Sunday 28 February 2016

SCARY SHIT-THE AFTERMATH 28.02.16

Photo by Tina Remiz



When you ask for your friend to quickly help you with something, you might ask them to hold your hand before taking off on a dreaded flight or, they may hold your glass of wine whilst you adjust your bra, I mean, sure you might even get them to curl your hair if you ask them politely, but it's not every day you get them to deliver air into your mouth using a foot pump. This was the image presented to me as I placed my bottom on a Pleasance 'main space' seat somewhere in the third row and looked ahead.

So yeah, I guess you could say it was clear from the beginning that the show might incur some themes of nervousness, potential hyperventilation and quite possibly friendship.

I saw Rhiannon sitting there in her pink fluffy pants and orange wig, and giggled to myself. I saw Maddy with her thick black eyeliner, clearly a dancer, and thought she looked cool. I wanted to pick one to identify with, but I stopped myself for fear of missing the point.

The first section of the show in which Rhiannon and Maddy outlined who they were, and why they were there (to ultimately talk about fears and unravelling scary things through the process of performance, sharing the sessions they had participated in with psychotherapist Joy Griffiths who is also Rhiannon's mother-in law) was certainly helpful, and perfectly set up their charm and characteristics, so it was safe to say, I liked them.

The choreographed 'pink poncho piece' was also a unique way of laying out the various fears and phobias that people can suffer from, bizarre as some of them seemed. It's most certainly the first time I've smiled for a whole five minutes whilst listening in detail to a list fears and phobias and their meanings.


Rhiannon's open-ness and vulnerability throughout the show made it, well, just a real pleasure. People say that when someone is vulnerable and open with you, you're likely to get that back from them. In my head and heart, Rhiannon's dialogue with us in the audience made me reflect, and only supported the personal work I already do myself to keep growing talking, and being vulnerable in order to connect and be happy.

I also saw the importance of Maddy's presence, not only as the 'friend' who had been drawn into the process to support her buddy, but also to remind me how vital it is to be kind to yourself if you're not ready to talk about things, and to express your needs in any way you like until you're ready for the next stage of facing up to a life challenge or fear.

Maddy's spoken word piece 'Baby Box Blood Bath' was a highlight for its directness with language, movement and womanliness if I do say so myself.




Photo by Tina Remiz


So if 'Scary Sh*t' achieved anything for me personally (because I don't see it fit to talk on behalf of anyone else) it's opened up another pathway to understanding that there are processes that can be followed when facing scary sh*t in our lives, that we are not alone, and that whatever you need to do...it's okay.

Thank you for letting me share in your experiences ladies, and I hope others will take their own little package away from your show as I have :)

With thanks to Abstrakt publicity

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Rhiannon Faith presents 'scary shit': 20.02.16 & 26/27.02.16


Scary Shit

Saturday 20 February, Rich Mix & Friday / Saturday 26 & 27 February, The Pleasance, London.



(Don’t) be afraid. (Don’t) be very afraid.



When I watched this trailer, I thought about how cool it would be to see two performers showing their vulnerability and putting 'fear' out there for all to see and examine. As a person who has been closely following a path of getting to grips with my own fears and vulnerability (Brenè Brown and Oprah have been hitting up my screens a lot recently y'all) this is a show I am genuinely excited to see. Check it out...






   
   

We all have personal fears, be it public speaking, smear tests, heights, phones, fertility, failure... But what if you could take time to cure these fears? Would you become a better person? Would the world be a better place?   


Scary Shit is the latest work by the up-and-coming UK choreographer Rhiannon Faith. Describing herself as ‘a hopeless romantic,’ this young British dance and performance-maker uses movement and whatever else it takes, theatrically-speaking , to expose and examine what she refers to as ‘those impulsive, messed-up and fragile facets of the human condition.’ Think dance-theatre with a big heart and a smutty mouth.


 Scary Shit is a humorous, tender, imaginative treatment of fears, phobias and (female) friendship. It’s a show about being a woman and asking for help. Riding the rollercoaster of a moving and courageous real-life experiment, Rhiannon Faith and Maddy Morgan share their experiences after attending CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) sessions with the psychologist Joy Griffiths in order to learn more about themselves and maybe, just maybe, find a future free of fear. 


Previewed at Colchester Arts Centre, Arts Depot and the Garage in Norwich, Scary Shit was selected and shared at Open Lab Barbican and Sprint at Camden People’s Theatre. The show follows a real life transition from scary shit, to recovery and healing, in a language of dance, theatre, comedy and therapy.


 Scary Shit: Imagine a world without fear… “A brilliantly physical set of mental ordeals” Alice Saville (Exeunt)


 "Rhi is a brilliant choreographer and a cheeky little minx with a madcap mind." Bryony Kimmings, performer and performance-maker


 Date & Time:  Saturday, 20 February,  8pm Venue: Rich Mix, LondonMore info: http://www.richmix.org.uk/

Date & Time:  Friday & Saturday, 26-27 February, 7.30pmVenue: The Pleasance, LondonMore info: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/




'I know there's gonna' be good times' in 2016 for the following reasons:



Hello!




It has been a while since I have posted up about a show, and I am returning to say 'Hey...I'm back!'

My short time away from the blog has really been due to tending to my 'career garden of life' (and expanding my corny vocabulary).

Since starting the blog, I left my beloved Drama department in very good hands, and decided to pursue what might be called a Portfolio Career. So now, I have a Radio show on Vibe 107.6 in Watford, I present across various different platforms, I teach, act, 
 write comedy and perform as part of a sketch duo. 

So just a few small changes that I've been adjusting to since leaving the security of my full-time job!

Writing this blog over the past year has taught me to never give up and follow your dreams, as so many of the performers I have written about or interviewed have demonstrated. They have been truly inspiring, and I hope this blog inspires you to seek out some of the fantastic dance, theatre and comedy shows that are coming up this year in my treasured city. 

Whether you are visiting from afar (do come in) or live around the corner (local estate or mews development) all are WELCOME!

Come and enjoy the bloody great talent that we've got...because we've got bucket loads!


Hope to see you around


Jen x