Theatre and Open Space.

Phelim McDermott phelim at mac.com
Mon Nov 14 08:03:53 PST 2005


Hi to people on this list,

I'm new here but have been a ghost observing some of the conversations..

My name is Phelim and i work in the uk in Theatre. If you want to  
know about our company the website is www.improbable.co.uk. We have  
done wide ranging shows from improvised shows in tiny places, to west  
end/braodway  shows, to building a flaming sticky tape tower in front  
of the sidney opera house.  The common factor in the shows is  
creativity developed from improvisation and ensemble.  Three years  
ago I recieved a NESTA fellowship to study connections between  
Mindell's World Work and `improvisation. As part of my research i of  
course  came across open space technology.  In January I will be  
opening the space for Improbable's first OS event.. "Devoted and  
Disgruntled" aimed at dealing with some of the things that might be  
better in my field of work.  There might be people on this string who  
are actually involved in theatre who may want to come or people may  
simply be pleased to know it's happening. Its exciting to see all the  
different activity on here and interesting to see the discussions  
about deep democracy and Amy mindell's idea of "metaskills" which  
have been central to the work i have been developing.

Any way here's the advert..  no apologies i just cant keep it in!!!

DEVOTED AND DISGRUNTLED
What are we going to do about theatre?

Dear All,

I have been involved with professional theatre and performance since  
I left college in 1985. Since that time I have created and co created  
shows which have ranged from totally improvised and devised work to  
classical texts for repertory theatres, from puppetry to site  
specific work and from dance theatre to comedy.  I have performed,  
designed, written, devised, taught, improvised and served on the  
Board of the Actor's centre.  Yet in all this time I have often felt  
an outsider in my own profession. There are things I love about  
theatre and things I find very difficult….things which I wish were  
different. I find myself both devoted and disgruntled. Over the years  
I have often found myself gossiping and moaning about how the world I  
work in could be better. Not just about what we put on the stage but  
how we produce, manage and administrate our work. How we create it in  
all aspects and how we treat each other as a creative community.

As a result of a NESTA fellowship I have been able to train in and  
research some new ways of working with groups, learning from other  
creative and developmental fields. On 7th and 8th of January  
Improbable will be hosting an Open Space Event, which I will  
facilitate. It hopes to support some creative ideas and actions  
around the issues you might feel devoted and disgruntled about. It  
will address the things you care about and maybe wish could be  
different in any aspect of our profession. The things which you feel  
are important or unaddressed in our community.

It will be the first time Improbable has hosted an event like this  
and I invite you to join us in this new adventure of trying to make  
change happen, or even if you are just curious about a new way of  
working with groups in a self organising way. I would like to stress  
that this event will not just be a discussion or a talking shop. We  
are aiming to take action and to make a difference.

If you care, see you there.

Phelim

Phelim McDermott,
Co-Artistic Director, Improbable
------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
---------------------------------------------------------
Improbable’s Open Space Event
DEVOTED AND DISGRUNTLED
What are we going to do about theatre?

Facilitated by Phelim McDermott

A two-day event, 7th and 8th January 2006, 10am – 7pm

At National Youth Theatre, 443-445 Holloway Road, London, N7 6LW

Although Open Space may be new to you it has been used all over the  
world with predictable results. It will be an exciting open-ended  
event that enables a self-organising group to use its collective  
imagination to deal with complex issues and it will achieve this in  
an incredibly short space of time. By the end of the event the  
following will have occurred:

€  Every issue of concern to anybody will have been raised, if they  
took responsibility for doing that.

€  All issues will have received full discussion, to the extent desired.

€  A full report of issues and discussions will be in the hands of  
all participants.

€  And YOU will have taken part in making it happen.

A strong point of Open Space is it’s ability to unite groups of  
enormous diversity, to that end we are encouraging all participants.

HOW TO REGISTER:

TICKETS: £15/person.
All proceeds are to cover direct costs of this event including the  
hire of the space, refreshments and equipment hires.

SUBSIDISED TICKETS: We have a number of subsidised places available,  
at a reduced rate of £5. If you feel that your circumstances mean  
that you might qualify for one of these please drop an e-mail to:

whatarewegoingtodoabouttheatre at improbable.co.uk.

They will be offered on a first come first served basis.

FIVE FOR THE PRICE OF FOUR GROUP DISCOUNT: Apply as a group of five  
and you can have five tickets for £60.

THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS THE 9TH DECEMBER.

PLEASE SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO:
Improbable
4th Floor
43 The Aldwych
London WC2B 0QY

I am writing to reserve          (PLEASE FILL IN AMOUNT OF PLACES)  
place/s for the Open Space Event on the 7th and 8th January 2006.

I enclose a cheque for £         (PLEASE FILL IN AMOUNT) made payable  
to Improbable Theatre.

Please write a sentence or two describing what you do in order to  
help us get a sense of who is coming. E.g. I am a performer, who  
makes my own work, and works with different companies. If you are  
applying as a group to get the group discount please write a sentence  
on each of you.

I am a.....................

NAME:

E-MAIL ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

ADDRESS:

National Youth Theatre is an accessible building. Please let us know  
on application if you have any needs we should be aware of to enable  
you to attend.


------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
---------------------------------------------------------

Tickets will be offered on a first come first served basis so please  
book early to ensure your place. We regret that we will be unable to  
offer a refund if you are unable to attend. If the event becomes  
fully booked we will inform you as soon as possible and return your  
cheque to you.

Need any more info?
Contact Improbable, 020 7240 4556
whatarewegoingtodoabouttheatre at improbable.co.uk, www.improbable.co.uk
or www.clusterform.cmo, launched on 21.11.05


The event is supported by National Youth Theatre and will be  
facilitated by Phelim McDermott who is a NESTA fellow.








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