Jabberwocky Market, small-scale theatre events which pop up in various—often unexpected—venues, returns to Darlington between 29 September and 3 October.
The twice-yearly event is produced by Luxi ltd in partnership with Battersea Arts Centre as part of the Collaborative Touring Network, supported by, amongst others, Arts Council England and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
First up is The International Archive of Things Left Unsaid by Rhiannon Armstrong, an evolving collection of anonymous testimonies donated by member of the public, which began as a one-to-one performance.
Each testimony is performed verbatim (as told), and includes binaural beat technology to induce calm brainwaves in the listener. Visitors may browse the Public Index, choose a testimony to hear and listen through the headphones provided. Then they are invited to contribute their own. A text-only version is available for those who don't want to use the headphones, and anonymity is guaranteed.
It's on every day from 29 September to 2 October at busy places around the town and only takes five minutes. Venues will be announced on the web site and the Facebook page nearer the time.
On 30 September at 7:30 in the Liddiard Theatre at Polam Hall School you are invited to join poet, performer and haphazard meditator, Kirsten Luckins, for a not-very-scientific investigation into compassion, The Trouble with Compassion. She thinks the world would be better if everyone were kinder—but what happens when you can't be kind to yourself, let alone anyone else? What if it feels like opening your heart might overwhelm you completely?
On the same evening at 9PM, two Darlington-based theatre making organisations (ODDMANOUT and Jabberwocky Market) join together to present a New Writing Scratch Night, featuring five pieces of new, text-based theatre at various stages of development. Audiences will be invited to respond to the work and meet with the artists to support the development of brand new shows.
The five new pieces will be:
- Shatter by Mhairi Ledgerwood, with Holly Gallagher, Kat Pierce & Millie Harris
- Trade by Alli Davies, with Andy Berriman, presented by Zen Gun Theatre
- The Memory Borrower by Catherine Scott, with Erin Mullen
- This Day by LUNG Theatre
- Chilli Sauce by Scott Young, presented by ODDMANOUT Theatre
The Market is taking part in the national celebration, Fun Palaces on 1 and 2 October. There will be various Palaces at various locations and at various time. Details will be announced closer to the time.
One, however, is Can I Help You?
Dear Darlingtonian,
Help is at hand!
I am available to all for FREE help. I come well equipped with sewing kits, philosophical advice, handcream... I am the multitool of helping hands. The performance art version of Handy Andy, use me while you can.
So go on, buy that extra bag of melons, there's someone here to help you carry them home.
Regards,
Rhiannon Armstrong
STRONG ARMS, HELPING HANDS
On 1 October at 7PM in the Liddiard Theatre, Worklight Theatre presents Labels.
"When I was five years old, my Dad was told that our surname might be stopping him from getting a job. So we changed it. It worked."
Labels is a solo show, written and performed by Joe Sellman-Leava, which chronicles his upbringing in '90s rural Devon as a boy of mixed heritage.
This intimate new show draws on Joe's experiences of heritage and racism, examining the way we use words, the line between curiosity and fear and the rise of anti-immigration rhetoric.
On the same venue on the same date at 8:30, Lung Theatre presents The 56.
At 3:40PM on 11 May 1985, a small fire broke out in the main stand of Bradford City’s Valley Parade football ground during the last game of the season. Within four minutes, the wooden structure was ablaze.
On 2 October at 11AM, there will be a panel discussion in the Liddiard Theatre. It will deal with Truth and Compassion in Theatre and will be chaired by guest artist and award-winning verbatim theatre maker Steve Gilroy.