Theology

 

 

I’m a really happy man.
Theology, a bold and charismatic new production by Martin O’Connor, has just ended its run as part of The Arches Behaviour Festival programme. Performed in The Pearce Institute, a stalwart heart of Govan, everything about the work resounded community. From recruiting a unique male choir of local vocals, to writing that meditates on a generation of life in Govan, through thematic reworkings of an enormous global community – the Catholic Church. And I was invited to join the small community that collaborated on the work. Me and Martin worked together on a poster image for the show, I shot the production images and, a new and brilliant experience, I helped produce bespoke permanent images under the vision of the show’s designer that were hung as part of the set.
While I harp on perpetually about how much I love my job, it isn’t very often you get to work collaboratively with awesome creative people on an a project that is thematically and visually rich. Unlike much of my work, the nicest aspect of this project was the scale of my involvement from early in the show’s development and to be able to lend my vision to what is a wry, complex and moving piece of theatre. All boxes ticked really.
Like I said, I’m really happy.

 

 

 

 

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Auteurs

This weekend ushers in the end of The Arches Behavior Festival for 2013. A heady five weeks of completely new work for the stage from Scottish and international artists. Eclectic and contemporary as only the Arches can, even the term “stage” is only applied loosely. This year saw a new creative partnership come to fruition between the Arches and NTS, which I am very indebted to have been involved in from early on.

The project gave five rising Scottish devisers an opportunity to research, incubate and perform new work at the festival. Each with their own developing trademarks and disciplines, some of them out and out rogues, but all of them auteurs of their craft. Having had the chance to meet them together for the school portrait lineup for a feature in The List, I was brimming to shoot all of their performances individually over the course of the month.

First was Gary McNair’s brilliantly referential investigation into stand-up comedy: Donald Robertson is not a Comedian.

Kieran Hurley explored notions of community and ideals of Scottishness in, effectively, a living room jamboree. Intimate and foot tapping: Rantin

Claire Cunningham’s ongoing curiosity in the body brought her to and back from Cambodia to begin a work meditating on the effects of landmines. A framework of disability through which the indiscriminate excess of war can be viewed from a humble perspective: Pink Mist

Finally, Rob Drummond’s centenary revisiting of Stravinsky’s Rites of Spring, through a screen of contemporary dance and music as well as recent societal dysfunctions. Leaving the outcome in the hands of the audience: The Riots of Spring

There have been heaps of great writing documenting the Festival, but for a succinct in house perspective check out Rosie’s blog.

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