Just a quick blog on the Edinburgh Fringe, once I've digested all my notes I will put a more comprehensive run down up. Overall it was a great festival. The weather (for once) was really nice, warm most days, even hot at times and only one evening of rain. This is all very important for a good festival experience - there is nothing worse than being damp all day and then sitting in a stuffy little venue watching a show.
I saw 26 shows in total and only 2 of them were total pants, everything else was really good. Highlights for me include the wonderful Daniel Kitson 'It's always right now until later', Grin Iron 'Decky Does a Bronco', 'Smoke and Mirrors', Idiots of Ants and Celebrity Autobiography.
Lots of work to catch up on now and lots of shows to follow up for 2011.
Simon, Rob and Fiona are now up at the festival and to be honest I'm a little jealous - as nice as it is to be home the fringe is an amazing place to be and I do have withdrawals when I first come back. Bring on 2011.
Lou
Friday, 20 August 2010
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
This week I shall mostly be listening to...
Off to Edinburgh tomorrow so I thought I should pick up some new music before I go; Hopefully the following will keep me amused, but if there are albums that you think we should be listening to, let us know, doesn't matter what they are! So, here's what I bought:
Foxes in Fiction - Swung from the Branches
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty
The Morning Benders - Big Echo
Will let you know what I think of these, and the shows I see over the next few days.
Hwyl!
Foxes in Fiction - Swung from the Branches
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty
The Morning Benders - Big Echo
Will let you know what I think of these, and the shows I see over the next few days.
Hwyl!
Friday, 13 August 2010
I heart cirkus
Last night Cirkus Cirkor opened on the main stage. It was so impressive and totally reignited my passion for all things tricksy and showtime. Scandinavian cool oozed from the performers and the faded glamour of traditional circus was wonderfully nostalgic. Skinny jeans and top hat and tails sharing space on stage - Love it
Thankfully though, there was none of this (not to be tried at home)...
Tomorrow night is Inc'ling. We have invited 4 companies/artists into the rehearsal rooms and given them four days to play around with brand new ideas. Ideas that they would love to take further and develop into a full length show. I am so excited to see what a Chinese Pole, a washing machine soundtrack and garden canes will come to. Good luck to the Inc'ling groups for tomorrow at 8pm...
Thankfully though, there was none of this (not to be tried at home)...
Tomorrow night is Inc'ling. We have invited 4 companies/artists into the rehearsal rooms and given them four days to play around with brand new ideas. Ideas that they would love to take further and develop into a full length show. I am so excited to see what a Chinese Pole, a washing machine soundtrack and garden canes will come to. Good luck to the Inc'ling groups for tomorrow at 8pm...
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Breakin' the Bay
Breakin' the Bay - it's on...
Today's a really exciting day for me because I'm meeting with our four new curators for this year's Breakin' the Bay festival. It's great that we have four knowledgeable, passionate and enthusiastic people on board to help cover off the four main strands of hip hop - dance, graffiti (we count it as hip hop), djing and mcing. Keep an eye out for more information on the people we've got involved...
In preperation for this, I've been spending quite a lot of time reading Jeff Chang's Can't Stop Won't Stop. It's part research for the festival, part intrigue/interest; when I worked for a recording studio, the guy who taught me all I know kind of got hip hop and introduced me to people like Q-tip and a Tribe Called Quest. At the time I lived in a very quiet, very white-middle-class Somerset town - about as polar-opposite to hip hop as possible. I couldn't relate to the extreme violence depicted by people like Tupac and Biggie Smalls or N.W.A., Ice Cube and Public Enemy before them.
Reading Jeff's book has put Hip Hop into context for me - I now understand a bit more about where it came from in the beginning and the cultural, social and political forces acting on its protagonists. Perhaps most importantly, I understand Hip Hop, and particularly Rap, as a means for telling a story and for that I'm grateful.
I'd thoroughly recommend the book even if you have no interest in Hip Hop but want to understand how youth culture has grown and is (often mis) represented across the myriad platforms we have access to. I'd also recommend watching two films - Style Wars and Wild Style (not for the kids - the language is a little coarse!) - here's a little clip from Wild Style with Hip Hop legends FAB 5 FREDDY, LEE, Ramellzee, Grandmaster Flash and the Rock Steady Crew:
If you ask nicely, I might even give you a loan of Jeff's book!
Rob
Today's a really exciting day for me because I'm meeting with our four new curators for this year's Breakin' the Bay festival. It's great that we have four knowledgeable, passionate and enthusiastic people on board to help cover off the four main strands of hip hop - dance, graffiti (we count it as hip hop), djing and mcing. Keep an eye out for more information on the people we've got involved...
In preperation for this, I've been spending quite a lot of time reading Jeff Chang's Can't Stop Won't Stop. It's part research for the festival, part intrigue/interest; when I worked for a recording studio, the guy who taught me all I know kind of got hip hop and introduced me to people like Q-tip and a Tribe Called Quest. At the time I lived in a very quiet, very white-middle-class Somerset town - about as polar-opposite to hip hop as possible. I couldn't relate to the extreme violence depicted by people like Tupac and Biggie Smalls or N.W.A., Ice Cube and Public Enemy before them.
Reading Jeff's book has put Hip Hop into context for me - I now understand a bit more about where it came from in the beginning and the cultural, social and political forces acting on its protagonists. Perhaps most importantly, I understand Hip Hop, and particularly Rap, as a means for telling a story and for that I'm grateful.
I'd thoroughly recommend the book even if you have no interest in Hip Hop but want to understand how youth culture has grown and is (often mis) represented across the myriad platforms we have access to. I'd also recommend watching two films - Style Wars and Wild Style (not for the kids - the language is a little coarse!) - here's a little clip from Wild Style with Hip Hop legends FAB 5 FREDDY, LEE, Ramellzee, Grandmaster Flash and the Rock Steady Crew:
If you ask nicely, I might even give you a loan of Jeff's book!
Rob
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Useful Swedish
Hejsan (Hi)
Cirkus Cirkor are in the building and it's all really exciting.
I thought I'd give you some useful Swedish phrases - I'll be trying them out later with the company.
Jag heter Louise - My name is Louise
Jag pratar inte svenska - I don't speak Swedish
Ha en bra dag - Have a good day
Tack - Thank you
Ja - Yes
Nej - No
Snalla - Please
If you are available to come to the performance 'Inside Out' it's on at the Centre from Thursday 12th - Sunday 15th August. I'm not saying it in a hard sell type way - it's just a fantastic performance and I want everyone to see it.
Cirkus Cirkor are in the building and it's all really exciting.
I thought I'd give you some useful Swedish phrases - I'll be trying them out later with the company.
Jag heter Louise - My name is Louise
Jag pratar inte svenska - I don't speak Swedish
Ha en bra dag - Have a good day
Tack - Thank you
Ja - Yes
Nej - No
Snalla - Please
If you are available to come to the performance 'Inside Out' it's on at the Centre from Thursday 12th - Sunday 15th August. I'm not saying it in a hard sell type way - it's just a fantastic performance and I want everyone to see it.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Oh what a L'atmsophere!
Bonjour mes amis! After 4 days in the midst of thousands celebrating all things Celtic, Fiona and I returned from the Festival Interceltique Lorient yesterday. Now I've been told to Blog 'short and often', but oh there's so much to tell...
Day 1: Flight to Paris - delayed, which wasn't a great start as we only had about an hour to make our connecting flight, from another Paris airport. Even our taxi driver looked concerned but managed to get us there, only for us to discover that we were to be delayed again. Eventually we reached Lorient at 10pm and grabbed a taxi to the hotel, a journey which was again a little disconcerting, particularly the manoeuvre through the the level crossing barriers regardless of the flashing warning lights (fair play he did look both ways). We decided to walk into Lorient to savour the mood and ended up in the town's square, we sat listening to Breton Rock whilst eating our Moules Frites. We instantly got the feeling the weekend would be a noisy one (and that frites would also become a regular feature ).
Day 2: Our first morning and I asked if I could borrow an iron as we'd been invited to a reception later that day and I wanted to look presentable. I was taken to the basement of the hotel and left me to my own devices, which was kind of the hotel lady who also shouted at both me and Fiona for not using trays at breakfast. Before making our way into the festival hub, I threw away my socks from the previous day, it had to be done (I felt sorry for the bin men truth be told). We meandered through the craft stalls and performance areas, visiting each Celtic nation's tents. Much to our disappointment we discovered that there was no Welsh tent at the festival. Yes there were some wonderful Welsh performers dotted throughout the programme but no designated area for the Welsh to meet and greet, to promote and and perform, it was such a shame.
We did see some great performances, one in particular from a Galician dance company, Nova Galega de Danza which we both agreed was fantastic. A simple fusion of contemporary and traditional Galician dance. One worth following up.
Day 3: An early start (one for the Touche Eclat). We were invited to the Stadium (home of FC Lorient) to watch the Grande Parade des Nations Celtes; 75 groups parading and performing in front of thousands of spectators. We waved, clapped and felt particularly proud of the Welsh contingent walking by. If bagpipes and penny whistles aren't your thing, this wouldn't have sat well with you, they were everywhere, really... Everywhere. Great fun. We ended the night and our time at Lorient listening to true Welsh ambassadors Mabon. Talented, charismatic and amazing live. Da iawn wir.
Day 4: Today was a travel day, but a nice one all the same. Our flights dictated we were to spend most of the day in Paris, a city I've never been to before. What an incredible place (incredibly expensive too). Fiona was my tour guide for the day. We began at Notre Dame and Pont des Arts, than on to the Louvre and Centre Pompidou. It was a glorious day but with luggage in tow, a sweaty one too.
Leaving Paris and making our way through airport security I became increasingly worried about having to remove my shoes again, concerned for the welfare of the security staff. After 4 days of endlessly walking, removing my shoes could quite easily have caused an international incident and would have given a whole new meaning to the term shoe bomber.
This already feels too long and I haven't even told you about Bar L'atmosphere (ironic) and my unstoppable desire to say Gracias instead of Merci at every given opportunity (Fiona's Del Boy French was equally as funny). Au revoir!
Day 1: Flight to Paris - delayed, which wasn't a great start as we only had about an hour to make our connecting flight, from another Paris airport. Even our taxi driver looked concerned but managed to get us there, only for us to discover that we were to be delayed again. Eventually we reached Lorient at 10pm and grabbed a taxi to the hotel, a journey which was again a little disconcerting, particularly the manoeuvre through the the level crossing barriers regardless of the flashing warning lights (fair play he did look both ways). We decided to walk into Lorient to savour the mood and ended up in the town's square, we sat listening to Breton Rock whilst eating our Moules Frites. We instantly got the feeling the weekend would be a noisy one (and that frites would also become a regular feature ).
Day 2: Our first morning and I asked if I could borrow an iron as we'd been invited to a reception later that day and I wanted to look presentable. I was taken to the basement of the hotel and left me to my own devices, which was kind of the hotel lady who also shouted at both me and Fiona for not using trays at breakfast. Before making our way into the festival hub, I threw away my socks from the previous day, it had to be done (I felt sorry for the bin men truth be told). We meandered through the craft stalls and performance areas, visiting each Celtic nation's tents. Much to our disappointment we discovered that there was no Welsh tent at the festival. Yes there were some wonderful Welsh performers dotted throughout the programme but no designated area for the Welsh to meet and greet, to promote and and perform, it was such a shame.
We did see some great performances, one in particular from a Galician dance company, Nova Galega de Danza which we both agreed was fantastic. A simple fusion of contemporary and traditional Galician dance. One worth following up.
Day 3: An early start (one for the Touche Eclat). We were invited to the Stadium (home of FC Lorient) to watch the Grande Parade des Nations Celtes; 75 groups parading and performing in front of thousands of spectators. We waved, clapped and felt particularly proud of the Welsh contingent walking by. If bagpipes and penny whistles aren't your thing, this wouldn't have sat well with you, they were everywhere, really... Everywhere. Great fun. We ended the night and our time at Lorient listening to true Welsh ambassadors Mabon. Talented, charismatic and amazing live. Da iawn wir.
Day 4: Today was a travel day, but a nice one all the same. Our flights dictated we were to spend most of the day in Paris, a city I've never been to before. What an incredible place (incredibly expensive too). Fiona was my tour guide for the day. We began at Notre Dame and Pont des Arts, than on to the Louvre and Centre Pompidou. It was a glorious day but with luggage in tow, a sweaty one too.
Leaving Paris and making our way through airport security I became increasingly worried about having to remove my shoes again, concerned for the welfare of the security staff. After 4 days of endlessly walking, removing my shoes could quite easily have caused an international incident and would have given a whole new meaning to the term shoe bomber.
This already feels too long and I haven't even told you about Bar L'atmosphere (ironic) and my unstoppable desire to say Gracias instead of Merci at every given opportunity (Fiona's Del Boy French was equally as funny). Au revoir!
Monday, 9 August 2010
Edinburgh Fringe Festival Highlights
Gareth and I are off to Edinburgh on Friday so I thought I'd come up with my top six favourite fringe shows from the last 6 years. This was harder than I thought as there are actually lots of highlights, not just this six, so these are the six that stood out the most.
1. Fuerzabruta (2007)
2. 7 Fingers 'Traces' (2007)
3. The Penny Dreadfuls 'The Never Man' (2009)
4. Les Enfants Terribles 'The Terrible Infants' (2008)
5. Dodgy Clutch 'Elephant' (2005)
6. Spymonkey 'Cooped' (2006)
I welcome any top tips for this year so let me know.
Louise
1. Fuerzabruta (2007)
2. 7 Fingers 'Traces' (2007)
3. The Penny Dreadfuls 'The Never Man' (2009)
4. Les Enfants Terribles 'The Terrible Infants' (2008)
5. Dodgy Clutch 'Elephant' (2005)
6. Spymonkey 'Cooped' (2006)
I welcome any top tips for this year so let me know.
Louise
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Personal gain and self promotion...
Prynhawn da i chi, siwd mae pawb? OK, here goes: Blog #1.
I still can't quite believe that the Centre's allowing me to contribute to this new blog... do they not realise that I will use it solely for personal gain and self promotion?
Where to begin? At least I've plenty to talk about over the next few weeks, starting with my trip to Brittany with Fiona {our Artistic Director} to the Festival Interceltique Lorient tomorrow. It's my first time at the festival which I'm really excited about, people seem to love it there although this weekend's weather isn't looking too special, gutted... Tres triste.
Then I'm off to Edinburgh which will feel slightly different this year compared to previous visits to the Fringe Festival as I'll be working as a Total Theatre Award assessor {which I'm a little nervous about}, but more about that nearer the time.
Oh and one last thing, I found out yesterday that I've been accepted onto the Cultural Leadership Programme's Leadership Unleashed 2010 programme. This means I will now "become part of a unique leadership development network spanning the cultural sector, creative industries and commerce". OK, I'm not entirely sure what this will involve yet either, but I'm sure it'll be interesting finding out.
How was that? OK?
Iawn, hwyl am y tro. Gareth
I still can't quite believe that the Centre's allowing me to contribute to this new blog... do they not realise that I will use it solely for personal gain and self promotion?
Where to begin? At least I've plenty to talk about over the next few weeks, starting with my trip to Brittany with Fiona {our Artistic Director} to the Festival Interceltique Lorient tomorrow. It's my first time at the festival which I'm really excited about, people seem to love it there although this weekend's weather isn't looking too special, gutted... Tres triste.
Then I'm off to Edinburgh which will feel slightly different this year compared to previous visits to the Fringe Festival as I'll be working as a Total Theatre Award assessor {which I'm a little nervous about}, but more about that nearer the time.
Oh and one last thing, I found out yesterday that I've been accepted onto the Cultural Leadership Programme's Leadership Unleashed 2010 programme. This means I will now "become part of a unique leadership development network spanning the cultural sector, creative industries and commerce". OK, I'm not entirely sure what this will involve yet either, but I'm sure it'll be interesting finding out.
How was that? OK?
Iawn, hwyl am y tro. Gareth
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
First post
Hello all
This is my first post, how exciting. I have nothing major to say, I just wanted to start using this blog. In the next few weeks I'll be telling you all about my visit to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and all the shows and projects I've been looking at recently.
Cirkus Cirkor arrive a week today and I can't wait. I first met the company in Montreal (at a performing arts conference). They treated me to Swedish biscuits and Gluhwein so I was already won over! I then went to see them in London last October. Their performance 'Inside Out' is definitely up there in my top five favourite performances of all time.
I've been having panics that they won't be as good as I remembered and everyone in the office will wonder what I've been going on about for the past few months but I'm sure they will be.
Lou
This is my first post, how exciting. I have nothing major to say, I just wanted to start using this blog. In the next few weeks I'll be telling you all about my visit to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and all the shows and projects I've been looking at recently.
Cirkus Cirkor arrive a week today and I can't wait. I first met the company in Montreal (at a performing arts conference). They treated me to Swedish biscuits and Gluhwein so I was already won over! I then went to see them in London last October. Their performance 'Inside Out' is definitely up there in my top five favourite performances of all time.
I've been having panics that they won't be as good as I remembered and everyone in the office will wonder what I've been going on about for the past few months but I'm sure they will be.
Lou
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Hello From the Team
Just a quick hello from Rob on behalf of the Programming and Producing team. We'll be posting more about our trips to shows, festivals and other events, as well as giving you an insight into how we go about curating the programme across Wales Millennium Centre's different venues.
For now, here's a great bit of animation that I picked up on Vimeo today. It sounds best if you listen through your headphones.
SURFACE TRAILER from Silo1 on Vimeo.
See you all soon!
Rob
For now, here's a great bit of animation that I picked up on Vimeo today. It sounds best if you listen through your headphones.
SURFACE TRAILER from Silo1 on Vimeo.
See you all soon!
Rob
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