Second Workshop and First Proposal

After a second workshop we spent time walking around the town with the team, and discussing sites.

About two week later we came up with the following proposal.



PROPOSAL 1 - The River

Part 1 - Leisure

Part 2 - Work

Part 3 - Life and Death


Part one is a teaser. It takes place a few days before the main event in the form of an installation in one of the shops (or more than one if we have them) – it’s (or they) arre a living advert for the project. One – or perhaps two characters, viewed through the window. Maybe the shop is flooded with a shallow puddle of water cheap and easy to do). A character (is it someone resting on the seventh day) is playing or relaxing, maybe a remote control model boat, or fishing, a deck chair, sarnies, maybe a line running to the letter box on which watchers can pin messages. Maybe they are masked and fabled. Whatever – it’s inspired by our research into how the rivers have been used for recreation and the installation should be active for a few hours – a living window display, advertising the event.


The next two parts take place over one evening – call this The Event.


Part two is a drama. It takes place in the evening, under the outdoor market. This is inspired by our research into the stories of how the river has affected the life of the town. Maybe three stories, one 19th century, one 20th, one late 21st century (but there’s nothing special about 3 – could be 1 or 5). All enacted, but in different audience shapes – one in traverse, another in the round, one end-on. Requiring the audience to move to different areas of the market and change perspectives – so they see tableaux in long shot, then move close as it comes to life. Aesthetically quite sparse, a bit of lighting, informative costume, probably different actors for each scene.


Part three is a ritual and celebration. At the end of part two, music and a soundscape (Adrian), calls us to the river. We move from the market down past the scout hut and along the path to the riverbank. On the way we pass candle lit tableaux or fire sculptures. At the river bank there’s some sort of task the audience have to help with. Maybe ropes emerging from the river have to be pulled on and something is dragged out. (The observant saw a little model of this in the window display). Maybe it’s a container of some sort – a chest, or a cracked sculpture. We drag it out and break it open. There’s something inside that is shared out – maybe nourishment, or a token. Maybe it’s something that the friendly teacher and his class worked out and made. Across the river we see two characters from one of the stories running across the field and away – or a flaming fish. Music as something or things, float down stream.