The Public Acceptability Test

Planning meetings yesterday and today. Firstly with Molly to look at how we manage the TIE, Theatre for Young People and Drama in the Community modules next semester - all together we have over 50 second and third year students working out in schools and colleges and the logistics of making sure everybody gets a great experience is taking some sorting. Much of our work is focused in Hounslow, with the culminative Chiswick House project somehow tying everything together.

Today I went up to Camden to explore further collaborations with Keith and The Comedy School.

Following the attack on the companies work in The Sun at the back end of last year, which resulted in Justice Minister Jack Straw pulling a drama course at Whitemoor, the Prison service have released a new set of guidelines for Prison governors demanding that all activities going on in their Prison should meet 'the public acceptability test' avoiding initiatives which would 'generate indefensible criticism and undermine public confidence.'

Perception is sadly the primary concern here, whether the work is effective or not in crime reduction terms is of secondary importance. Between the lines this directive directly threatens most of the rehabilitation work done by arts organisations and hands power to the tabloids, the shock jocks and the reactionary right. The Sun and The Mail must be delighted, especially as the Governors are asked to refer any borderline decision to the Services' Press Office.

I suspect deeply that 'indefensible criticism' will in practice have more to do with loud clamour than with judicial scrutiny. It's a spineless sop of a decision.

Keith is a little more bullish than of late and senses that the third sector will come together in a concerted effort to reverse the decision and reinstate a more positive image for the role that the arts play in the criminal justice system. However, with a general election coming up within the next 18 months, both political parties will be want to posture and look tough on crime - as the self-fulfilling public acceptability test may well reveal -it's a vote winner!

Auditions.

The week is cracking on. Students are negotiating, and occasionally fighting, for space to prepare their Creative Collaboration projects and Directors pieces. Meanwhile we've had our first round of auditions for next September, held the programme boards and written up action plans for the coming year.

The auditions went very well and we met some really talented performers. Kasia, Trevor and myself sat on the panel and it was interesting to realise that despite the individual focus of each of the pathways, in general we were looking for similar applicants.

For what it's worth, and if you're due to audition for us, I suspect the following four points are true.

1. We're looking for genuine people who just give the script a really good crack. Occasional dries don't bother us (everyone gets nervous), but we do expect candidates to have tried to learn the words and offer a sense of performance. We don't have long to make a judgement so be yourself, be friendly and show us you're keen to work.... We're not the X-factor. We're not looking to make 'reality' TV at your expense. We genuinely want you to do well. We hope every candidate who comes through the door will be wonderful (it makes our job much easier!)

2. Often we ask for candidates to try the piece again with a little direction. This is nearly always because we want to see if you're as good as you initially appear. Can you listen and respond to a fresh direction?

3. We don't expect you to know everything, but we might be about to spend the next three years working with you, so we want to see that your curious, interested and not trying blag your way onto the course with pseudo knowledge or, worse, flattery. We like students who ask when they don't understand a comment or question.

4. We respect candidates who have been bold in the choices they make. We're looking for you to perform the truth of the speech, so you must have read the whole play and understand what the character is going through, thinking, feeling at the moment they speak. You might have an experience of your own to draw on to help give the lines authenticity; if not then your imagination must delve deep to explore the speech. Either way, even if your interpretation is not to our taste, we'll consider you if we think there is thought and rehearsal behind the work.

Also be very aware that in some ways the audition is two way. If, having spent a day with us, you don't feel at home or excited by St.Mary's then maybe it's wrong for you. You'll learn lots here and we always try to push, challenge and stimulate our students, but ultimately the choice is yours.

Hope that's useful.

Polka Pinocchio

Went with Lara and Vix to see Ian play Pinocchio at the Polka in Wimbledon.

It was a fun show, full of invention played out on a jumble sale of a set, which gave plenty of opportunity for theatrical play, hiding places, secret compartments and clever object theatre. Ian was charming, energised and rather brilliant in the title role. It's hard work to keep a young audience focused for over two hours, but the company did with clarity and enthusiastic storytelling - the kids seemed to have a brilliant time.

There are two dedicated children's theatres in London, here and The Unicorn and it must be a fascinating job creating a magic venue that will really inspire kids to want to see live entertainment. The Unicorn I always thinks suffers a little from it's setting and the amount of money invested in it. It feels like a mini National, great for socialising theatre going, but perhaps a bit imposing to be genuinely child friendly. Polka, with years of experience have done it really well in their red roofed shed of a building, with a cafe in the shape of a train, a rocket disappearing into the roof, dressing up boxes and rocking horses in the foyer. It's chaotic, colourful, imaginative and spacious. It rightly feels as if it belongs to the audience. Nobody is shoving you out of the door or herding you towards the gift shop, the adults sit on the edges of the spaces and let their children run around and play.

Ian had a huge head shot poster on the boards outside, which eclipsed even Lara's gargantuan picture outside Theatre503 before Christmas. They both seemed fairly nonchalant about the self-publicity... but Vix and I know better. It's War!

Spiralin' & Student Offer.

Third years Kat and Mark have just come back from Northern Spain where they've been working with Spiral, a theatre company who use their process to raise and investigate rural issues in the La Rioja region.

They gave a fascinating and hilarious talk back this afternoon part adventure story, part evaluation of their trip. Despite some wonderful cultural confusions what shone through was their admiration for the work that the company does.

Amongst many other projects, Spiral are using forum theatre as a means of advocacy, working alongside villagers and other community groups to look at ways in which the area can rejuvenate itself after a period of depopulation and economic statis.

The Spanish government are looking to bring tourism into the area through the opening of a bio diverse national park, which might transform the area, bringing a new level of prosperity. Equally, of course it brings a sense of threat to tranquility of an indigenous local community.

This kind of community issue seems to be where forum theatre can really tease out fears and underline potential obstacles. It's empowering and democratic work. Much more vital than a newsletter or paper consultation exercise.

Tina has been involved with Spiral for a number of years, both in Spain and here and I'm hoping we'll be able to develop and cultivate further placements and projects with them in the future.

.... Other News. Stef O'Driscoll has just sent this through.

As part of this year’s 33% festival (see image above) Oval House Theatre are offering all St Mary’s drama students a special two for one ticket offer for The Unfortunate Love Of The British Empire: if you call the box office on 020 7582 7680 or book online at http://www.ovalhouse.com/ and use the word ‘EMPIRE’, you will get two tickets for the price of one concession ticket, that’s just £5.

Moves Towards Utopia

Back into work and full of new plans. The big project this semester is the Chiswick House show, which will hopefully involve many of Hounslow's schools and culminate in a big spectacle event in May. At this early point everything seems possible, which is both exciting and slightly unsettling.

Molly has posted a really inspiring youtube lecture by the author Dave Eggers in which he gives a hugely enthusiastic account of creative learning centres in the States.

http://mmullendic.blogspot.com/2009/01/dave-eggers-speech.html

It'd be wonderful to be able to create an imaginative centre which allowed all kinds community centred activity and was linked to the University. I wonder whether we need something architecturally specific? Maybe a possible development for the department to begin to see itself as a venue for all kinds of activity, with students celebrating their role as facilitators and administrators as much as performers and directors. Already I've been convinced that the most exciting and meaningful learning experiences happen when we get off campus and relate our work to a non partisan audience or situation, the inverse where we host and support the work of the community on campus might also be fruitful and celebratory. Grassroots up rather than guru led.

I think the art of facilitating others ideas feeds back into your own aesthetic practice be it as a writer, designer or performer (directors and technicians are already essentially facilitators.) It's essentially empathic and it gives artists both a measure to creative ideas and helps them to find a clarity to your storytelling techniques.

The Chiswick house project could be a starting point for exploring a kind of facility to encourage children (and adults) to pursue their creativity and design into tangible results, be it a script that professional actors perform, a story or poem honoured through publication, a composition played by an orchestra, a wall painting taken to fruition, a menu cooked by a chef or garden made real by a horticulturalist. In the recent past we've tended to encourage children into expressive roles - asking them to 'perform' work prepared and directed by adults, but perhaps a future for creativity might be found in reversing this process from time to time.

Brighton Rocks

Wound up the Christmas break with a weekend in Brighton visiting Julie, who was my best mate when I was at University many moons ago. She lives in a cluttered flat with big south facing windows, high enough up to see the sea and commutes up to town every day to work at the Beeb. It's a fantastically quick journey down from Twickenham, change at Clapham Junction and it's only just over an hour to the sea!

It was a lazy weekend of catching up and eating too much (Julie has spent a major part of her life making bucket loads of leek and potato soup and baking anything that might rise in the oven.) We also headed off for short but bracing walks along the front, to the farmer's market in Hove and then on Sunday out on a Bloomsbury quest to Virginia Woolf's old house in Rodmell, Charleston Farm house, and Berwick Church to see the murals that Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant painted during the war.

They're a luminous almost Mediterranean find in a tiny English village church, and it struck me that it must have been a brave act by the vicar to encourage these bohemian atheists in to paint in the first place, but the work is at once patriotic and galvanising for a rural community; and in this part of Sussex the threat of sudden invasion was very real for most of the war. The nativity is clearly laid out in a stable in front of Firle Beacon, attended by Sussex shepherds and Vanessa's own children; whilst at the feet of the ascending Christ on the East wall, kneel servicemen from each of the armed forces, and local clergy.

My favourite touches are on the four panels of the doors leading up to the altar, circular seasonal images of the agricultural year from Spring through to Winter. The comforting ritual of sowing, waiting and gathering in the harvest before the frosts. Above them is another panel picturing a mill pond under both a hazy sun and a bright, sea silvered full moon. The Sussex Downs are really a wonderful, peaceful place. A great way to end the holiday.

Bombshells

Last day of the old year and I headed off to the Israeli embassy to register my protest at the continued acts of aggression towards Gaza.

It's gesture, I know, but once you become cynical I'm not sure what's left. Solidarity, is worth a great deal, and eventually if enough people say no, tipping points are reached. There were several hundred there this afternoon.

Amazing and heartening things have occurred in my adult life, mostly through popular movement - The Good Friday agreement, The end of apartheid in South Africa, the fall of the Berlin wall and we have to believe there is a way to peace in the Middle East. It's clear that closing borders and launching air strikes on one of the poorest and most densely populated areas on earth, even in the name of defence, isn't a way forward. It's more than a humanitarian crisis. Bombs are not subtle political negotiators - they rip people apart and those who survive don't forget.

Later I met up with Hsiu Chin to watch the fireworks on the South Bank. London was rather beautiful tonight. With the streets closed to traffic it really became the people's city, an immense boulevard from the Aldwych down the Strand and Whitehall, through Parliament Square and onto Lambeth Bridge - which at 10.30pm, with all the direct viewing areas closed off, was as close as we could get. The crowd were fun though singing, drinking, dancing and cracking jokes to keep out the cold.

A huge hassle clearing the centre afterwards, mounted police with megaphones trying to direct the half million strong crowd through the maze of circuitous London streets safely back to the train stations. It was gone 3am before I was pulling out of Waterloo.