set from Fiona Soe Paing, Andy Field’s participatory happening Moveyhouse and a secret video installation by Charlotte Jarvis, plus another set from our delightful house band The Suitcase Royale. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cruising for Art (Brian Lobel and special guests)</b></div><div><i>Wednesday 11 August, from 11pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>A night of queer delectations. Grab a hankie, cruise the hall, and have an intimate encounter with a stranger. Your smile or wink will start a wild journey, a tender moment, or an intimate conversation. 'Cruising for Art' celebrates a history of cottaging and similar activities in public spaces and includes one-on-one performances with some of the UK's most exciting performers. Punctuated by cabaret acts and gently led by our delicious djs, 'Cruising for Art' will be a night to remember.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ping Pong Quiz Show (STK International)</b></div><div><i>Monday 16 August, from 11pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Following last year’s incredible Live Art Speed Dating, the boys from Stoke Newington return to Forest Fringe with another new project. </div><div> </div><div><div>Hosted by a disgraced ex-primetime TV show host, an over the hill regional ping pong champion [U16] and held together by the adjudicator/lovely assistant, Ping Pong Quiz Show is a game show style quiz and tournament where teams pit their wits and ping pong skills against each other in a dazzling array of challenges. Part Satirical Show, part absurdist parlour game, the evening rounds off with a full on ping pong tournament and some dancing. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>My Time (BAC Young Producers)</b></div><div><i>Saturday 21 August, from 11.30pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>To say goodbye to Forest Fringe for another year we’re giving the space over to BAC’s delightful and inspiring young producers, all aged between 16-20. There’ll be programming events and encounters across the building, along with music and partying to celebrate the end of another year in Edinburgh. </div><div><br /></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-13768748500463366392010-06-30T16:16:00.000-07:002010-07-29T03:11:33.895-07:00Forest Fringe 2010 Part 3: A Festival of Adventures<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebdX3GlxlhTM1l1BPzTTOSBHNgCEP6LaZKQ0o2QaHUeCB_chRQPWZenFj3EquklHvKA2gIwIEFGFPJqw7_ilVyAZF5yWaGqsS5ymn4wdRUbFzQZ3DQ40Go1uLZxVmXPHj31heXks-E8Fw/s1600/James+Baker.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebdX3GlxlhTM1l1BPzTTOSBHNgCEP6LaZKQ0o2QaHUeCB_chRQPWZenFj3EquklHvKA2gIwIEFGFPJqw7_ilVyAZF5yWaGqsS5ymn4wdRUbFzQZ3DQ40Go1uLZxVmXPHj31heXks-E8Fw/s400/James+Baker.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488711076351514914" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(James Baker, <i>30 Days to Space</i>)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><i>We like the unlikely places in which live performance can make a home for itself. The strange encounters you might discover in tiny rooms or on park benches, in grand cinemas and cramped video stores. We like the ways we find to look at the things around us in a different way.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>These are projects that will take you somewhere unusual. Some of them are scattered across Edinburgh, others are hidden in corners of our own building. Some happen only once or twice, others are repeated throughout the day, and others are available whenever you want or need them. Come down to Forest Fringe and you can guarantee there’ll always be some miniature experience to be unravelled. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Regardless of where you’ll end up, all these events will begin at Forest Fringe. You’ll then be guided by us to wherever you need to be. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><b>DETAILS</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>every minute, always - Melanie Wilson & Abigail Conway</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 – Saturday 14 August, 4pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>every minute, always is a headphones performance taking place in the main auditorium of the Filmhouse cinema on Lothian road, created for two people to encounter together. From the intimate, low-lit vantage of the cinema seat, the participant is guided by the voice of the narrator into a rich and sonically transporting world of cinematic perspective. </div><div><br /></div><div>PLEASE NOTE: This is a performance for pairs. You must register for this performance with another person.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Away Into the Night – Sarah Hopfinger</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 & Tuesday 10 August, 6pm & 8pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Away Into The Night is a new performance that investigates the question: How do we say goodbye? For a small audience at a time, this personal and participatory piece asks us to remember in order to move forwards into an unknown future with hope.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Like You Were Before – Deborah Pearson</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 – Saturday 21 August (not 14), 10pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Debbie will take you on a journey through time but she can only access her own time and she can only access it through a video. The video never changes, but she does. An intimate performance in Alphabet Video in Marchmont, Debbie’s old place of work.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>DEDOMEGAMIX – Richard Dedomenici</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 – Saturday 21 August, all day</i></div><div><br /></div><div>To commemorate the looming tenth anniversary of his leaving art school, Richard DeDomenici forensically reexamines the first decade of his creative output and draws some damning conclusions. In what is described both as a groundbreaking challenge to the existing Fringe venue status quo, and a pragmatic austerity measure, DeDomenici intends to perform DEDOMEGAMIX in a small portable tent, which he stubbornly refers to as a ‘Pop-Up Nomadic/Boutique Autonomous Microvenue’. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jarideh - Tania El Khoury</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 – Friday 13 August, all day</i></div><div><br /></div><div>A secret encounter and a suspicious one on one performance. It is inspired by both crime films and real events such as the Metropolitan Police’s terrorism awareness and operations made in the past by women fighters in the Lebanese resistance.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Bench – Ant Hampton (Rotozaza) and Glen Neath </b></div><div><i>Monday 9 – Saturday 21 August, all day</i></div><div><br /></div><div>In the same vein as Rotozaza’s internationally successful ‘autoteatro’ work, 'Etiquette', TheBench invites two audience / participators to respond to instructions given via headphones, but with some significant differences...- they are outside, on a bench and, they don't know each other.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>30 Days to Space - James Baker</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 - Saturday 21, all day</i></div><div><br /></div><div><i></i>I want to become an astronaut. I want to get to Space. Space (as defined by NASA) is 50 miles up from the Earth’s surface. That sounds doable. By climbing a 6ft ladder 1467 times each day for 30 continuous days I will eventually reach a height of 50 miles; space. Each climb of the 6ft ladder will be marked by drawing a chalk star onto the wall. </div><div><i><b><span style="font-family:Arial;mso-fareast- mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:SimSun;font-size:9.0pt;color:black;"></span></b></i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>As if it were the last time: A subtlemob – Duncan Speakman</b></div><div><i>Friday 13 August, 7pm</i></div><div></div><span><span><br />'as if it were the last time' invites you to take part in a secret event this August.<br />You've seen the people freeze in train stations and the mass pillow fights, well this will be a more invisible experience, like walking through a film.</span></span><div><span><span><br />To take part in this event register in advance at <a href="http://subtlemob.com/">http://subtlemob.com</a> and you'll be invited to download an MP3 and turn up at a secret location to listen to the soundtrack at a specified time.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><span><span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>When We Meet Again (introduced as friends) - Me & The Machine</b></div><div><i>Monday 16 – Friday 20 August, all day (till 8pm)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>When We Meet Again is a wearable film and a one to one sensorial performance featuring you, your invisible friend, a 3D soundtrack and an old forgotten dance, an ocean, a flavour and me. Video filmed from a first person perspective and played on video goggles replaces your point of view by that one of a film character.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>This is just to Say – Hannah Walker</b></div><div><i>Monday 16 – Friday 20 August, 5pm & 9pm</i></div><div><br /></div><div>This is just to say is… a conversation with poems in it. It’s about manipulation, Britishness, love and winning. This is just to say… is smudging its make-up, buying you bouquets and screening your calls. This is just to say… is an intimate audience piece set around a table. Pull up a chair and drink some wine.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>It’s Like He’s Knocking – Leo Kay</b></div><div><i>Tuesday 17 & Wednesday 18 August, 6pm and Thursday 19 August, 4pm</i></div><div></div></div><span><span><br />A stripped back performance incorporating storytelling, dance theatre and afro Brazillian percussion, set in the intimacy of a bedsit. A collage of moments taken from the lives of three generations of men. Drink a toast to loved ones, bet on some cards and close your eyes to remember your past.</span></span><div><span><span><br />Audience capacity 12.</span></span><div><span><span></span></span><div><br /></div></div></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-37987555076076079232010-06-24T07:22:00.000-07:002010-07-06T16:55:20.019-07:00Forest Fringe 2010 Part 2: A Festival of Ideas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYB2vEEI7ZNOk3jvqtA74WdtjhJSnzh8AxhmqNj8-pZcSQcdHtU4t3v4FkWSZChb7pSI1QkH2oR-fYqth0skHnn5UejBebIT4yZDLKiGXKzJTACscZ-hQHwcG18XO2v9tZRwT6z3NqqK-/s1600/Search+Party.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYB2vEEI7ZNOk3jvqtA74WdtjhJSnzh8AxhmqNj8-pZcSQcdHtU4t3v4FkWSZChb7pSI1QkH2oR-fYqth0skHnn5UejBebIT4yZDLKiGXKzJTACscZ-hQHwcG18XO2v9tZRwT6z3NqqK-/s400/Search+Party.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486348465684719714" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(Search Party <i>Growing Old With You. </i>Image by Finlay Robertson)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><i>From 5pm every afternoon Forest Fringe will once again have the kind of brilliantly diverse line-up of works-in-progress and unusual performances that people have come to know over the last few years. We’re delighted with this year’s group of artists – some who we’ve worked with before but many others we haven’t, but all of whom make things in a brilliantly unique and fascinating way. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>If there’s any theme running through all of this work it is perhaps, like the whole festival, one of reflection. Whether it’s Polarbear reflecting on where he’s from, or Dylan Tighe and Kieran Hurley reflecting on where they’re going, Search Party thinking about growing old together, or Tinned Fingers thinking about falling in love, everyone seems to be looking again at our everyday experience of the world. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Maybe at a time of irresistible globalisation, of epic international crises broadcast on 24 hour news, we need to begin here – by thinking about the politics and the meaning embedded in how we live our own lives day by day; in how we understand our relationship to each other and to the world around us. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><i><b>DETAILS</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chip – Glas(s) Performance</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 & Tuesday 10 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a show about fathers and daughters that stems from the real life experience of Jess Thorpe and Tim Thorpe. ‘Fabulously life-affirming and beautifully-structured’ **** The Scotsman</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Journey to the End of the Night – Dylan Tighe</b></div><div><i>Tuesday 10 – Friday 13 August (with a special show on Sunday 15) </i></div><div><br /></div><div>A solo performance based on Dylan Tighe’s personal diary written on the Trans-Mongolian Express from Beijing to Moscow, spanning five time zones and two continents. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hitch – Kieran Hurley</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 – Friday 13 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Kieran Hurley recounts his journey across Europe to the G8 summit protests in this intimate and uplifting one-man show, with live music from Over The Wall.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Two Trillion – Fish & Game</b></div><div><i>Monday 9 & Tuesday 10 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div>There are many creatures in this world, and I am one trillion of them.</div><div>Glasgow’s Fish & Game take it right back for this new performance – back to basics, back to nature, and all the way back down to the trillions of cells that make up their bodies – real old skool. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Never Park Your Body in a Wadi (Working Title) – Tom, John & Len Frankland</b></div><div><i>Wednesday 11, Thursday 12, Monday 16 & Tuesday 17 August</i></div><div></div><span><span><br />A show created by three generations of the same family about being a man, the twentieth century, fathers and sons and cowboys and indians...</span></span><div><br /></div><div><b>Return – Polarbear</b></div><div><i>Wedesnday 11 – Friday 13 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Return</i> tells the story of Noah, a man trying to figure out where he fits. Convinced he had to leave home in order to make his mark, Noah returns to find a world where a lot of things seem the same but nothing actually is.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Doris Day can Fuck Off – Greg McLaren</b></div><div><i>Monday 16 & Tuesday 17 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Greg McLaren has been singing in the street. Where he would talk, he has sang. This has resulted in many hilarious encounters. But it has also resulted in a feeling of isolation and rejection. The problem with singing is that it is too heady a means of communication when buying stamps or a bun, or trying to change details with the gas man.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Last Romance Club (ever) – Tinned Fingers</b></div><div><i>Monday 16 – Friday 20 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div>We are hopeful. We are looking for love. We want to get lucky. We want to serenade you outside your window at night. We want to give you our last rolo. We can't sing but, for you, we'll try.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>“I Belong to this Band!” (work-in-progress) – Kings of England and others</b></div><div><i>Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div> “I Belong to This Band!” uses live/performance art to explore folk traditions. We are doing R&D residencies and Scratch showings, making songs and dances, before a Rural Tour of Great Britain 2011/12.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Growing Old With You (work-in-progress) - Search Party</b></div><div><i>Wednesday 18 – Friday 20 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Growing Old With You is a life long performance project which attempts to document lived experience in real time. Starting in 2010 and for every 5 (or so) years for the rest of their lives Search Party will create a performance exploring ideas of age, duality and accumulation. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Senior Moments – Kristin Fredricksson (Beady Eye) & Robert Vesty (Box Social)</b></div><div><i>Friday 20 August</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Kristin Fredricksson (Beady Eye) & Rob Vesty (Box Social) spend a week in the run-up to each Senior Moments performance during which they meet & recruit older people. They go to bingo halls, housing estates, community groups, shopping centres and Bridge clubs to enlist up to 40 participants aged 65 and over. </div><div><br /></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-55044241890377442452010-06-24T05:11:00.000-07:002010-07-13T05:15:38.866-07:00Forest Fringe 2010 Part 1: A Festival of Thoughts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1090/4604616651_061e1c6d42.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1090/4604616651_061e1c6d42.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(H Plewis' <i>Cabinet of Ideas</i>. Image by Finlay Robertson)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>For some time at Forest Fringe we’ve been dreaming of a different kind of space for Edinburgh. We imagined a room that was always open, that you could drop in and out of as you pleased. A place where something would always be happening. A place where you could slip away briefly from the mayhem of the city and experience a miniature encounter that transforms your day, or where you could stay for hours – meeting people, talking, sharing, feeling at home. We wanted people to know, as they squeezed their way through the festival, that there was always somewhere they could return to, to rest and think and maybe experience something remarkable.</i></div><i><br />This year, thanks to the support of the <a href="http://www.jerwoodfoundation.org/">Jerwood Charitable Foundation</a>, for the first time we’re going to be able to try this out. It’s another new experiment and we’ve asked a whole range of folk to help us realise it, from brilliant organisations such as Artsadmin and Residence to artists like Third Angel, H Plewis and Non Zero One. We also hope that you’ll all offer your thoughts and ideas and help us as we try and build something new.<br /><br />So how will it work?<br /><br /><b>Between 12pm and 5pm every day there’ll be something happening to engage with</b>. Miniature encounters, conversations, inspiration exchanges, living archives and sound libraries. Things you can alight upon fleetingly or devote your whole day to. </i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>--</i></div><div><i><b>DETAILS</b></i></div><div><i><b></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></b></i><div><br /><b>Forest Fringe Microfestivals: Reminiscences and Restagings<br /></b><i>Monday 9 & Tuesday 10<br /></i><br />This year we’ve been travelling around the country finding ways of generating some of the unpredictability and experimentation of Forest Fringe in Edinburgh to new spaces and new audiences. This is a chance for you to find out about that adventure and experience some of the projects that came out of it, including work by Brian Lobel, Little Bulb Theatre, Shellshock Theatre and Stadium Rock. Drop by and see what we’ve been up to and help us start dreaming and planning for where we go next.<br /><br /><b>Future Editions - A collaboration between Artsadmin and Forest Fringe<br /></b><i>Wednesday 11 & Thursday 12 August<br /></i><br />An interactive archive of visions, involving a dizzying array of people from across Edinburgh and beyond. A chance to find yourself in the most surprising and inspiring of conversations, sharing somebody's dream of the future. More details coming very soon.<br /><br /><b>Hold Hands / Lock Horns (Non Zero One)<br /></b><i>Thursday 12 & Friday 13<br /></i><br />Join in / pass up; stick / twist; follow / lead; win a friend / gain an enemy.<br />Non zero one have some decisions for you to make. You do want the choice, don't you?<br /><br /><b>Residence <i>in Residence</i><br /></b><i>Sunday 15<br /></i><br />Residence are a loose collective of artists and companies based in Bristol who we’ve worked with regularly over the last few years and are generally very inspired by. Their number include Action Hero, Jo Bannon, Tom Marshman and both Tinned Fingers and Search Party who will be performing at Forest Fringe in the week following this event. We wanted to give Residence the opportunity of a space to simply be in residence, with what that might entail left entirely up to them. You can come along at any time and join them, getting yourself embroiled in whatever it is they might be planning.<br /><br /><b>Travelling Sounds Library<br /></b><i>Monday 16 & Tuesday 17<br /></i><br />The Travelling Sounds Library is a wandering collection of audio experiences, captured on MP3 player and hidden inside hollowed out hard back books. A chance to escape from the festival and drift away into somebody else’s world. Featuring Stan’s Café, Blast Theory, Duncan Speakman & Unlimited Theatre, Ian Campbell many more.<br /><br /><b>SLOTORAMA<br /></b>Wednesday 18<br /><br />We wanted to play with the idea of getting yourself a slot in Edinburgh by offering people a chunk of time, stripped of all the proscriptions and baggage normally associated with it. We offered anyone the opportunity to apply for a slot, and indeed the chance to apply is still open. We’ll pick the names randomly out of a hat and those selected will be given an entirely free hour in which to do whatever they want – put on a show, have a rehearsal, hold a discussion or just sit and have a think for a while. If you’d like your name in the hat just email andy[at]forestfringe.co.uk.<br /><br /><b>Cabinet of Ideas (H Plewis)<br /></b><i>Thursday 19<br /></i><br />You are invited to buy or sell an idea. Prices range from 1p - £1. Ideas range from the sublime to the ridiculous.<br /><br /><b>Inspiration Exchange<br /></b><i>Friday 20<br /></i><br />Developed out of an original idea by Alex Kelly from Third Angel, the inspiration exchange is an opportunity to hear a beautiful collection of stories detailing what has inspired some Forest Fringe’s artists and friends. In return we also want you to let us know what you’ve inspired by – whether it be a book, or a film, or a drunken conversation at 2 in the morning. Featuring Alex Kelly, James Stenhouse of Action Hero, Forest Fringe’s Deborah Pearson and Laura McDermott, joint artistic director of Fierce Festival, Birmingham.<br /><br /><b>What I Heard About the World: Research Map (Third Angel &<span><span> mala voadora</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-weight: normal; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"></span>)<br /></b><i>Saturday 21<br /></i><br />Created out of Forest Fringe’s Microfestival in Glasgow as part of the development process for their new piece What I Heard About the World, this project is a 12 hour durational performance by Third Angel and Lisbon-based mala voadora. Over the course of the day they will attempt to map the world in stories collected from the audience. </div></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-41869495426667495152010-06-21T04:41:00.000-07:002010-06-21T05:06:08.520-07:00Introducing Forest Fringe 2010: A Year of Reflection<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VUTW2PmPdzg2aNQjuJy-J0cx3rOB_abGcO3lW8ZNB08QpeBee0d_5Qv5OVydi6G3ivyQi58uP5xFSqVZrNXyGx7nhgff2forJoKG55Xzr6TYkY80jOk0rj-MYkdc8lU0wf9O9Nddqx35/s1600/About+Us+Image.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VUTW2PmPdzg2aNQjuJy-J0cx3rOB_abGcO3lW8ZNB08QpeBee0d_5Qv5OVydi6G3ivyQi58uP5xFSqVZrNXyGx7nhgff2forJoKG55Xzr6TYkY80jOk0rj-MYkdc8lU0wf9O9Nddqx35/s400/About+Us+Image.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485196874571750338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Image from the Forest Fringe Microfestival, by James Baster</span></div><div><br /></div><div>So yes, we’re probably repeating ourselves, but it’s really been a breathless few years. The way that people have believed in and helped supported us has been incredible and propelled us to places that we never could have imagined being. Now we want to make sure we make the most of that without losing the messy, resourceful, collaborative spirit that got us all here in the first place.</div><div><br /></div><div>We’ve met some impressively inspiring people, listened to a deal of good advice and enjoyed experimenting with some new projects, such as <a href="http://forestfringe.blogspot.com/2010/05/brizzle-and-glazzgo.html">the Microfestivals</a> and the<a href="http://vimeo.com/12348273"> Forest Fringe Travelling Sounds Library</a>. We’ve discovered things that work and things that don’t. </div><div><br /></div><div>We've learnt that maybe the best way of summing up what Forest Fringe does well is to say that we bring people together in ways that make the sum greater than its parts. Opportunities for co-operation and collectivity that mean that out of very little we can create the spectacular and the implausible, benefiting everyone involved. Maybe its flash-mob curating, providing exciting invitations and leaving it up to artists to decide if and when they want to be involved. Maybe it’s just about being a moveable home that people can keep coming back to. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we’ve been doing all this talking and thinking and sharing we’ve been thinking about our home in Edinburgh and realising it’s a shame there isn’t more space for these conversations and collaborations to happen there. Edinburgh is an arts festival that has a bigger and more dizzying array of people involved than any other. Yet every possible cupboard and dungeon and bar is transformed into a venue, meaning anything other than putting on shows is crowded out. And that can be an exhausting experience, especially when all the bars and cafes are overcrowded and overpriced and your flat is a crampt bolthole 40 minutes walk away.</div><div><br /></div><div>The thing we’ve always liked about Edinburgh is that whatever you may think its failings may be, the best possible response is to offer your own alternative. If you build it they will come, as sad-eyed baseball-loving movie star <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_of_Dreams">Kevin Costner</a> once said. So we've decided to try and create our own space for reflecting and catching our breath. We wanted to see how we might build something more than just a venue for putting on shows. After all, people have often said that Forest Fringe felt more like a refuge or a home – we felt we wanted to live up to that. </div><div> </div><div>Far from expanding ever outwards in some ever-accelerating tidal wave of growth, this year we’d try and take the chance to reflect on what we do and how we do it. To experiment with what else we might do. To find space in Edinburgh for things that should happen but at present don’t really seem to, all the while continuing to support artists and put on weird and brilliant shows and experiments in the way we’ve always done. </div><div><br /></div><div>All of which is a kind of long, quite heartfelt but potentially over-earnest way of trying to explain what you’ll get to experience at Forest Fringe this year. And the way we’ve figured out of organising all of this is to give you four miniature festivals in one: </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Forest Fringe 2010: Monday August 9 – Saturday August 21 </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>A festival of thoughts, from 12pm-5pm</i></b><i>, offering a whole range of new and exciting ways for people to gather at Forest Fringe and talk and collaborate and generally be inspired.</i></div><div><i> </i></div><div><b><i>A festival of ideas, from 5pm till 11pm</i></b><i>, showcasing a lovely collection of work by some great artists in the way we’ve always done in the past.</i></div><div><i> </i></div><div><b><i>A festival of experiences, from 11pm till late</i></b><i>, where we’ll transform our space into a series of massive late night parties full of music and art and good times.</i></div><div><i> </i></div><div><i>And </i><b><i>a festival of adventures</i></b><i>, all over the shop, inviting you to head out into the city and explore a range of hidden off-site projects.</i></div><div> </div><div>Lordy. </div><div><br /></div><div>So that’s what we’re up to. In the following few days we’re going to post some more details on exactly what you’ll be able to experience and be a part of in each of these joyous fandangos. But for now we hope you appreciate us trying to explain what it is we’re up to and we definitely appreciate you taking the time to read down to the last but one sentence – good job. </div><div><br /></div><div>These are frightening times and exciting times – let’s see what we can make of them.</div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-65398091416476831592010-06-12T07:40:00.000-07:002010-07-19T12:29:15.357-07:00The Edinburgh Fringe Programme Drinking Game 2010[This post has been removed for the time being. Will explain more in a bit.]Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-91458967913613347722010-06-07T13:02:00.000-07:002010-06-07T13:04:38.486-07:00Forest Opportunities<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurWu1lfZ05eGVu8G9hPEcFPgTjzg5TMDWy23urQSI_ecOf6aZAVpAzYYSQXYZ1VhWAWt6TB9Vt7X1EPJZvAEYDEyfYJaJFtF-0xeQU1bdKiSCUO7GrWxP4lgYwH7hdQCy212sOasRrGZj/s1600/Edinburgh+Opportunities.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurWu1lfZ05eGVu8G9hPEcFPgTjzg5TMDWy23urQSI_ecOf6aZAVpAzYYSQXYZ1VhWAWt6TB9Vt7X1EPJZvAEYDEyfYJaJFtF-0xeQU1bdKiSCUO7GrWxP4lgYwH7hdQCy212sOasRrGZj/s400/Edinburgh+Opportunities.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480125012252124050" /></a>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-12439713689838017752010-05-27T13:21:00.000-07:002010-05-27T13:26:51.971-07:00For your eyes and for your ears<object width="384" height="231"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FlQItYwQxIY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FlQItYwQxIY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="384" height="231"></embed></object><br /><br />A massive thank you to <a href="http://www.hannahnicklin.com/">Hannah Nicklin</a> for making this lovely video.Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-30287110459470042902010-05-14T08:58:00.000-07:002010-05-14T09:33:54.857-07:00Brizzle and Glazzgo<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/view/5936/image/normal6/JamesBaster-Mini-Forest%20Fringe%20Arches%20233.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/view/5926/image/normal6/JamesBaster-Mini-Forest%20Fringe%20Arches%20203.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/view/5901/image/normal6/JamesBaster-Mini-Forest%20Fringe%20Arches%20135.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;">So it's over.</div><div><br /></div><div>After a frantic, breathless, deliriously exhilarating few weeks we are back home from our Microfestival adventure. It's been an incredible experience. We've worked with 60 different artists or companies in 4 cities, with a total audience of over 500 people. We've had installations, one-on-one encounters, rock freakouts, secret games, haunting imaginary cinemas, an attempt at mapping the world in stories, Sir Walter Raleigh, a cabinet of ideas, a library of sounds, a human bird table, a man covered in salt, romance, music, heartbreak, tears, wonder, and in addition to all of that we've just a grand old time of it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you to all the artists and the venues and the volunteers and everyone who has helped make this such a fascinating and brilliant success. </div><div><br /></div><div>We'll be bringing all that's happened together before Edinburgh so people can have a look at what we did but for now here's some links and photographs from Bristol and Glasgow to give you an idea of what went on. If any of you got a chance to come along to any of the four events please do feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments - we'd love to hear them. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>BRISTOL</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>In Bristol we took over the Old Vic for the opening weekend of Mayfest. You can read a lovely review of the event <a href="http://www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/stage-review-forest-fringe-microfest/">here</a>:</div><blockquote><span><span>An evening that really had to be seen to be appreciated, the Forest Fringe was like tumbling down the rabbit hole - initially totally confusing, but once I left my reservations behind, and just gave into the madness. It was a novel, unique and memorable evening. If ever the Fringe crew are back in town, I suggest you leave any expectations of normality at the door and get involved.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 16px; font-family:'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"></span></div><div></div></blockquote><div><span>Or check out Hannah Nicklin's brilliant </span><a href="http://forestfringemicro.tumblr.com/">Microsite</a><span> which she was updating throughout the weekend, as a means for people to keep track of everything going on. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>There's also a beautiful collection of images by Finlay Robertson <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thisisfinlay/sets/72157624054696174/show/">here</a>, some of which are posted below.</span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4604369851_dc4664c296.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Action Hero</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1340/4604587843_8eb923609f.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span></span></span>Peter McMaster</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1330/4605265310_2258f26294.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Search Party</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3360/4604866146_cc94b21537.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Little Bulb</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>GLASGOW</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">In Glasgow we had the whole run of the incredible maze of spaces that make up The Arches. You can read Mary Brennan's truly wonderful review in the Herald <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/stage-visual-arts/forest-fringe-microfestival-arches-glasgow-1.1021782">here</a>:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What was it like?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Like being a kid, let loose in a sweet shop full of tantalising choices... Much better than sweets. You can gorge on Forest Fringe and never get sick, or tired of the flavours.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We also have another lovely collection of photographs, this time by James Baster, <a href="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/">here</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/view/5866/image/normal6/JamesBaster-Mini-Forest%20Fringe%20Arches%20002.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 319px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Abigail Conway</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/view/5901/image/normal6/JamesBaster-Mini-Forest%20Fringe%20Arches%20135.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 319px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The Love Calculator</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/view/5926/image/normal6/JamesBaster-Mini-Forest%20Fringe%20Arches%20203.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 319px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Jenna Watt & Rachel Moffat</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk/TheatreShows/ForestFringeArches2010/view/5936/image/normal6/JamesBaster-Mini-Forest%20Fringe%20Arches%20233.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 319px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Third Angel</span></span></span></span></div></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-31435628936908753082010-04-27T12:06:00.000-07:002010-04-27T12:09:30.511-07:00Live Art Development Agency: DIY 7<div>We’re totally delighted to be working with the <a href="http://www.thisisliveart.co.uk/">Live Art Development Agency</a> on DIY7, the latest incarnation of their innovative artist-to-artist development programme:</div><div><br /></div><div></div><blockquote><div>“DIY is an opportunity for artists working in Live Art to conceive and run unusual training and professional development projects for other artists.</div><div><br /></div><div>We want to hear from you if have an idea for an exciting, innovative and idiosyncratic Live Art professional development project that offers something new and is geared to the eclectic and often unusual needs of artists whose practices are grounded in challenging and unconventional approaches, forms and concepts. </div><div><br /></div><div>DIY 7 builds on the strengths of previous DIY schemes which have proved to be invaluable experiences for project leaders, participants and organisers alike, and this year we are delighted to welcome even more partner organisations on board.”</div></blockquote><div></div><div><br /></div><div>We’re hoping to be hosting one of this year’s DIY projects at Forest Fringe in Edinburgh this summer as part of a whole new strand of projects that challenge us to think about the space we have and Edinburgh as a whole in a totally different way. So if you have even an inkling of an idea for a strange and provocative new development programme for artists that you think might find a home in or around Edinburgh during the festival, please do have a look at the <a href="http://www.thisisliveart.co.uk/prof_dev/diy/diy7_2010_Call.html">Call For Proposals</a>, And feel free to <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/contactus.htm">email us</a> if you have any questions specifically relating to Edinburgh and Forest Fringe. </div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-71944073118493176092010-04-08T04:40:00.000-07:002010-04-08T05:12:09.936-07:00Some reviews of Forest Fringe at BAC<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibq3JTkdCi63X_6JHkNzAEfw1AB7za_-N6R-ye0nXi1uNd7eUMynus0ZbP3t6XuGzCtURGBgDZNpSYCYtedcIGWLTEXb6gaB4FVShIu6qUZYxIOiDf2oHC1FDZM15OHKvebvb2T8l0XNd/s1600/FOREST_FRINGE_@_BAC_407.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAbGvKN3fZlWvQig9R6SY8IttqsSU2eaY58LwQpDO-rJEXYy15khQZHfhw-Rilcnor31rkVQgkD9E2Wh98X3PvajtWbsvItobPnHyutvUKCddcNMLiaAdMf84kuBp472kIaTlEygyqW-x/s1600/FOREST_FRINGE_@_BAC_059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAbGvKN3fZlWvQig9R6SY8IttqsSU2eaY58LwQpDO-rJEXYy15khQZHfhw-Rilcnor31rkVQgkD9E2Wh98X3PvajtWbsvItobPnHyutvUKCddcNMLiaAdMf84kuBp472kIaTlEygyqW-x/s400/FOREST_FRINGE_@_BAC_059.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457737465087733362" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Image by <a href="http://www.ldescognets.com/">Ludovic Des Cognets</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>So like a more benign Frankenstein's Monsters with an affection for Canadian Indie music, the Forest Fringe Microfestivals have finally stumbled blinking out of the laboratory and disappeared over the nearest hill, screaming for someone to love them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Things were wonderful at BAC - manic, exhausting, thick with atmosphere and generosity and everything we could have hoped. Thank you to everyone who came along and the all the artists who were involved and all the volunteers who supported us and helped make them such a special couple of nights. </div><div><br /></div><div>We've had a few lovely review of everything that happened which I just wanted to flag up for you to have a read of.</div><div><br /></div><div>First up <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2010/apr/05/forest-fringe-microfestival-review">Lyn Gardner in the Guardian</a>:</div><div><blockquote>Carpe Minuta Prima is just one of the pieces that form part of the Forest Fringe Microfestival, an offshoot of the successful Edinburgh outfit that has rethought the festival model as an artist-led initiative. Out on tour to four venues in London, Glasgow, Bristol and Swansea, the Microfestival offers a mixture of works-in-progress, intimate experiences and surprises from national and local artists over a pick'n'mix evening of art and entertainment. </blockquote></div><div>Then a lovely four star review from <a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article7090611.ece">Donald Hutera in the Times</a>:</div><div><blockquote>The artist-led producing team known as Forest Fringe has grown into one of the Edinburgh Festival’s brightest success stories. Now the people behind it are taking their loose but loveable brand of theatrical magic on tour...</blockquote></div><div>Also some really thoughtful and interesting personal recollections from <a href="http://www.hannahnicklin.com/2010/04/the-forest-fringe-microfestival/">Hannah Nicklin</a> and <a href="http://www.ayoungertheatre.com/forest-fringe-microfestival/">Jake Orr</a>. Always delightful to see people taking the time to tell their experience of it and a real example of the space for thoughtfulness and expressiveness that the internet and blogging offer. </div><div><br /></div><div>From Hannah:</div><div><blockquote>The microfestival at BAC was a vibrant and buzzing combination of short experiences, fuller scripted pieces, sound work, music, installations and intimate performances. Some of the pieces were more ‘finished’, whilst others just setting out on their first period of R&D. The whole event fitted into the nooks and crannies of the BAC building, and filled the spaces in between with live music and discoveries aplenty – one highlight being the items of clothing dotted around, inviting you to take them in exchange for you’re an item of your own, and it story. Like any good festival, there was more than you could see in one night, and each attendee built their own experience.</blockquote>And Jake:</div><div><blockquote>The Forest Fringe is now on tour! Another remarkable achievement by it’s two co-directors Andy Field and Debbie Pearson, who have now created Forest Fringe Mircofestival – a smaller version taking residence in a number of cities before August in Edinburgh once more. The Microfestival gives the chance for a festival atmosphere to be replicated in various locations, bringing theatre to the people, and above all – a space for creativity and audiences to meet, play and experience.</blockquote>So thank you kindly to all those folk.</div><div><br /></div><div>My own thoughts are mainly that I was delighted by how possible it seemed to recreate the kind of strange and generous atmosphere that we've been able to foster in Edinburgh in other spaces and contexts. People approached all the work and artists with a sense of wanting to understand what they were trying out and why. I loved the atmosphere in the building both nights - the excitement, the conversations that I heard floating round the building. And I loved the way that this diverse collection of pieces were able to sit together as part of a coherent evening - that we had video installations, durational performances, wild experiments, work-in-progresses and everything in between all complementing and supporting each other to make a really diverse, unusual and memorable night. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think there's still work we need to do on how people sign up for the tinier experiences. We want to be able to accommodate things that only have a very limited audience but it's so hard to do so without it becoming a situation where a very limited number of people get to experience them and everyone else feels that they've missed out. Not only is that not fun for the people who feel they've missed a special treat but it's also difficult for the artists themselves as it then builds an anticipation around their performance which can sometimes be quite difficult to overcome if the piece itself is intended simply as something very tiny and very understated. </div><div><br /></div><div>How then to be able to include these things whilst giving everyone at least a chance of getting to see them and ensuring that people who don't aren't too disappointed? A lottery? Just keeping those events completely secret and leading people off at random? Will that frustrate people more? </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a challenge - an exciting and important one and something we're still exploring and experimenting with. I think it's incredible important that we find a context in which these very tiny pieces can be seen by new audiences in different parts of the country, but it has to be the <i>right</i> context and the <i>right</i> experience - for those that see them and those that don't, and of course for the artists. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts and ideas. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks again to everyone who was involved in making it such a memorable and succesful weekend - hopefully we'll see some of you in Glasgow, which is where we're off to next.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibq3JTkdCi63X_6JHkNzAEfw1AB7za_-N6R-ye0nXi1uNd7eUMynus0ZbP3t6XuGzCtURGBgDZNpSYCYtedcIGWLTEXb6gaB4FVShIu6qUZYxIOiDf2oHC1FDZM15OHKvebvb2T8l0XNd/s400/FOREST_FRINGE_@_BAC_407.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457738061679324466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.ldescognets.com/">Ludovic Des Cognets</a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span><span></span></span></span></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-22996948553490268932010-02-26T02:04:00.000-08:002010-03-18T11:01:54.702-07:00To infinity and beyondSo the Microfestivals are now properly go. This is both frightening and deliriously exciting.<div><br /></div><div>Our first stop at BAC on the 2 & 3 April is now all but programmed. We have (deep breath):</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>New work-in-progress shows by <a href="http://www.mapping4d.clara.net/">Mapping4D</a>, <a href="http://www.shunt.co.uk/mischa_twitchin/">Mischa Twitchin</a> and We Belong to This Band! (a new project by Simon Bowes from the incredible <a href="http://bowesandson.blogspot.com/">Kings of England</a>).</li><li>One-on-one encounters involving <a href="http://www.melaniewilson.org.uk/">Melanie Wilson</a>, <a href="http://www.taniaelkhoury.com/">Tania El Khoury</a>, <a href="http://www.iriguchi.co.uk/">Mamoru Iriguchi</a>, <a href="http://www.blobelwarming.com/">Brian Lobel</a> and Emma Benson</li><li>Installations Edinburgh Based <a href="http://www.mynameisxana.co.uk/page3.htm">Stadium Rock</a> and Andy Field</li><li>An Intervention in the form of four posters by <a href="http://timetchells.com/">Tim Etchells</a></li><li>Durational performances by <a href="http://www.billaitchison.co.uk/billaitchison/home.html">Bill Aitchison</a> and <a href="http://www.stkinternational.co.uk/STK/STKINT.html">Stoke Newington International Airport</a></li><li>Intimate performamnces by <a href="http://www.searchpartyperformance.org.uk/">Search Party</a> and <a href="http://lookingforastronauts.wordpress.com/">Andy Field</a></li><li>Forest Fringe's Travelling Sounds Library featuring the work of <a href="http://www.blasttheory.co.uk/bt/index.php">Blast Theory</a>, <a href="http://www.unlimited.org.uk/home/">Unlimited Theatre</a>, <a href="http://www.subjecttochange.org.uk/">Abigail Conway</a> and more.</li><li>And music by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/kieronmaguire">Kieron Maguire</a> (from The Paper Cinema), <a href="http://www.myspace.com/letterstothefront">Letters to the Front</a> and last but never least <a href="http://www.littlebulbtheatre.com/">Little Bulb Theatre</a></li></ul><div>Excited any? WHY YES WE ARE. YES WE ARE A BIT.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/forest-fringe-bac-microfestival/">You can buy tickets here</a>, which you should do soon because they are selling like the hottest of cakes and we'd love to see you all there. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then it's going to be onwards to Glasgow, Swansea and Bristol but more on that later.</div><div><br /></div><div>The future is bright. The future is actually quite busy...</div></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-91093459681996865662010-02-03T07:27:00.000-08:002010-02-03T07:37:55.555-08:00Forest Fringe Microfestivals<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/4064330367_167c9d52ef.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/4064330367_167c9d52ef.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Is this country a big place? </div><div><br /></div><div>Put into context obviously not. It takes three days non stop to drive half way across Canada. And yet you could realistically sleep for almost two of those days and miss virtually nothing bar prairie. Travel from the West Midlands to South Wales in a couple of hours and you’re moving between two different worlds. </div><div><br /></div><div>We’ve had plenty of time to think about these kind of questions as we’ve roamed up and down the country in the last few months. I’ve learnt new things. I’ve become more outraged by the cost of petrol. I’ve discovered how hard it is to be vegetarian at service stations. I’ve fostered a deep, ingrained mistrust of thetrainline.com. </div><div><br /></div><div>The result of all of this is that we have a programme of Microfestivals for you – beginning in London in April and ending in Bristol in May. </div><div><br /></div><div>Each will be a unique weekend of strange events, intimate encounters and performance installations. In each place one ticket will allow you to be a part of everything. </div><div><br /></div><div>It goes like this:</div><div><br /></div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>In London on the 2 & 3 April we’ll be working with our long-time supporters <a href="http://www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/forest-fringe-bac-microfestival/">BAC</a>, using a dizzying array of spaces scattered across the beautiful Old Town Hall in Battersea. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>In Glasgow on the 16 & 17 April we’ll be with <a href="http://www.thearches.co.uk/">The Arches</a> in their epic subterranean maze of railway arches beneath Central Station. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>In Swansea on the 24 & 25 April we’ll be sharing an unusual space with <a href="http://nationaltheatrewales.org/">National Theatre Wales</a>’ Assembly programme as part of their month of events in the city.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>And Finally in Bristol on the 8 & 9 May we’ll be helping launch the brilliant <a href="http://www.mayfestbristol.co.uk/">Mayfest</a> by taking over the whole of Bristol’s legendary Old Vic Theatre, from stages to workshops to backstage corridors and other hidden corners of the building.</b></div></blockquote><div><b> </b></div><div><br /></div><div>In each of these locations we’ll be working with a mix of local companies and Forest Fringe artists from across the country. You’ll be able to see some of the most exciting events that we supported at the Edinburgh Festival last summer, and a collection of brand new pieces, many of which we hope will be journeying to Edinburgh with us this summer. </div><div><br /></div><div>For each of the individual Microfestivals we’ll be announcing a full line-up of artists closer to the time but already we can tell you that featuring in the programme will be <b>Melanie Wilson</b>, Forced Entertainment’s <b>Tim Etchells</b>, Co-creator of the amazing Home Sweet Home<b> Abigail Conway</b>, the legendary <b>Stoke Newington International Airport</b>, <b>Tinned Fingers</b>, <b>Action Hero</b>, <b>Search Party</b>, <b>Brian Lobel</b> and <b>Emma Benson</b> as well as a host of incredible young artists such as <b>Tania El Khoury</b>, <b>Peter McMaster</b> and Swansea’s <b>Shellshock Theatre</b>. We’re also still programming more events for all the locations so if you’re an artist and you’re interested in being involved leave a comment below or get in touch <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/contactus.htm">via our website</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Microfestivals will also see the launch of the Forest Fringe Travelling Sounds Library, an exciting new collaborative project bringing together a brilliantly diverse range of audio-pieces into an interactive library made from recycled hard back books and mp3 players. But more on this very, very soon…</div><div><br /></div><div> So that’s it, basically.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully we’ll be coming somewhere near you. We’re stupidly excited by it all and we hope you will be too. As always, if you’ve got any thoughts or comments or questions – just leave them below and we promise we’ll get back to you. </div><div><br /></div><div>Otherwise – bring on the spring.</div><div><br /></div><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eJZnIHwzvzM&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eJZnIHwzvzM&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-24984490402498919392010-02-03T07:14:00.000-08:002010-02-03T07:23:19.592-08:00Back once again...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2756/4164759025_da547a9341.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 348px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2756/4164759025_da547a9341.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(img. by Brandon Christopher Warren)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Well hello there sports fans, we’re back again. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I know we’ve hardly been gone long, but DOES IT EVER FEEL LIKE IT. </div><div><br /></div><div>It’s been a busy, dizzying, breathtaking few months and we’re still trying to figure out quite what to do about it all. First off – thank you to everyone who has supported us or congratulated us or has just been pleased for us in winning the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2009/nov/05/empty-space-peter-brook-awards">Peter Brook Empty Space Award</a>. We listened to the lovely things Dominic Cavendish had to say and shook Peter Brook by his wrinkly and surprisingly small hand and couldn’t quite believe it was all happening. But happen it did and that encouragement (and the £2000 that accompanied it) have been a huge help in the plans we’ve been working away on since then.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh and what plans.</div><div><br /></div><div>Best way of thinking about it is to imagine we’ve been squirreled away in some subterranean laboratory from the golden years of Hollywood, pouring coloured liquids into other coloured liquids and plugging wires into frogs until eventually in at the end of an ever-accelerating montage of experiments something has crawled off the Petri dish and wandered out into the world. We meanwhile, appear blinking into the sunlight trying to figure out where our creature has gone. </div><div><br /></div><div>But now it’s out there. It’s roaming the streets stealing apples from market stalls and trying to understand this thing they call love. So we figured that we would tell you all about it, before anybody else did.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Forest Fringe Microfestivals</b></div><div><br /></div><div>So Edinburgh has been a wonder the last few years. A truly delirious journey. We’ve learnt so much from the people we’ve worked with and the successes (and failures) that we’ve had about how to create an environment of risk and generosity that can really nurture and support exciting new projects of all forms and sizes. We’ve been able to bring together a brilliant community of artists who collectively make work as exciting as anywhere in the country. And we’ve been able to generate a level of profile for those artists and those ways of working which felt like a really valuable opportunity. </div><div><br /></div><div>We wanted to do something with that opportunity. To explore something new. To find a way of taking everything that was exciting and vital about Forest Fringe in Edinburgh and showing that it needn’t remain in Edinburgh. That the kind of messy, creative hub that developed there could be re-imagined in numerous other sites and contexts.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so cue the coloured liquids and the smoke and the Petri dishes and the arguments and the experiments and finally we’ve just about figured out what it is we’re doing. And we called it a Microfestival – a model for a new kind of event, somewhere between a festival and a tour and a scratch night and a gathering. </div><div><br /></div><div>With this Microfestival model, we wanted to be able:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>To create a different context and a new kind of space for artists to try out new ideas and show unusual work – one-on-one encounters, audio walks, video installations, interventions, happenings. In other words, hopefully almost anything that someone might come up with.<br /><br /></li><li>To visit different parts of the country and meet new audiences and artists who couldn’t or wouldn’t come to Edinburgh. To have the opportunity to introduce those people to the kind of work that we love and invite them to become a part of the Forest Fringe community.<br /><br /></li><li>To explore new spaces. Or to find new ways of using old spaces. To repurpose and reimagine them for what we want to do.<br /><br /></li><li>To create an event that can act as a gathering point for artists, audiences and producers in different parts of the country. A chance to come together – so that we can learn from them and they can learn from us. To create a spark from which new ideas and new projects can spring.</li></ol></div><div><br /></div><div>Which is all lovely obviously but wouldn’t mean anything unless we could actually figure out how we were going to do this. How to invite an audience to experience all these events in a space that didn’t feel crowded or confusing but similarly didn’t leave you queuing constantly outside closed doors or just wondering numbly from piece to piece. How to create a Minifestival that, like our home in Edinburgh, is built around artists coming together to create an event that has value for them beyond a commission or a fee; where artists dictate how and when and why they want to be involved. And how to find new spaces to work in new parts of the country – figuring out where the right place to go is and why.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that’s where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing. And now comes the part where we actually do it, which is undoubtedly the most exciting part. In the next post we’ll explain in more detail exactly where we’ll be and when and a few of the people who’ll be there with us, but if you have any thoughts about any of the above please do put them in the comments – it’s all always massively useful. </div><div><br /></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-3100934008909191982009-11-15T11:14:00.000-08:002009-11-15T12:00:02.061-08:00The Memory BookOn Friday night we ran a little event at Central School of Speech Drama. The main purpose of it was to try and experiment with a new kind of space for artists to play in. A bustling little hub in which video installations, audio experiences, one on one encounters and other miniature events could co-exist. A space somewhere between a gallery and a theatre and a party. <div><br /></div><div>You could have <a href="http://www.blobelwarming.com/">Brian Lobel</a> buy a minute of your time, or <a href="http://confessionsofaplaywright.blogspot.com/">Debbie Pearson</a> tell you about the music that's been ruined for her by dating, or see a brilliantly disturbing video installation by <a href="http://www.artforeating.co.uk/">Charlotte Jarvis</a>, tell Jo Bannon about your claim to fame, have a five minute relationship with <a href="http://www.iriguchi.co.uk/">Mamoru Iriguchi</a>. We had the first realisation of a travelling audio library that we are working on building. We had a beautiful night time balcony gig by Little Bulb. We had Greg McLaren hidden in a corner of the building. It was a lovely evening and it will hopefully become the basis for a series of exciting events we're hoping to make happen in the Spring across the country. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of the little pieces we had there was a new collaborative piece by us at Forest Fringe. </div><div><br /></div><div>We laid out a diary and asked people to contribute a memory for each day of the year. Here are a collection of those that we got. </div><div><br /></div><div>March 1</div><div><i>This is the beginning of the month where I celebrate the year anniversary of my first love.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">March 28</span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>I woke up.</i></span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">May 6</span></i></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>First kiss of many - in fact, the first kiss and the last time I kissed anyone else. </i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">May 16</span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>Today the first seed sprouted. That made me hopeful, even though I'd spilled the seed tray on the floor.</i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">July 4</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>My first child was born on July 4. It was a hot night - all the windows were open. She was delivered by a U.S. student - his first delivery. He looked stunned and amazed.</i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">August 1</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>A year ago today I watched the sun set + rise again over the mount ridges of New Mexico.</i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">August 19</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i>We had a party in a cave for the most delightful of ladies.</i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">September 3</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></span></i></div><div><i>Today I was the recipient of fellatio on a public bus. Teenage wet dream? I was worried terribly that someone would turn around. What would I say? No one did. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>September 9</div><div><i>I had an abortion.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>November 10</div><div><i>My mother was born in 1947. She is a great woman. She deserves a lot more love than she gets but sometimes she shoots herself in <span><span>the foot. What an interesting mind. I want so much to giver her the world but in so many ways she wouldn't take it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; white-space: pre;"></span></span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>November 13</div><div><i>I am thinking of you right now, and I wish I wasn't. I wish it wasn't like this and that it may of ended differently. Who knows what would of happened. But I feel that it shouldn't of happened this way. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>November 28</div><div><i>CJ had a one night stand in Manor House.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>December 10</div><div><i>After he'd forgotten my birthday for the 3rd time I tried to kill myself. I failed. He's gone. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully we can continue to add to the Memory Book as we go and maybe have a full year of memories by Edinburgh to have on display for people during the festival. If you want to contribute something just email us via our <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk">website</a> or put something in the comments.</div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-24705334712632975962009-11-03T11:07:00.000-08:002009-11-03T11:30:35.996-08:00Peter Brook Empty Space AwardSome delightful news for the beginning of maybe the year's most depressing month (it's cold, it's not Christmas and the only thing to celebrate is the ineptitude of some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes">400 year old Catholics</a>) - today Forest Fringe became the 20th winners of the Peter Brook Empty Space Award. <div><br /></div><div>It was genuinely a total surprise considering the inspiring companies shortlisted - BAC, Soho, The Arches, the Bush and the Minerva. I also got to shake Peter Brook's old man hand. WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT FROM A DAY?</div><div><br /></div><div>At the ceremony, Dominic Cavendish of the Telegraph had some lovely things to say about us so I thought I'd post them here for you all to have a read:</div><div><br /></div><div></div><blockquote><div>Who knows how this decade will come to be written about in the years ahead? It may well be viewed as a wretched one but perhaps it might be seen as positively halcyon compared to what will follow. One thing's for sure - it started with anxiety about a tech-driven financial bust that proved unfounded and ended with the real deal, the kind of recession that carves itself into people's lives for a long time. In the end, the big theme wasn't war or the clash of civilisations but the one that's never really been out of currency - money. </div><div><br /></div><div>Money was the making of theatre this decade - there was a lot more of it to prop up the subsidised sector, and even if you couldn't exactly point to a golden time in the West End in terms of art, it was certainly a gilded one. Yet now that the whole house of cards has fallen down, it's probably time for theatre-makers further down the chain, who are most exposed to the vagaries of the economic climate, to say that if they're being forced to beg, borrow or even steal to survive, then 'twas ever thus - because so-called boom years had their downside, too, in keeping costs high, and curtailing unprofitable experimentation. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nowhere was this more apparent than at the Edinburgh Fringe where spiralling rental charges have conspired to restrict the affordability of a festival that is supposed to be the greatest artistic free-for-all on earth. I've seen at first hand how deranged the economics of bringing up just a relatively straightforward monologue are, even during a downturn; the risks of working on a more ambitious scale seem to grow by the year. </div><div><br /></div><div>Which is where one has to salute with all the force of a Tattoo gun at midnight the efforts of the team behind Forest Fringe, which has in the space of a few years become an essential fixture at Edinburgh without actually joining itself to the Fringe as such. In its adopted church hall venue at Bristo Place, it operates not merely, prosaically, as a festival within a festival - but as a sort of other world, a boundary-pushing playground where, thanks to multiple volunteer efforts it's not the money that counts at all, but the stuff that happens between performers and their makeshift surroundings and between performers and curious visitors. If I could have wished away the hundreds of other chores that descend on a journalist while covering the festival, I'd have happily hung out at Forest Fringe for the entirety of its duration. </div><div><br /></div><div>It seems to me that in its back-to-basics approach, it is totally forward-thinking - and potentially revolutionary in scope. Whatever the next decade holds, the seeds of the next wave of theatre - and probably even of our recover itself, lie in the expansive, inexpensive miracle that is Forest Fringe. </div></blockquote><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to everyone, artists, audiences, supporters in all their various guises, who have been a part of Forest Fringe. All of you have been totally integral to getting us to the point when such flattering things can be said about us and where we can win such long-standing and well-regarded awards. </div><div><br /></div><div>The £2000 that is the prize for this award will go a long way to realising some of the plans we have for next year - audio libraries, microfestivals rearing up across the country and of course once again looking to re-imagine and remake our place within the Edinburgh Festival season. But more on all of that very soon...!</div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-7618363111557832922009-06-11T16:56:00.001-07:002009-06-11T17:13:37.874-07:00Late Night NotesI don't have a desk in my room, only a too-low table in front of a sofa with a laptop on it. Around it is sprayed the following in a semi circle moving anti-clockwise:<div><br /></div><div>A jacket given to me by a friend<br />A copy of Raw Notes by Claes Oldenburg</div><div>A series of installation CDs for the laptop which I had to reformat last week, losing everything on it</div><div>A note from a young theatre company in an old-fashioned air-mail envelope</div><div>The notes from a presentation I gave two weeks ago<br />A letter from O2<br />An empty bottle of red wine on its side<br />A digital alarm clock<br />My driving license<br />An empty can of coke<br />A handwritten to-do list for this week, 80% crossed out<br />A small blue pen of the kind I imagine they use in betting shops<br />5p<br />An empty packet of wriggley's chewin gum<br />A CD of show that I have half-watched<br />A plate containing the crumbs of a peanut butter and banana sandwich<br />A copy of Arkive City, open at an article by Paul Clarke<br />An unopen copy of <i>In Comes I </i>by Mike Pearson<br />An old, yellowing copy of <i>From Russia With Love</i>, face down and splayed open at the page I last read<br />A padded envelope<br />A copy of Alex Kelly and Annie Lloyd's <i>The Dust Archive</i></div><div>A copy of <i>Art into Theatre<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">A programme from a show at BAC<br />An A4 notepad with nothing written on it<br />My laptop case<br /><br />If you took the laptop out of the room these items would form a perfect splatter around it, marking where it once sat - like the silhouette formed in ice cream when someone is shot in the film Bugsy Malone.</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div>The signature on my email at the moment is a lovely quotation from Lyn Gardner from over two years ago in which she said that Forest Fringe 'should revolutionise the fringe'<br /><br />I just got an email from a friend of mine that simply said, in electric pink font:<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#CC33CC;">So when are you going to stop fucking around and revolutionise the fringe then?</span></blockquote></span></div><div><br /></div><div>A good question.</div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't stop listening to Pictures of You by The Cure. It's addictively desolate, especially at ten past one in an otherwise silent house.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/32UXiOfH7UY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/32UXiOfH7UY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-17142198373603320202009-06-07T15:57:00.000-07:002009-06-08T09:38:19.300-07:00Drowning in a sea of very tiny light bulbs<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><span><span>Ok. So picture this. </span></span><div><br /></div><div><span><span>It’s five in the morning. You’ve been up for about 42 of the last 48 hours. In that time you’ve seen three spectacularly beautiful shows, one that passed you by in the moment but when you attempt to explain it to someone in two weeks time it will have become your favourite of the entire festival, an inadvisable comedy show with the soul destroying title ‘LOLacaust: The Musical’, a miniature encounter that made you cry in a good way, four pieces of paint-by-numbers devised theatre all of which involved a movement sequence to a Sufjan Stevens song and an outdoor show that would have been euphoric if it hadn’t been raining. You’re sitting in the corner of an overcrowded bar trying to hear the music over the raised voices around you. Big, exhausted thoughts chug lazily through your head, floating around aimlessly for a while before disappearing again. You are the fuzzy silence at the end of an old cassette tape. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>Suddenly though, smuggled in amidst all the floatsam, is something different. An idea. A really, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">really</span> good one. Though initially tiny it quickly expands, filling the inside of your head, bleeding out into everything you see around you. Now you're no longer gazing vacantly off into space, you're frantic - scrambling to find a pen and a piece of paper and somehow anchor it down before it disappears. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>So there it is. An a fragile, wonderful idea caught in a series of frantic scribbles on the back of somebody else's programme. Brilliant. And then what? </div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>Well, traditionally not a lot in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is a place for showing not for making. For all that it is crammed to the point of delirium with spaces for putting on shows, there’s virtually nowhere to actually create something, to try anything out – in public or in private. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>To me that just feels like such a crushing waste. Here is a city overflowing with potential collaborators, with supportive, generous producers and critics and audiences, with unusual spaces. With brilliant people doing nothing all day other than handing out flyers and sitting in their flats watching episodes of the Wire to try and avoid spending any more money. This bizarre month of excitement and inertia could (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">should</span>) be the perfect environment for not only having a good idea but for pinning it down, for allowing it to take its first steps. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>When BAC first created the One o clock Scratch back in 2005 it was a revelation. An opportunity for artists at the festival to try out a new project in front of an audience. <a href="http://www.theteamplays.org/">The TEAM</a>, <a href="http://www.thirdangel.co.uk/">Third Angel</a>, <a href="http://irabbit.org/">Rabbit</a> and dozens more created work there that blossomed into a whole family of brilliantly diverse, successful pieces. When it returned to the festival last year at <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/">Forest Fringe</a> you could again feel the giddy excitement of the artists given this space and the audience who would have the opportunity to see what came out of it. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>For us at Forest Fringe, that model (and the collective excitement generated from it) continues to be an inspiration. We want to provide more space and more time than ever before for new ideas to prosper. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>We’re devoting a whole day at the end of the August to things dreamt up in bars and on walks and in conversations over the course of the festival. But more than that, we’ve tried to encourage a whole host of diverse opportunities for artists at Forest Fringe to explore a new idea – whatever form that idea might take. And so we have platforms in which a new idea can become an interactive experience, or a brief one-on-one encounter or piece of new writing. Hopefully almost anything, no matter how strange, will find the right space in which to happen. Because its often not just about providing a space and a platform, but ensuring that its the right way for an idea to be realised. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>We're hoping that some, many even, of these small sparks will end up growing into full projects that come back to Forest Fringe next year. Or maybe they will have found their perfect incarnation first time around. Either way I'm excited to be able to say that I have no idea what what's going to happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>--</div><div><br /></div><div>Places for new ideas at Fores Fringe this summer:</div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><b>The Miniaturists</b> </span></span></div><div><span><span><i> 24 & 25 August</i> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>Stephen Sharkey and Glynn Cannon programme a series of brilliantly diverse pieces of new writing, all of which have to be less than 20 minutes long. A celebration of the fact that even the smallest piece of written can deserve realising with all the effort and creativity of a full play. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><b>Hide&</b><b>Seek Sandpit</b> </span></span></div><div><span><span><i> 26 August</i> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>The brilliant people behind the <a href="www.hideandseekfest.co.uk">Hide&Seek festiv</a><a href="www.hideandseekfest.co.uk">al</a> will be bringing their unique brand of social games & playful experiences to Forest Fringe. Strange interactive experiences scattered across the building and disappearing out into the streets around it. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><b>BAC One o Clock Scratch</b> </span></span></div><div><span><span><i> 22 & 29 August</i> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><a href="www.bac.org.uk">BAC</a>’s legendary fringe forum for new ideas. See up to five different artists trying out 10-minute skits of brand new ideas. The birthplace of work by The TEAM, Third Angel and Rabbit amongst many others. </span></span></div><div><span><span> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><b>Stoke Newington International Airport’s Live Art Speed Dating</b> </span></span></div><div><span><span><i>26 August</i> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>The boys from <a href="www.stkinternational.co.uk">STK International</a>, East London’s newest and bestest venue, are going to be filling the building with brand new 4 minute one-on-one encounters by some of the most exciting artists at the festival. See as many as you can. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><b>BAC Nuit Blanche</b></span></span></div><div><span><span><b></b><i>24 August (Scratch Sharing the next morning</i>)</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><i></i>BAC will be offering artists a chance to take part in a unique all-night residency at Forest Fringe, hoping that the peace, quiet and delirious creativity of the middle of the night will mean that there will be something memorable to see by morning. Artists interested can send ideas and pitches to lauram[at]bac.org.uk, using the subject line Nuit Blanche and anyone can come for breakfast and a sunrise Scratch sharing, followed by a group walk up Arthur's Seat. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><b>Forest Fringe’s Great Unknown </b></span></span></div><div><span><span><i>29 August</i> </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>Following BAC’s One o Clock Scratch the rest of the day has been left totally empty – to be programmed according to whatever absurd and brilliant ideas people come up with over the course of the festival. Just drop into the Forest at any point and tell us your ideas. </span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-213688968731109297.post-63851236352096304162009-06-04T18:04:00.000-07:002009-06-04T18:13:27.624-07:00Stepping over the threshold<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/2474943657_3b515f86c4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2132/2474943657_3b515f86c4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;">Image <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cole007/">via</a></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div>I’m on the train, gently gliding past the back gardens of red brick houses somewhere on the outskirts of Leeds. The sun is smudge of white light in a pale evening sky. Everything outside feels very far away, an exact 1:1 scale model of the world bathed in perfect sinking sunlight. </div><div><br /></div><div>My mistake, its York not Leeds. </div><div><br /></div><div>We’re on our way back from the first trip to Edinburgh in preparation for the summer, now a little bit over two months away. This was a spectacularly brief 5 hour visit; a swift walk and a few sit downs in a very familiar city in unfamiliar sunshine, then back on the train again to head to Bristol. It’s left me feeling a strange mix of nostalgic and excited. Forest Fringe smells the same, it feels the same; if it had been raining it could have been last summer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yet it also feels pleasantly different. Not just the double-take acknowledgement of little tweaks and changes (a beautiful new bar nestled in the corner, a familiar face under a new haircut) but a different feeling. Just a little of the armour of almost defensive pluckiness seems to have dropped away. I walked into the hall and it seemed to have opened up its shoulders a bit, it was breathing a little deeper and a little slower. </div><div><br /></div><div>I stood in the centre of the room, the light cascading in from the enormous uncurtained windows, and for possibly the first time Debbie and myself did our best to explain the full extent of the things we hope will happen in there in two months time. Epic pillow fights, furniture torn to pieces and remade as a house, audiences led singing down into the street, ketchup fuelled Westerns, all night performances, forty one-on-on shows squeezed into every corner of the room, a man dancing across the stage on his 75th birthday, funny things, achingly sad things and some things we don’t know yet and won’t know until the festival has already started. Shapes moved across the empty room, impossibly exciting, spectacularly intimidating. I imagined what I hoped to see, and wondered what I would see.</div><div><br /></div><div>We actually are in Leeds now. </div><div><br /></div><div>Forest Fringe will be different this year. Last year we were a dot, a single isolated point. A refuge maybe, from the rain or from the overpriced bars or the militia of purple-clad, Smirnoff-branded, flyerers or just from the unsustainably breathless busyness of, well, everything. And it was nice being a refuge; seeing familiar faces, standing at the door of the venue staring out at the damp street beyond like another country. </div><div><br /></div><div>This year though we want to step over the threshold. To not simply ignore or avoid the rest of the city but ask how it might be different; how we might look at it differently, how we might remake the way the festival engulfs it. Because it no longer feels like we’re a dot; it feels like we’re part of something that’s growing; points connecting across the city; a new network or shared ideas and shared hopes based on something other than a joint marketing strategy. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today we walked through the sunshine between <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/">Forest Fringe</a> and St Stephen’s Church, the gentle stone giant of a building that until 2008 was occupied by the much-loved <a href="http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/20604/rising-cost-forces-aurora-nova-out-of">Aurora Nova</a>. After a year where it sat sulky and unoccupied it is becoming the festival home of <a href="http://www.thearches.co.uk/">The Arches</a>, Glasgow’s most consistently daring and exciting theatre. They have almost-impossible, stupidly brilliant plans for the festival, including staging the whole of Nic Green’s three-hour-long <i><a href="http://www.nicgreen.org.uk/trilogy/">Trilogy</a> </i>every night; the festival hasn’t seen anything so daring, ambitious and genuinely radical for years. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the meandering journey between our home and theirs we were also joined by a bunch of folk from BAC, who will once again be supporting and collaborating with Forest Fringe in a whole myriad of ways, without them there’s no way we would have been able to construct the kind of delirious, make-believe programme that we have. Together, we walked the space between these two places. We imagined what we might do in that space; the journeys, stories, adventures that might be constructed around it. We imagined other people walking it; artists, visitors, local people, together looking for something, or just collectively wandering. Already it felt like here was a fragile connection stretching across the city, one to be nurtured and enjoyed. One that can strengthen and grow with every person who walks that gap. </div><div><br /></div><div>I felt like no one in that conversation was satisfied with a refuge. Everyone knew what they loved about the festival and what they found almost beyond parody; everyone had ideas for what else might happen there. It felt to me like this was the beginning of an attempt to try and make some of that happen, one which more and more people will hopefully become a part of.</div><div><br /></div><div>With people like BAC and the Arches around in force, collaborating with us, sharing their thoughts and tips and ideas, I’m sure its going to be a good festival. And it’s going to be sunny. I’m sure of it. Gloriously sunny. </div><p class="MsoNormal"></p>Forest Fringe Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11461219528530171521noreply@blogger.com1