How to develop spaces dedicated to inter human communication and exchange , where, how , who : rites of passage, everyday life, social intervention

Convener(s): Ruth Ben-Tovim

Participants:  Sean McKenna, Sarah Floyd, Peader Kirk, Alan Fielden, Louise Kemeny, Carol Metcalfe, Dan Kaop, Harun Morrison Liz Moreton, Ruth Ben-Tovim

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• moving beyond the building based identities that we have often clung to ie the place of worship, the bar, the community centre, the art institution– to meet in a neutral way/place that breaks the conventions of that and our own space and time

Scattered strangers reaching out beyond tribal groups…. Liberating enaging acts where we have choices

Below tries to cover main points raised – it is not really a summary

• What role does theatre have in our everyday life – often seen as a leisure activity rather than a function – The word Dramaturgy – action /work starts to explore an approach to theatre that sees it as a function
• Interested in the emerging and timeless need that people have  come together to express themselves – because we often conceal what we feel, a need to find a space to regard each other as special/ to regard ourselves as special , a theatre that provides that would be very preferential
• What would it look like?  We then discussed  a spectrum of art for arts sake and art as a tool for change and different work that fits that, that is funded because of that ie socially engaged practice, arts therapies, spectacle, event and issues of aesthetic value, visibility and then moved on to exploring the  idea of new forms we wanted to see that allowed for interhuman exchange, who’s focused intention is on the act of  engagement and participation and being in the moment , situations that offer people a chance to fall into a deep space – seeing theatre as a service
• We discussed how hard  it is to talk about to review to validify work that is transitory, in the moment, about exchange because by definition it would involve the reviewer having to make themselves vulnerable  because they would need to take part to fully review/analyse it
• We compared this idea to anthropological work that either stands outside a ‘tribe’ and makes a supposed ‘ neutral judegement’ or an anthropologist who embodies or becomes part of that tribe in order to understand from within
• Maybe there is a form of work that reviews itself – reflection
• Talked about a dual engagement – be in it as well as retain an observation role as well
• Interested in large groups of human communication – flash mobbing – meet at a location and undertake a task eg bring a pillow, start dancing – taking performative acts into spaces that have different norms
• Compared these large acts of transitory community being – do intimate performative acts … is intimate 1:1 performance dangerous cos its replacing the voids in society ie will it stop people going to neighbour/reaching out?
• People thought not – cos of idea of off shoots – ie it could be habit forming
• Intimate performance of choice allows us to re- navigate and be aware of the structures we operate within
• Do we have a bubbling need for human connection / to experience a sense of being together as human beings – all felt yes, lack of ritual or opportunities to meet and be so work that does that is needed and well received – discussed examples, dancing in station, singing in intensive care ,
• We got excited at this point …… exploring the idea that those opportunities gave us a chance to identifiy with strangers in a moment through what we do rather than through what we buy or where we go or what named group we belong to.
• Thought that we were moving beyond the building/space based idtentities of the place of worship, the bar, the community centre, the art institution– to meet in a neutral way/place that breaks the conventions of that and our own space and time
• Scattered strangers reaching out beyond tribal groups…. Liberating enaging acts where we have choices … working with a  new audience
• Explored idea of moment of cohesion of collective energy being important and whether or not theatre that deliberately tries to curate that moment is actually missing the point because it only gives one option or it signals very clearly we are building to this pre determined moment – wheras a theatre/ invitation/ event that has many of those possibilities happening simultaneously can allow my individual experience whilst also recognising that others are going through something- less prescriptive,
• Discussed the delicious moment between the theatrical and the real – moving out of purely imagination and into more levels ie consensus reality – you me here now, then my imaginings of you, my own imagination, then the deeper level of connection at an essence level and we were all interested in creating and unearthing those possibilities
• About creating conditions within which something ‘special’ can happen
• Discussed rites of passage,- and perhaps the idea that now we are looking for temporary rites of passes that we can dip in and out of…. A journey that takes you into a moment of belonging but isn’t necessarily fixed/permenant