A joint post. Kings of England (my Father and I) went on a field trip to the pub last night. Normally we never...ever...do that, but this was something of an occasion. Last week I graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a PhD, entitled 'Towards an Ethics of Voice as Hospitable Space'. The thesis draws on the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, and concerns as a performative space, and as a gesture of welcome. It took 4 years to research and write, and is a sprawling 73,000 words, a proper bastard, but it's over and done with now.
We walked out to the Sportsman, which was shut, so we went to the Royal where we met another father (Keith) and son (Chris), who also live down our road.
So we put the world to rights - topics included the weather, chemistry, hiking, the theatre, types of hats, osteoporosis, ants and helicopter rescues. I made a mental note to induct Keith and Chris into some kind of K of E club if we ever start one. But besides all that, I haven't seen my dad squiffy in a long time and it was good to see him loosen up a bit. He was supposed to be going to listen to a choir somewhere this morning but awoke at 11 after an unintentional lie in.
Sunday 27 July 2008
Just got back from Hauser researsals...
I have been keeping this a bit quiet, but I am currently working with an ensemble under the direction of Swen Steinhauser (former artistic director of Deer Park). Also in the company are Anna Wilson (CHIRP, Plane, imitating the dog), Alice Booth (itd), Simone Kenyon (Brief Magnetics, former Deer Park), Neil Callaghan (Propeller) and Anthea Lewis, a London-based dancer and choreographer.
We have just spent two fatiguing weeks in rehearsal at the Gregson Centre and the Nuffield, Lancaster. Its an interesting process, having never been directed in a piece of theatre before, and I count myself lucky to be working with these performers. More on this soon.
We have just spent two fatiguing weeks in rehearsal at the Gregson Centre and the Nuffield, Lancaster. Its an interesting process, having never been directed in a piece of theatre before, and I count myself lucky to be working with these performers. More on this soon.
Saturday 12 July 2008
Dogs
This evening walking up from the playing field I saw two dogs fighting.
A girl and her younger brother, who was probably about four, were walking a pit-bull terrier, at least, it was a short, squat dog. He was walking in the river when I passed them. Down the hill a woman came with a black dog, bigger, a Labrador, I think, on a lead. They walked past me and then I hear the girl scream. I turned around, and twenty feet away I saw the two dogs locked together moving around. The shorter dog had the advantage, the black one couldn't move unless the owner let go of the lead. I walked towards them, and the woman had picked up a rock ready to throw it or hit it at the smaller one. A man came running past me, I thought he must be the woman's husband or partner. He went up to the smaller dog, who had its teeth clamped on the other dog's neck. The girl was screaming "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The man grabbed the shorter dog's muzzle and tried to pull its jaws apart, but it kept its hold. The woman hit the smaller dog in the face with her fist, and the man seemed to look at her as if to say stop. After what seemed like a minute or two, the man finally pulled the dog's jaws apart enough for it to let go and he sat on it, and said to the girl - get it on the lead. They got the lead on and they walked past me. I said to the man you alright mate? He said I will be, his right hand was covered in blood, the dog's and probably his own. Afterwards, I thought about how I could have helped the man. At the time I couldn't move. A man and woman came down the hill and asked what had happened, they said they heard a child screaming. I said it was the dogs. The man walked up the hill with the girl, her brother and the smaller dog, and she couldn't stop saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry". That's all.
A girl and her younger brother, who was probably about four, were walking a pit-bull terrier, at least, it was a short, squat dog. He was walking in the river when I passed them. Down the hill a woman came with a black dog, bigger, a Labrador, I think, on a lead. They walked past me and then I hear the girl scream. I turned around, and twenty feet away I saw the two dogs locked together moving around. The shorter dog had the advantage, the black one couldn't move unless the owner let go of the lead. I walked towards them, and the woman had picked up a rock ready to throw it or hit it at the smaller one. A man came running past me, I thought he must be the woman's husband or partner. He went up to the smaller dog, who had its teeth clamped on the other dog's neck. The girl was screaming "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The man grabbed the shorter dog's muzzle and tried to pull its jaws apart, but it kept its hold. The woman hit the smaller dog in the face with her fist, and the man seemed to look at her as if to say stop. After what seemed like a minute or two, the man finally pulled the dog's jaws apart enough for it to let go and he sat on it, and said to the girl - get it on the lead. They got the lead on and they walked past me. I said to the man you alright mate? He said I will be, his right hand was covered in blood, the dog's and probably his own. Afterwards, I thought about how I could have helped the man. At the time I couldn't move. A man and woman came down the hill and asked what had happened, they said they heard a child screaming. I said it was the dogs. The man walked up the hill with the girl, her brother and the smaller dog, and she couldn't stop saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry". That's all.
Thursday 3 July 2008
Kings of England
Good News!
I have been talking with my Dad about starting a company in which both he and I are principle devisers and performers. As of yesterday, we are agreed. And as of today, we have named ourselves...
"Kings of England".
We are currently writing up a pitch for some cash but in the meantime, we are modestly underway. A conversation we had a couple of weeks ago as I was researching 'Recent Falls', prompted him to quote me the following, from Alan Bennett's 'Writing Home':
Which, essentially, is what our first work will be about - the fictions that will have to stand in for fact, in the event of forgetting.
By way of an early research task, I asked Dad to list his Top 5 songs, as something we might work with (see below, right click, or whatever, to get it up big & legible).
I have been talking with my Dad about starting a company in which both he and I are principle devisers and performers. As of yesterday, we are agreed. And as of today, we have named ourselves...
"Kings of England".
We are currently writing up a pitch for some cash but in the meantime, we are modestly underway. A conversation we had a couple of weeks ago as I was researching 'Recent Falls', prompted him to quote me the following, from Alan Bennett's 'Writing Home':
...the dull distorting effects of time, in phrases which sound right but aren’t…He said: Oh, I don’t know, I don’t remember, then he says: one always forgets the most important things, it’s the things one can’t remember that stay with you (Bennett, 1998, p258)
Which, essentially, is what our first work will be about - the fictions that will have to stand in for fact, in the event of forgetting.
* * *
By way of an early research task, I asked Dad to list his Top 5 songs, as something we might work with (see below, right click, or whatever, to get it up big & legible).
Tuesday 1 July 2008
0-5: Themed Weekend with Ian and Tracey
Top: Ian
Bottom: Simon
Crosby Beach, Saturday 28th June, mid-evening.
Photographs by Tracey McGarrigan
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