VISUAL ART & PERFORMANCE IN EXETER DECEMBER 2013
EXDIRECTORY
WELCOME TO THE SECOND ISSUE OF EXDIRECTORY
INSIDE We showcase the best in visual art and performance across the city. Use the handy calendar to plan your cultural month ahead PLUS Find out more about work being presented by visiting and resident practitioners in our interviews and features. Clockwise from top left: Great Expectations at the Bike Shed Theatre; ‘Trio’ by Barbara Hepworth at the RAMM; Kit Poulson’s ‘I Married a Parrot God’ at Exeter Phoenix; and The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn at Exeter Northcott Theatre. See inside for further details Editor: Belinda Dillon. Design: Krage Design. Send event listings & features ideas to: exdirectoryexeter@gmail.com
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Richard Hilliard by Nicholas Hilliard © Victoria & Albert Museum
Queen Elizabeth I The Armada Portrait by George Gower © Tyrwhitt-Drake Collection
ART Until 2 March 2014, the RAMM is hosting an exhibition to celebrate Devon and Cornwall’s contribution to the Tudor age. West Country to World’s End showcases the region’s participation in events of national importance, the production of sophisticated arts and crafts, the contribution made to learning by individuals born and/or working here, voyages of exploration and the colonisation of America, and last, but certainly not least, the work of court artists who were born here. We asked the curator, Professor Sam Smiles, to tell us more… What was the significance of portraiture in the Tudor age? Portraiture of this sort was a new art form. Images of prominent individuals had been made before (think of the portrait of Richard II in the Wilton diptych (c. 1395-99) now in the National Gallery’s collection and earlier images of donors to be found in medieval stained glass and in manuscripts), but the idea of portraiture as something that existed ‘simply’ to capture the likeness of the individual outside any religious context was new. It allowed royalty, the aristocracy, and eventually the rising middle classes to assert themselves as persons of rank and/ or as people of accomplishments. To have a portrait painted was to announce your social standing, your worth and, if you came from a less than exalted background, the fact that you had ‘arrived’. Portraiture had developed on the Continent and initially portraits were made by foreign artists working in England, bringing this new art form with them. Over the course of the 16th century, English artists began producing portraits, too. Nicholas Hilliard, born in Exeter, was the most important of them. Why were miniatures so popular? Miniatures were designed to be inspected from very close range. As a result the most painstaking work – equivalent to jewellery in its refinement – could be appreciated at leisure and there is no doubt that the Tudor age delighted in technical mastery. These portraits were necessarily very intimate objects and could be given as favours or exchanged between partners or lovers. And because they were portable it was straightforward to carry the image of someone who mattered to you. A miniature stands to a full-length portrait as a sonnet does to a play. (RAMM has provided magnifying glasses for the smaller works in the exhibition and they need to be used to appreciate these items.)
WEST COUNTRY TO WORLD’S END What does the art in the exhibition tell us about the period? The first point to make is that the hierarchical distinction that is often made today between the fine arts (principally painting, sculpture, architecture) and the applied or decorative arts is not one with very much meaning in this period. Some goldsmiths, for example, could make very good careers, be esteemed more for their skill and earn more than many painters. Anybody making fine art or craft would have had to be aware of guild restrictions concerning appropriate training, which determined what craft you were legally able to practice. Most creative talents specialized, some more than others. Nicholas Stone (born in Woodbury) was the finest sculptor of his age but he also produced architectural designs and worked with Inigo Jones on building commissions. Nicholas Hilliard was primarily a painter but also designed the Great Seal of Elizabeth, used 1586-1603, and also the Great Seal of Ireland (c.1584; which was never used). Allied to this point is the fact that important events, such as the Armada, were recorded visually in medals and engravings (some of which were later the basis for tapestries) rather than in paintings, simply because medals and engravings could be made in multiple copies and widely circulated. The other feature to note, I think, is the sheer range of representational practices, including botanical and geographical illustrations, the ‘eye-witness’ records of the New World made on the spot by John White and the refinement of court art. To what extent was art used for political propaganda purposes? A great deal of it was intensely political. The
portrait of Elizabeth at the opening of the exhibition shows her with the Armada’s defeat behind her and her right hand hovering over that part of the globe showing North America and the Caribbean. The meaning is clear: Spain’s dominion in the New World is over and her attempts to attack the power that is replacing her will be thwarted. The anonymous portrait of Ralegh and his son lists the offices he controlled and thus his favoured status in Elizabeth’s eyes. Given the factions at Court who disapproved of Ralegh, this could be understood almost as a manifesto of the power he wielded. Or consider Hilliard’s miniature of James I. Like Elizabeth before him, James used his court artists to project his image as a propaganda ploy. What is the stand-out piece in the exhibition, and why? This is a very tough question! I think the Hilliard miniatures are fantastic – especially the portrait of Ralegh – and it’s about time that Exeter’s native son was honoured with a show of his work here. We are extremely fortunate to have been able to borrow three John White watercolors of Algonquian life in ‘Virginia’ (North Carolina today), which still carry with them the shock of encountering other peoples whose way of life was so different. The Society of Apothecaries’ picture of the Armada is a show-stopper. It’s a huge painting for its time and conveys something of the drama and the sense of national relief that the invasion was averted. And to be able to show three works by Holbein in Exeter is a very rare privilege. I could go on...! On 4 Dec, Professor Smiles is giving a lecture about the exhibition. See overleaf for details.
PERFORMANCE
ELIZA & THE WILD SWANS This Christmas, Bristol-based company The Wardrobe Ensemble – fresh from performing Riot at the National Theatre in London – bring their modern take on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale Eliza & the Wild Swans to the Bike Shed Theatre. We spoke to director Fiona Mikel about the devising process, laundrettes, and the challenges of adapting a classic for contemporary audiences… With its exiled princess, wicked stepmother and magic spells, Eliza & the Wild Swans has everything you’d expect from a fairy tale. When her 11 brothers are turned into birds by an evil queen, Eliza is given the chance to save them by knitting shirts made from nettles – but she must remain silent until the very last stitch. Full of peril and injustice, sacrifice and duty, it is a moving tale about the pull of family and the power of love. It’s a lot to pack into 90 minutes with a cast of five. How closely will – can – the production follow the original? “We’re a devising company, so the piece will come together by exploring the story, improvisation and writing as a group throughout rehearsals,” explains Fiona. “We’ve got an idea of structure, but we’re looking forward to developing certain characters and multi-roling as a cast of five. Ultimately, we’ll remain true to the story’s key theme, which is Eliza’s quest to reunite her family.” One of the ways in which the show can incorporate a large cast of characters, cover vast distances and represent magical spells is to make the most of the fantasy element inherent in all fairy tales. “To work within a contemporary, real-world context, we’re setting up the premise that our Eliza is a regular customer at a laundrette and escapes into her imagination, into a fantasy world where she can act out the things she can’t do in her ordinary life,” says Fiona. “So she might be an only child who wishes she had lots of siblings, or she might create an
evil stepmother as a way of coming to terms with her father having moved away to start a new relationship. The laundrette setting will also provide the opportunity to fly off into imaginary spaces, using the objects we’ve got around us and the different costumes to create characters. All the cast play different instruments, so when they’re not playing characters they are adding to the drama through live music, creating the link between the real and the fantasy worlds.” One of the major challenges of adapting a piece based on such old values – the notion of female sacrifice and duty, traditional roles – is to create a central character with whom modern audiences can identify. “The fact that the protagonist is a courageous woman who goes though a lot of different trials and tribulations to get back to her family is an important aspect of the story,” says Fiona. “Eliza needs to be bold, courageous, fun and energetic to carry what is otherwise, from the beginning, a very sad story. In the original tale, the prince – the ‘saviour’ – is quite problematic for me, in that he falls in love with Eliza for her beauty and her silence. We want to play with that, subvert it, and perhaps make him a Russian czar with a large entourage and a promiscuous lifestyle, so how he treats Eliza and how she wins him over through her courage, how they might strike up a genuine relationship, and how he might change through her are important plot points for us.” One of the most exciting aspects of the production for Fiona is that the company is being given a free rein with the Bike Shed Theatre’s performance space, which might involve creating a traverse stage – where
audiences sit on two sides – providing the opportunity to create a totally immersive experience. “We’re producing the music, providing all the lighting, changing the performance space – we’re in complete control of the creating a world into which the audience will be invited. I find it really exciting that we aren’t having to think about the show as a touring piece; we can dedicate the piece entirely to that space. It’s a great position to be in, and we have to use it to its best potential, to create as much magic for all ages.” The show opens on 17 December, but by 25 November the company will have taken over an empty shop space in the Guildhall Shopping Centre, in which they plan to create a version of the Bike Shed Theatre performance space so they can fully test out all their ideas. “I would encourage people to come and have a look at what we’re up to,” says Fiona. “It will probably be chaotic, a little bit anarchic, definitely playful… This will be our chance to start creating the magic, which is why, without hesitation, I chose to direct this project – the pure joy of devising a Christmas show. We have to create good drama, of course, and pay close attention to the plot and the narrative structure, but ultimately it’s about the joy. We can’t wait.” The Wardrobe Ensemble will be rehearsing at Unit 22 in the Guildhall Shopping Centre from 25 November. Eliza & the Wild Swans opens at the Bike Shed Theatre on 17 December. See overleaf for full performance details.
VISUAL ART & PERFORMANCE IN EXETER DECEMBER 2013
EXDIRECTORY ONGOING EXHIBITIONS
KIT POULSON A series of new paintings using oil and egg tempera, accompanied by a parallel set of short fictions, inspired by the artist’s fascination with the aftermath of the vision. What is left when the revelation recedes and the consciousness remains firmly rooted in the mundane? How are things accommodated into the world and our minds? Exeter Phoenix Gallery. Free. Until 11 Jan CLAIRE TINDALE With an interdisciplinary practice, Claire Tindale explores human activity and behaviour of the individual or society as a whole. Investigations often focus on idiosyncrasies or vulnerabilities; the resultant work is at times playfully analytical, at others emotive or thought provoking. Gallery 333, Exeter Phoenix. Free. Until 4 Jan ROBERT MASON Naive, surreal and whimsical glimpses into the artist’s parallel dreamworld, created in a green shed on Dartmoor. Exeter Phoenix Café Bar Gallery. Free. Until 30 December
SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER
MONDAY 2 DECEMBER
TUESDAY 3 DECEMBE
SPOKES: AMAZE! Join the performance poetry organisation Apples and Snakes for a spinning wheel of word wizardry. Poetry as you’ve never heard it before, hosted by Jack Dean. For monthly line-up info visit: applesandsnakes.org 7.30pm, Bike Shed Theatre.
DIARY OF A MADMAN Stepping Out Theatre, the country’s leading mental health theatre group, present Gogol’s masterpiece. The piece has previously toured to secure psychiatric wards, day centres and drug and alcohol hostels in Bristol, where it received amazing responses from patients and staff alike. 7.30pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £12 (£8)
LESS THAN A YEAR Script reading by Helena Enright attempting to deal with Ireland’s family tragedy. The script incorp the transcript of an interview tha couple whose daughter died from Bike Shed Theatre. £5. Part of th
DECEMBER DROP-IN @ EVA STUDIOS An opportunity to buy some Christmas gifts and see some of the artists taking part in Exeter Open Studios 2014. 10.30am-5pm, Eva Studios, Alphinbrook Road, Marsh Barton, 01392 413110
THE RECRUITING OFFICER Revival of George Farquahar’s 17 experiences. 12yrs+ 7.30pm, Exeter Northcott. Ticket Also showing: 4-7 Dec (schools’ Sat 7th matinee at 2.30pm) NB: Post Show Talk: Weds 4th, T
THURSDAY 5 DECEMBER
FRIDAY 6 DECEMBER
THE EXETER BLITZ PROJECT Another chance to see this impressive piece of verbatim theatre based on the recollected experiences of individuals who were aged between six and 25 in 1942. Created by Viva Voce, the play was first shown at the Bike Shed in May 2012 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the WW2 attack. 2pm, 7.30pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £12 (£8), £5 Tuesdays. Also showing: 6-7, 12-14 Dec (matinees on 7th, 12th, 14th)
EXETER’S FINE ART COLLECTION Includes a pair of hospital drawings by Barbara Hepworth, ‘Trio’ and ‘Preparation’, on display for the first time in several years, as well as works by Thomas Girtin (1775-1802), one of the greatest English watercolourists whose innovations opened the way for Romantic landscape artists of the 19th century. JMW Turner is said to have remarked: “Had Tom Girtin lived I should have starved.” Gallery 5, Royal Albert Memorial Museum. From time to time the galleries will be closed for special events; please check before travelling, phone: 01392 265858. Until 6 April 2014
SW CULTURE & REVIEW Tune in to Phonic FM to hear discussion and debate about current cultural events in the city. 8-10pm, 106.8 FM or live streaming at www.phonic.fm
THE EXETER BLITZ PROJECT MONDAY 9 DECEMBER BALLAD OF A THIN MAN Writer/performer Callum Mitchell’s debut one-man show about love, heartbreak and a dressing gown. Darkly funny and moving, it is based on a true story and features music from Seamus Carey. 7.30pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £12 (£8)
MOTOR
TUESDAY 10 DECEMB
ARTISTS’ FILMS A collection of short films select is currently on display in the Gal 7pm, Exeter Phoenix. Free
TIN GIRLS It is said that in Sindhupalchok, household has sold a daughter, the rooftops of the village – the o as opposed to the traditional tim sacrifice has been made. Tin Gir featuring the photography of Alic of the brave women whom she m Shed Theatre. £5. Part of the Viv
VENUE & TICKET INFO: Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Queen St. 01392 265858, exeter.gov.uk/ramm. Tickets for events are available from Reception in person or by phone using a credit or debit card during opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Exeter Phoenix, Bradninch Place, Gandy St. 01392 667080, exeterphoenix.org.uk
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t of her story about a couple s health service in the face of porates material directly from at Enright conducted with a m Ewing’s Sarcoma. 7.30pm, he Viva Voce Residency.
706 comedy inspired by his own
ts from £13.50 (£2 booking fee). matinee Thurs 5th at 1.30pm;
Thurs 5th at 1.30pm
BER
ted by Kit Poulson, whose work llery.
Nepal, you can tell which or lost a mother, by looking at ones with corrugated tin roofs, mber and slate, indicate that a rls is a mixed-media project ce Carfrae and the testimonies met in Nepal.7.30pm, Bike va Voce Residency.
Barnfield Theatre, Barnfield Road. 01392 271808, barnfieldtheatre.org.uk
Cygnet Theatre, Friars Gate. 01392 277189, cygnettheatre.co.uk
Bike Shed Theatre, Fore St. 01392 434169, bikeshedtheatre.co.uk
Exeter Visitors Information and Tickets, Dix’s Field, Paris Street. 01392 665885
Corn Exchange, George St, 01392 665938, exeter.gov.uk/cornexchange
Northcott Theatre, Stocker Road. 01392 493493, exeternorthcott.co.uk
GIVE ART FOR CHRISTMAS Until 5 January, Gloss Gallery will be presenting original artworks by South West artists priced £500 and under, making them affordable for new collectors or buyers wanting to get something unique for their family for Christmas. Pieces can also be purchased through the Own Art scheme, which allows buyers to pay for artworks over ten months. NB If paying through Own Art, you must process the application by 7 December to take the work away in time for Christmas. Images, from left: Charles Turner ‘Rock Island, Sidmouth’; Lar Cann ‘Filleigh VIII’; Naomi Hart ‘Downward Beat’
WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER UNDER PRESSURE Two friends make a decision one New Year’s Eve that has unforeseen consequences. Helena Enright reads from her own script. 7.30pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £5. TREASURE ISLAND Quirk Theatre’s imaginative re-telling of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic. Exeter Phoenix. £10 (£7), Family Ticket £27, Schools £6. Ages 5+ Schools Performances: 4-6, 9-11, 17-18 Dec, 10am & 1pm Public Performances: 21-24, 28-29 Dec, 3-4 Jan, times vary, see Exeter Phoenix website for details. ONCE UPON A TIME The Exeter Police & Hospital Players take you to Pantoland. 7.30pm, Barnfield Theatre, £10 (£7). Also showing: 5-8 Dec (matinee at 2pm on Sat 7th & Sun 8th)
ARTISTS’ CAFE The chance to chat, share, network, moan or talk art with other artists from Exeter and Devon. Just turn up, no need to book. 10.30am-12.30pm, Hope Hall, Heavitree EX2 5JN. £2.50 includes coffee and biscuits. KEYNOTE EVENING LECTURE: LEARNING AND THE ARTS IN TUDOR DEVON AND CORNWALL Start your evening viewing the West Country to World’s End exhibition at RAMM, then join Professor Sam Smiles Emeritus Professor of Art History, University of Plymouth, and Programme Director, Art History and Visual Culture, University of Exeter - for his lecture at 7.30pm. 5.30-9pm, RAMM Galleries 20 and 21 followed by the Devonshire Suite at the Thistle Rougemont Hotel, Queen Street. £12 (£10). See above for ticket information. WANT MORE? See overleaf for a Q&A with Professor Smiles...
SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER MOTOR: BETTINA BUCK INVITES MARIE LUND Both artists pay particular attention to the materials they use, producing predominantly sculptural work that responds to the environment in which it’s presented through subtle gestures and bespoke interventions. Spacex. Free. Until 22 February NB: Exhibition Opening Event, 3–5pm. Free. Bettina Buck and Marie Lund will be in conversation about the exhibition from 4pm.
JACK & THE BEANSTALK Join Jack on his giant adventure as he climbs the beanstalk to an enchanted land where he must rescue his friends and family from the ‘Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum’ of one very hungry giant! For a second year running, pupils from Dance Arts Theatre School in Exmouth will be joining the cast on stage. 2pm & 7pm (Tues), 10am & 2pm (Wed), Barnfield Theatre, £10 (£8). School Bookings please phone 07738883445 Also showing: 11 Dec JANE EYRE Cygnet Company present Polly Teale’s adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel.2pm & 7.30pm, Cygnet Theatre. £10 (£6), Preview evening £5 (10 Dec), Matinees £8. Also showing: 11-14 Dec (7.30pm only), 7-11 Jan (2pm matinee on 11th)
DRAWING WORKSHOPS WITH NAOMI HART A friendly, relaxed, taught group, especially for people who ‘haven’t drawn since school’. Looking at different techniques and new materials with an emphasis on fun and exploration. 10am-1pm, Hope Hall, Hope Road, Heavitree EX2 5JN. £15 with materials included and tea and coffee available. Please book. naomihart.info, email HopeHallArts@gmail.com, 01392 493029. This workshop will also take place on Saturday 14 December
WEDNESDAY 11 DECEMBER SCRIPT READING: CITIZEN What does it mean to be an ‘active citizen’ in the 21st century? What are the stories that make up our lives? What are our dreams, hopes and ambitions? What does family mean to us? How have we been affected by the recession? Do we vote? What is our vision for the future? What role can or should we play in shaping that vision? These questions and more will form the basis of Viva Voce’s new play, Citizen. During the three weeks of the residency, Viva Voce will be collecting stories from the citizens of Exeter about what it is like to live and work in the present times. Using their documentary and testimony approach, they will attempt to craft a theatrical experience. 7.30pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £5. Part of the Viva Voce Residency.
FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER
JANE EYRE
Lee Hodges
SHAKESPEARE WITH A PUNCH Join the University of Exeter’s Drama Department outside the Elizabethan Guildhall in Exeter High Street at 5.30pm and parade down to St Nicholas Priory for a glass of punch and promenade drama performances between 6pm and 7pm. Meet the fools, clowns and ordinary folk of Shakespeare’s plays in comic scenes and festive silliness featuring emerging artists from the MA Staging Shakespeare course. 5.30-7.30pm, St Nicholas Priory, The Mint. Free.
TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER
WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER
ELIZA AND THE WILD SWANS The Wardrobe Ensemble’s bold adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale. 8yrs+. 7pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £12 (£8), £5 Previews (17-19 Dec). Also showing: 18-21, 23, 27-30 Dec, 2-4, 6-11 Jan (matinees at 1pm on 18th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 24th (1pm & 4pm), 26th (1pm & 4pm), 28th, 30th, 31st Dec, 2nd, 4th, 11th Jan, WANT MORE? See overleaf for an interview about the creation of the show with director Fiona Mikel...
TREASURE ISLAND: RELAXED PERFORMANCE Allowing adults and children with autism, learning disabilities, or sensory and communication disorders to enjoy theatre shows without having to worry about making a noise, moving around or leaving the auditorium. Everyone can just relax. The performance has a less formal, more supportive atmosphere in order to reduce anxiety levels. An easy way to describe the feel is ‘the opposite of a quiet carriage on the train’. 5yrs+ 1pm, Exeter Phoenix. £10 (£7), family £27
TREASURE ISLAND
‘RAINBOW SCENE ON THE EXE’ by Thomas Girtin - See Exeter’s Fine Art Collection 6 December
FRIDAY 20 DECEMBE
DICK WHITTINGTON Join Dick Whittington and his fai their quest to seek fame and for where the streets are paved with dwells. Exeter Little Theatre Com pantomime. 7pm (2pm matinee at weekends Barnfield Theatre. £12.50 (Child 20 Dec & 2 Jan all tickets £9.50. Dec, 1-4 Jan
PERFORMANCE
MADAME POLIAKOV’S SPIRIT OF I’m in Mont Cervin Palace in Zermatt, Switzerland, and the air is thick with cigar smoke and expensive cologne. There is the dull buzz of staff going about their business mixed with a shallow rustling of papers and the occasional burst of vibrant goingson outside on Bahnhofstrasse as the revolving door swings round. I have been granted a rare privilege: 12½ minutes of uninterrupted interview time with Madame Poliakov, the richest woman on Earth... My hands are sweaty as I take the bottle of organic Alpine spring water from the tray. The Poliakov brand is embossed on the bottle. Suddenly, from nowhere, a hush descends, and a light breeze sweeps through
the room. I look to the reception desk behind me. As I turn back to my water, a screen has appeared on the other side of the table. “Your 12½ minutes have already started,” states a voice. It is accented but I can’t pinpoint it geographically. Rumours of Poliakov’s origins are well documented, so I won’t bore you with speculation. I want to know about her forthcoming visit to the UK and, more specifically, her alleged appearance in Exeter. “It is true,” comes the voice. But why Exeter? Will she be visiting any other cities? She won’t rule out that possibility but it is in Exeter, she confides, that she has found the source…
“The source?” I ask. “The source of what?” “My new product, of course!” I panic – I have not been briefed on a new product! I apologise for my ignorance and beg her to divulge a little more information. “This winter…” she whispers, and I have to lean in close, my face almost touching the ornate screen. “This winter I launch Madame Poliakov’s Spirit of Christmas.” “A new perfume?” I enquire. There is silence. “The Spirit of Christmas,” comes the reply. I am not sure what to make of this. I can feel a bead of sweat dripping down my face. I am aware that my time is drawing to a close. “Can you tell me anything else?” I ask. “Come and see for yourself,” she says, and
7.30pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £5. Part of the Viva Voce Residency.
SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF MR BENN As if by magic, the shopkeeper appeared... A Tall Stories (creators of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom stage shows) production. 4yrs+ 11am & 2pm, Exeter Northcott. £12, Family Ticket £33 for 3 plus up to 3 more £11 each, Schools £8.50 for groups 10+ (£2 booking fee on all transactions). Also showing: 11-13 (1.30pm for schools, plus 10.30am show on 13th), 15, 17-19 (1.30pm for schools, plus 10.30am show on 18th), 21-24 (2pm only on 24th), 26-29 Dec (2pm only on 26th), 2-4 Jan (2pm only on 2nd) NB: There is the opportunity to meet the cast on Tues 17 Dec 1.30pm, Fri 27 Dec 2pm & Thurs 2 Jan 2pm.
THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER
CINDERELLA The same team that presented last year’s box office hit Aladdin bring you ‘the Queen of pantomimes’! 12noon & 4pm, Corn Exchange. £15 (£13), £19.50 (£17.50), Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children) £60. Online bookings will incur a 5% surcharge. See www.exeter.gov.uk/cornexchange for full listings. Until 5 Jan DRAWING WORKSHOPS WITH NAOMI HART For details see Saturday 7th December.
OEDIPUSS IN BOOTS
OEDIPUSS IN BOOTS A twisted alternative to the traditional panto, Oedipuss In Boots features an all-male cast channelling the Greek tragedy through Puss in Boots. Suitable for ages 14+. 9pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £12 (£8). Also showing: 20-21 Dec THE ARTFUL DODGERS WINTER SHOW An exhibition resulting from weekly art classes at Exeter Phoenix run by the Workers Educational Association (WEA) which provide a safe, creative space to develop new skills and techniques. Exeter Phoenix. Free. Until 28 Dec
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SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER EDITOR’S CHOICE
ithful feline friend Tommy on rtune in the city of London, h gold and the evil King Rat mpany’s 59th fun-filled family
s and on New Year’s Day), dren 16 and under £10.50), . Also showing: 21-23, 27-30
GREAT EXPECTATIONS Christmas Eve, 1803 - Pip, a seven year-old orphan, visits his mother’s grave. A frightening encounter with an escaped convict begins a series of events that will change his life forever… In this captivating one-man show (yes, really!), David Mynne manages to distil Dickens’ door-stop of a novel into 90 minutes of pure storytelling magic. Absolutely unmissable. 4pm & 7pm, Bike Shed Theatre. £12 (£8).
MONDAY 23 - TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL LOTS GOING ON (MANY OF THE SHOWS AND EVENTS LISTED HERE GO ON UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH AND BEYOND) BUT THERE’S NOTHING NEW TO LIST BECAUSE...
IT’S CHRISTMAS!
F CHRISTMAS a heavily set gentleman on the table next to me leans in and hands me a pamphlet with a bottle on the front. I thank him and turn back to the screen but it has gone. There remains no trace of the mysterious Madame Poliakov. Just the pamphlet stating the following details: An Audience with Madame Poliakov. From 21st November, Madame Poliakov will be receiving audiences of up to 12 people in the historic town of Exeter. Audience members are asked to congregate outside the statue of Sir Richard Hooker on Cathedral Green. Due to Mme Poliakov’s demanding schedule, exact times and dates are unobtainable. For more details enquire at the Well House Tavern*.
My 12½ minutes with Madame Poliakov will remain with me forever. I wait with bated breath to witness the revelation of her Spirit of Christmas. From the pen of Bob Gubbins, Foreign Correspondent, The Exeter Leader, 1868… * Sittings at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm on Sat 7th, Thurs 12th, Sat 14th, Thur 19th Dec. The Well House Tavern, Cathedral Green. Admission by donation. Visit www. nutsandvoltstheatre.co.uk to find out more
Printed by Brightsea Press, Exeter
INTERACTION
RUNNING | OUT OF TIME Part mystery story, part immersive experience, Running | Out of Time is a new participatory audio-visual ‘novel’ that is inviting its ‘readers’ to explore the spaces around them in new and intriguing ways. Devised by Exeter-based artist and performer Kelly Miller, the project has been commissioned by Kaleider, an organisation that aims to work with people from all sorts of backgrounds to design, produce and promote live experiences. ExDirectory: What inspired Running | Out of Time? Kelly Miller: As a former gymnast and a performer, I’m interested in physical health and wellbeing, but also how we can use our bodies to explore the places that we inhabit in new ways. Being physically strong gives you a natural confidence, and I wanted to offer people an opportunity to find enjoyment in running and moving. I also enjoy parkour, which, for me, is about creating a playground out of space, and free-running, which is about getting from A to B in the fastest way possible, and I wanted to try to combine those. ExD: What does it involve? KM: It started out as an instructional podcast but has evolved into a novel, a task-based mystery, so this first part is Chapter One. Each Chapter requires two participants, one to run and one to film. They contact the email address on the website and receive back
two mp3s of straightforward instructions to download onto their devices, one for the runner and one for the videographer. The person listening to my instructions, who is doing the running, is ‘she’, the central character – everything I say, she is – and is tasked with performing specific actions at specific times over a 12-minute period. They email me the video, which I upload to the website. I don’t edit it, so whatever happens happens; if they miss an instruction or a cue, that’s fine, it’s all part of it. I want the experience to be what it is.
ExD: How can people see the results? KM: Each submitted video is uploaded to a global platform where all the films are played simultaneously, so you can see people having the same experience as you, in different ways, all over the world. That’s one of the aspects of the project that I find the most exciting: at any time of day, in any space, you can be having a shared experience with someone you’ve never met; somewhere else in the world, there could be someone listening to the exact same thing you are and responding to it in a different way or a similar way, and you will be able to see their response to that stimulus. When people watch online, they won’t be able to hear the instructions the participants followed or hear any of the narrative, they’ll just be seeing the video – they’ll be voyeurs. The first three videos created for Chapter One were presented in an installation at Kaleider’s
private view at the end of November. There will hopefully be another public installation and viewing early next year for the launch of Chapter Two. As more chapters are added, with different characters, the project will continue growing, I hope… This is my first project, so I’m finding my way, which is an interesting echo of the narrative. ExD: Who do you see taking part? KM: For this first chapter, women – because the protagonist is female (the videographer can be male, of course). I’m really interested in the female body and how we can really start to talk about the differences between a female body and male body, the power within them, and how women use space in a male-dominated society. Chapter Two will focus on a male character, so I’ll be asking men to participate as the protagonist in that one. ExD: How long have people got to take part? KM: This is an ongoing project, so people can get involved at any point. Chapter Two will launch in February 2014, so there’ll be a new mp3 that male participants and their videographers can download. One thing I’m asking is that when participants receive the email, they don’t listen to it before they engage in the task, so that it becomes a completely live experience. Obviously it’s their choice, but I’m hoping that they will not prepare, and just let it be. To participate in Running | Out of Time, visit www.runningoutoftime.co.uk for further instructions and to download the mp3.