Free London Preview of Animal Olympics
Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 04:22 PM
PLEASE BRING FAMILY AND SMALL FRIENDS TO A FREE PREVIEW OF MY EDINBURGH SHOW "ANIMAL OLYMPICS" SATURDAY 12th JULY 2008
THE GREY GOOSE PUB, 100 CLAPHAM PARK ROAD
SHOW STARTS AT 1400, PUB DOES KID-FRIENDLY LUNCHES.
RSVP hello@francescabeard.com
Animal Olympics!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 12:56 PM
So, it's the run-up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and I'm working on Animal Olympics, my first family show. It's quite terrifying as I'm kind of doing it all on my own, the press, publicity, marketing, producing etc etc.
Except you're never really on your own. I've had dramaturgy from Chrissy Harmar-Brown and advice from John Hegley, Michael Rosen, plus Apples and Snakes are always at the end of the phone. Dan's written all the music for the animals to sing, legendary Squirrel Mountain (ex LayLow)producer Kevin Armstrong mixed it all, the puppets have come from Lola Choo and Snow's toy basket, I've been working with Marleen Vermeulen from Tam Tam Theatre to learn puppetry. Lee Belcher, designer extraordinaire is doing the flyer, John Hallet has let me use his wonderful illusrations (which I will be featuring in the days to come - this week's pin-up, MONKEY...
Still, I've been having anxiety dreams for about a week now. Last night, I was wandering round the corridors of the Assembly Room in a maid's costume, talking to some version of Inspector Poirot while he interviewed all the technical staff and other companies about some biscuits. It was all kind of gemutlich but weirdly sinister too and then Dan came up and said, 'What are you doing? It's August the 5th and you haven't started running your show!'
(the Pig character is called Hercule and the plot of the show is kind of a historical whodunnit - so that kind of makes sense...)
Anyway, I'm doing a FREE preview on the 12th July at the Grey Goose, on Clapham Park Road - please check the diary page for more details, please come!
In the Pit
Monday, June 2, 2008, 10:48 PM
I'm at the Barbican, in the Pit this week, with Michael Rosen and a jazz band - or rather Phil, Fred, Robin and Dave. I don't know if they are a band. They might be one of those fluid musician alliances that come together for a gig and then morph back into a wider collective - kind of like how my concept of souls and spirituality works. They don't have a name. Michel was calling them 'The Weasels'. Which seemed apt and I think is a pretty spot-on name for a jazz band in a show for 9 yr olds in the Pit . What with my five puppets and Michael's new poems, it's animal-rich, this show. They suggested 'The Beavers', but Lindsay (Barbican Ed) nixed that.
Anyway, they are very good, Today was rehearsal day. It's wonderful to work with Michael Rosen, he's generous and inspiring and very down to earth. Also, his 3 year old swears more than mine.
I'm unclear as to whether I feel that this is a good thing for him or me or what.
He gave me some great tips for Animal Olympics, the family show I'm showcasing at Soho Theatre next week, in preparation for Edinburgh. These tips essentially blow my whole cantilevered plot-structure out of the water in a horrifying shattered dream slash matchstick model of St Paul's raining down over the head of Quasimodo mixed metaphor type of a way.
I'm unclear as to how glad I feel about the tips. They are righteous tips and I can see the shining logic and beauty behind them.
Still, aaaargh.
Should probably explain. I'm in the process of making a new show. It's for the whole family. There's something for everyone. Mainly because it features 12 stuffed toys and some magic pants. Everything else, (and there's quite a lot of it) is icing. I did it at the Purcell Rooms for the South Bank Imagine Children's Festival already. I'm on the 9th draft. I've been on the 9th draft for a while now, because 9 is my lucky number. (Actually, it's the 13th draft.)
After the huge support 'Chinese Whispers' got from the Arts Council and Apples and Snakes, I wanted to just start making a show, without applying first for development grants or badgering a producer to come on board. Dan was taking a new comedy show up to Edinburgh, so I thought I'd do a family show; that way we could both go up and lose money, plus take the girls out of a culture of fresh vegetables and introduce them to street-juggling. That's the dream.
Though I didn't apply for a grant, I've had huge amounts of support. Firstly, Dan did all the songs and music. Our friend Kevin Armstrong produced it. Kevin has worked with everyone - Iggy Pop, Davie Bowie, Sandie Shaw, Paul McCartney - he's currently touring with Sinead O'Connor. All of which riches he's brought to bear on the Dragon and Rabbit's duet, the Beat Oxing rap, Hercule the Pig's chanson, etc etc...
Then I did apply to be part of EAST showcase, a partnership between the Soho Theatre and the Chinese Arts Centre. It's taking place next week, on the 11th and not only do I get to preview a section of the show to a bunch of promotors and programers, they gave me £1,000 for rehearsals and the mentorship of Christine Harmar-Brown. She's been the dramaturge on it. I hope I get to work with her again. She's great.
Plus, I worked with Rachel Mars, who helped re-shape 'Chinese Whispers' for touring and Marlene Vermeulen, from Tam Tam Theatre. I now want to give Marlene all my money so I can learn puppetry and also just to hang out with her and her instant creations. She can make puppets out of anything - a sock, a toilet roll, an umbrella, a My Little Pony doll. Sadly, 2 sessions has not been enough to make a puppeteer out of me. So you're not THAT great, Marlene. I still want to give all my money to her so we can hang out. Luckily, I don't really have any.
So, actually, I've had loads of support. Plus, I still ring up Geraldine from Apples and Snakes and ask her advice about pretty much everything, despite the fact that she officially stopped being my producer in 2004 and that was for a whole different show.
And John Hegley's been, as usual, casually and brilliantly supportive.
I will be gleaning more children's poetry gold from Michael over the next few days. In case you are elligible to come along - ie if you are, or have access to a Key Stage 2 class - here are the details...
Michael Rosen's Poetry Planet
For Key Stage 2 classes
3 - 6 June 2008 / 11:00, 13:15
The Pit
Tickets: £2 per pupil. Accompanying teachers go free. Please call the Groups booking line on 020 7382 7211 to book subject to availability
Join Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen and Malaysian-born Francesca Beard for a poetry party in the Pit Theatre. Watch and listen as poetry is bought to life, then join in with word play, rhythm and rhyme.
With plenty of interaction and chances to join in. These two high energy and funny poets will show us that everyone can be a poet. The event will be stuffed full of ideas for a poetry friendly classroom and Michael and Francesca will be using poetry to teach a wide range of subjects.
Part of Michael Rosen’s A-Z of Poetry and the Barbican’s Can I Have a Word? poetry series.
Visit www.canihaveaword.org.uk for activities and top tips for creative writing in the classroom.
Contact education@barbican.org.uk for further details.
English Curriculum links
Use event to introduce classes to a significant children’s author and work with good-quality modern poetry (En2/8)
Encourage contribution from pupils where ideas are being collected together and to take turns in discussion (En1/3)
Identify features of language used for specific purposes (En1/2d)
I've been working with some stunning young poets...
Saturday, May 31, 2008, 12:00 AM
IGNITE
Saturday 31 May 8pm
Croydon Clocktower, Katharine St, Croydon CR9 1ET
5.00 / 3.00 (under 21s)
---
Apples & Snakes presents
ignite: POETRY & MUSIC
Join energetic, entertaining and inspiring rapper BREIS as he hosts
ignite, an evening of stunning poetry and music to thrill your senses.
With jaw dropping performances from;
the queen of performance poetry Francesca Beard
breath-taking poet & beatboxer John Berkavitch
soulful chanteuse Kim Sutherland
soul-touching poet Kayo Chingonyi
effervescent rapper Lyric L.
Plus previously unheard work written and performed by young people
following
a series of workshops, led by BREIS and Francesca Beard.
A night of great entertainment and excellent company.
Booking: 020 8253 1030
PROGRAM ORGANIZED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CLOCKTOWER ARTS AMBASSADORS
Fringe Confidential
Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 04:26 PM
Three poets preview three Edinburgh shows - Friday, 16/05/2008 at The Albany - Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG
£7 / £5
Edinburgh Fringe: two words to stir the hearts of performers and punters alike. It’s where careers get rocket-launched. It’s where the lines get blurred between poetry, theatre, music and comedy. Many spoken-word artists take shows to the Fringe, and some have even lived to tell the tale. Tonight we’ll be giving you a sneak preview of some of this year’s crop.
The poet Adisa is making his Fringe debut this August with the show 1968: The Year That Never Ended. Mixing spoken word with late-’60s vibes, Adisa and musician Olu Rowe plot a course from personal revolution to global revolution, and discover that we’ve all got a bit of ‘68 inside us if we know where to look. And forty years on, says Adisa, we’ve never needed it more.
Imagine the animals from the Chinese zodiac vying in their own Olympic Games. Too late – Francesca Beard , the Metro-acclaimed “queen of performance poetry” has already done it. Animal Olympics sees her taking on twelve quirky characters, each of them with a competitive streak and a tale to tell. Not just a shaggy dog story, but shaggy rabbit, snake, monkey etc.
Poet, comedian, or just good at talking, Paul Lyalls has taken children’s shows and grown-ups’ shows to the Fringe, and has accumulated a whole galaxy of good reviews in the process. With his affable mash-up of verse and chat, Paul finds the feelgood factor in the unlikeliest places (mainly Goole, East Yorkshire). This year’s offering, Show Me Your Keys, promises to be no exception.
Plus a guest slot from PoetiCat , one of the five-star successes from last year’s Fringe.
Four little slices of Edinburgh, tastier than deep-fried Mars Bars and much, much better for you.
Bookings: 02086924446
Next