Author: Joseph Ballard

It’s two weeks today since the performance of The Covert Club and I’m still receiving great feedback. I did ask a few people for their response to the production but lots has come in voluntarily.
It was a new show, mixing cabaret with a full theatrical experience. I wanted to consider a new project that was cabaret but not in the vintage capacity – like so many themed events are now trawling along such as vintage variety and burlesque. We also live in an age where nearly everyone (in our society) can feel like they can express themselves (via blogs like this) or other social networking sites. We also live in an age where everyone is questioning the Government and those in power.
It began with the vision of a smoke-clouded room full of shadowed faces waiting in anticipation for some prohibited entertainment.. and that’s what people got.

“I never had imagined something like that taking place in Norwich. Or should I say beginning in Norwich? Everyone definitely wants more!”

“I attend a lot of cabaret events in London but I have never experienced something like the Covert Club. It was all very well thought through and I enjoyed each act in the show and also I’m sure would have done as standalone acts on the circuit.”

“I cannot wait for the next one! Thank you for bringing joy to us here in Norwich where we sometimes feel depraved of new theatre and concepts. Well done and thanks again.”

“I found myself feeling as if I was about to enter a world full of salubrious and disturbing characters; from the past, the present, from the ether…unaware of who to trust. We were coaxed to engage in an almost pantomime-style of arousal, with imaginations sparking on every tight bend. My journey culminated in the wondrously safe knowledge that we’re all going to die – smiling!”

And are we doing it again? Of course we are. Friday 21^st October at Norwich Arts Centre. We’re also talking to programmers of festivals and other venues – this project has legs and arms and eyes and ears, let’s use them all.
Further links: A published review of The Covert Club (by Vintage Norwich) The Covert Club Headless Entertainment

Naturalistic fourth-wall dramas are not my usual theatre ticket, neither are kitchen-sink dramas nor the endless reinterpretations of Shakespeare. Immersive populist theatre, with twists, practical dilemmas, physical and mental challenges and a good bit of suspense and horror is.

Crash of the Elysium, by Punchdrunk delivered my favourites on all accounts. You only have to check out the reviews and video testimonials from children and adults where there’s an endless flow of energetic adjectives that come together like some cocophany of amazement.

I eagerly waited in bay 2 – where the audience group of 18 of us sat nervously like we were about to sit an exam. I don’t want to give away the experience of the actual show but all the classic elements of a good Dr Who episode are there, from the thrills, the frights, the risk of failing, the will to save the earth, the Tardis and of course the atmospheric incidental music that is used to highlight the sense of danger or those emotional bits where you feel connect to the flippant-minded Doctor.

The hour’s adventure did leave us all a little exhausted but we all left buzzing wanting more. Punchdrunk had transformed the town’s old car park into a deluge of wonderment, raw adventure and time travel and the wanting of more adventure was persistent as I drove home.

Crash of the Elysium, presented by Punchdrunk with the New Wolsey Theatre runs to 8^th July in Ipswich.

For more information on the London 2012 Festival programme, check out:www.london2012.com/festival

Everyone loves a Festival. In my hometown of Norwich we’ve got loads – at least 12 big annual ones as well as others that sprout up, growing on the back of the larger ones or just those that just want to provide something different, like mini fringes that are able to showcase the home-grown talent. Norwich is a city that harvests creativity well, with loads of different venues and creative types to make them it happen.

This time round I’m talking about The Festival – the world’s largest ever programme of arts events made up of over 12,000 performances and where 18 million people have already taken part in it via the Cultural Olympiad. The Festival is the grand finale of the 4-year long Cultural Olympiad.

Amongst the busy nature of my job as the East’s Inspire Programmer and being the lead-up to the Olympic Torch Relay’s arrival into the region, I’ve managed to cram in the time to attend some of the local highlights of this year’s cultural calendar.

I’ve often walked through the beautiful grounds of Norwich Cathedral, regarded as a city centre haven where it peacefully away from the traffic and noisy hubbub of a busy city. I’ve attended Shakespeare in the cloisters, services and concerts inside the Cathedral too but last Tuesday night was something different – no I didn’t spot another peregrine egg or other form of nesting bird wanting it’s clutch of fame – but Tuesday evening was a new way to explore the Norman Cathedral – its architecture and its atmosphere.

We were handed mini torches, to share in our groups as we entered the magnificent venue via the Cloisters. It was dark – gloomy is too much of a solemn word to use because there was a sense of excitement – as everyone eagerly anticipated the arrival of whatever we were to be expecting. Stewards dimly lit the way like guardians sent to protect the spiritual ambience. We were instructed to be quiet but not many obeyed this command, as it was a new experience to be wandering around the beast of a building late at night.

The show was almost promenade style, with three spots for action in the famously long nave. How Like An Angel is a collaboration between Circa (an Australian circus company) and I Fagiolini (although Italian sounding, a UK-based vocal ensemble). Circa amazed everyone with daring feats of great height, strength, balance and human endeavour. The harmonic skills of I Fagiolini were wonderful. Both of the two art forms demonstrated the highest skill in their specific fields.

Flattery aside, there was no obvious narrative and I’m still struggling with the marriage of the two works, but it was still an amazing evening – animating the cavernous space of the 900 hundred year-old building in its feast of juxtaposition for the ears and eyes.

The Dance of the Stewards, a multiple-moving scenic piece of adjusting a performance space using ropes and barriers aided by clipboard and radios, did provide some light relief in between the intense moments albeit it not purposely part of the artistic action.

The London 2012 Festival has much more to offer for a few more months and (after tomorrow night’s adventure through time) I hope to be able to catch more of it.

Check out the London 2012 Festival website for more information on the programme of dance, music, theatre, fashion, food, art or film – events that have embraced the ‘greats’ (venues and people of the arts-world) and events that are just simply out-of-the-ordinary in unusual places.

How Like An Angel also plays Ely Cathedral (2-3 July), Gloucester Cathedral (16-17 July) and Ripon Cathedral (19 – 20 July).