We've all got different rhythms. We do what equals 'happy', or we do what we have to for the sake of ourselves, our partners, our friends and our families. Whether those things are artistic, practicle, scientific, manual, charitable, chaotic, utilitarian or totally pointless, we, and those things, move to more than the beat of just one drum.
Some of us live in patterns, some in randomness and probably a whole load of other 'sates' in-between. So it seems obvious to me that things can get in the way of that; blind-side us, mess around with our priorities and force us onto an unbeaten track. It's normal and it happens every single day, and some times we deal with it well, and some times we don't, but it's when we get pushed into unknown areas that we excel, preserver, become tactful and capable of new invention. We've been a tad reluctant to leave (be pushed from) our very comfortable, well worn path since we started to get recognised and appreciated them years ago. Not so much hazard of the job, but more like hazard of the life.
That's why I revisited some of Tin Shed Theatre Co's old videos and images and 'other'. The stuff we used to make when we made little to no money, the stuff we made in living rooms and pub attics sometimes outside in the garden because it was the biggest space we could get our hands on, and I'm scared about tripping towards the conclusion that… The work was actually better.
Maybe it's because we were younger and more naive, maybe it's because we had more energy and enthusiasm, maybe it's because no one knew who we were and nothing mattered. Now it feels like we make work to represent ourselves in different ways, but that makes no sense because the work should be a representation of us. Shouldn't it?
Yesterday we met a whole bunch of live performance makers we'd never met before in the conference room of The Riverfront in a meeting orchestrated by James of Citrus Arts who is leading the direction of this years Opening Performance at the Big Splash Festival at Newport Riverfront.
It was rejuvenating in the purest sense. A short, brief snip of a meeting for us (we had to arrive 40minutes late) we still managed to get to know most of the people and learn about their trade; Circus, Street Performance, Piro/Firework masters and even an Orchestra! It filled me with optimism for not only us as a company who, could perhaps get rid of some stale-ness, but optimism for the city in which we make our work, the beautiful, the quirky, the character, the Newport.
I have no fear that this years Big Splash Festival will be a spectacle to be admired and I whole heartily hope everyone who can get involved, does.
It's free, for me, for you, for whole families, friends, distant cousins, your Aunt Mavis and the man from the Corner Shop.
For our contribution, we vow to clamber as far away from the beaten path as possible. Re-touch, re-engage, and re-associate ourselves with us from back then, and find the beat of a long lost drum.
We're all really excited about it.
You can see others involved in the process on the Tweeeter feeds:
Enjoy your weekend, and Big Splash AHOY HOY!
Danke.
Justin
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