Storytelling

So........bit of a recap needed.

I've said it before, but blogging can be a bit like, um, say......when you know you have to ring someone back. You keep putting it off and off and it's not even that you don't love doing it, but the timed lapsed means it gains momentum, gaining it's occurrence an equally important and fretful status.

Anyhoo, as a recap, or indeed fill-in, I am currently designing the set for Spaceship 87' at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, by the extrodinary En Masse. Directed by my sister and written by her co-founder Ollie Birch, it is a tale of a little girl's spaceship bedroom coming to life and taking her on an a life affirming journey across the galaxy. It opens next week, so if you're about the northern persuadence click here to buy tickets)

These are some of the things that have been experienced, created and laughed at in my presence in the last couple of joyous weeks.

Lanternhouse is a marvel of modern existence (given all the government cutbacks) and I feel lucky to say I've experienced it's fairytale-like arms cuddling my imagination for the past fortnight. It's like a country cottage in the middle of Cumbria that can accomodate the needs of people who want to bring things to exsist.

We have taken over the massive barn space as our theatre, and it's magnificent roof and heating ceilings feel quite a priviledge in comparison to Dalston alleys and cold fingers.

I feel like I'm sleeping in Little Bear's bed...


And it has a ridicoulous lift that reminds me of 'The rooms getting smaller!', 'No, HE'S GETTING BIGGER!'


With a little man inside who is clearly loving pulling it up and down...



Dinner time fun time...


My paint stained mitts have seemingly spread all over another room, and Harriet (the tremendous production manager) has been helping me share joy over huge rolls of rainbow-coloured sticky backed plastic.


It's a new experience for me, helping bring an entire story to life. Mapping my ideas around the action and dialogue, and learning technical boundries (and naturally trying to dismiss them as much as possible) I'm certain what we have collectively produced is an piece of innovative and moving theatre, it feels a bit like Paul Daniels is in the room.

Here is one of my 'technical' (!) drawings...


...and one part of it realised....

...the fun contines.