I’m currently in previews for TWOby Jim Cartwright in the Royal Exchanges main house. This opens on Monday 23rd and runs through until 25th February 2012. Directed by Greg Hersov it features a wonderfully sculptured set by Amanda Stoodley and is lit by the brilliant Chris Davey. The real stars of this production are Justin Moorhouse and Victoria Elliott who are simply fantastic and make light-work of two particularly demanding roles.
I’m also currently working THE GATEKEEPERa new play by Chloe Mossin the Royal Exchange Studio. This production is directed by Tessa Walker, with the set and costume design by Chloe Lamford and lighting by Richard Owen. If what is being produced in the rehearsal room is anything to go by (it is!) then this is going to be a very special production with some wonderful acting and a pretty big set for a studio theatre! This production runs from February 8th until February 25th 2012.
Monday 23rd January also marks the start of rehearsals for MOON ON A RAINBOW SHAWL and a return to the National Theatre for me. Directed by Michael Buffong this is surely going to be a truly great production of a truly masterful work written by Errol John. This production plays in the Cottesloe Theatre and opens on March 7th.
In March I’m Sound Designing August Strindberg’sMISS JULIEdirected by Sarah Frankcom with music by Olly Fox. This plays at the Royal Exchange Theatre from April 11th until May 12th.
I’m also planning a visit to Finland in June to work on a project with some very talented sound design students at the Theatre Academy in Helsinki, I’m hoping to squeeze a visit to the USA sometime in April…and making plans for World Stage Design 2013…stay tuned…
I tend not to look back at past (passed?) years, preferring to look to the future, but today however, as 2011 draws to a close, I thought I’d share some of my random memories, experiences, thoughts, discoveries and rediscoveries. So much has happened this year, far too much to share here, so here’s a selection of things, in no particular order, with little structure and an obligatory rant (you’ll be pleased to know!). My random ramblings about 2011 -
2011 was, in most part, a wonderful year for me (I could end there but won’t) forging links with the brilliantly explorative Theatre Academy in Helsinki, having another amazing time again with my American colleagues at USITT in Charlotte (marvellous, talented, welcoming, and fun loving hosts), once again being able to accept an invitation to visit those frighteningly gifted students (and professors!) at Yaleand finally, of course, meeting all my international friends and colleagues at the Prague Quadrennial.
PQ opening ceremony...
PQ was, as always, amazing, exhausting and a little stressful. It’s so personally fulfilling and affirming to be involved and I can’t thank enough everyone who attended especially those who kept me calm, helped me stay sane, made me laugh and gave up their time to help, organise and ensure things ran smoothly. Also to the record number of artists and designers, many of whom made long journeys, to experience these remarkable ten days in the Czech Republic I salute you! I’ll be forever indebted to the wonderful array of talent who accepted my invitation to come and share their ideas, work and time with us in Prague, many thanks and much love to you all!
I created the sound for the above extreme costume piece…this was composed very quickly and independently from my other PQ responsibilities.
A National PQ Exhibit...
Nova Scena...My place of work and the centre of all the PQ sound events...
The Sound Kitchen...an audience
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The formation of the Association of Sound Designers was a much needed step forward for those of us involved with Sound Design for theatre here in the UK and I’d like to thank everyone who voted me onto the board of this organisation. It’s an enormous honour.
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Sound, theatre and the world are changing quickly and I feel very privileged to be able to make a small contribution to (hopefully) the positive changes which are occurring and also at being able to challenge those decisions which may not be to everyone’s benefit. What remains interesting and encouraging is that despite the financial restrictions being placed on everyone there still remains an air of creative positivity and possibility amongst so many. Although I do fear that in a world where changes are necessary those responsible for implementing some of these are making decisions which are not always for the best. Changes are only good if they are beneficial (in the short, or long term) to those affected by them and when they’re not made purely for the sake of being seen to do something (anything) [often] in desperation. Guesswork and hope isn’t the basis for making intelligent, life changing, decisions on behalf of others, the affects of which may be irreversible. I hope my fears with respect to some decisions I’m witnessing are proved to be wrong.
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Best performance I’ve seen this year has to be The Life and Death of Marina Abramović at the Manchester Festival. For me this was exactly what theatre should now be about, it stood out because it wasn’t (like so much on our stages), trying to be a film, or a television programme. It offered an alternative to the mainstream which is exactly what theatre makers should be doing. I feel strongly that in order to compete with the enormous amount of other ways audiences can spend their ‘hard earned’, theatre needs to provide a strong alternative to, and not a weak imitation of, the ‘competition’. Unfortunately not that many practitioners (and importantly producers) are brave enough to attempt this, particularly in the UK. It took an American director and Serbian performer to show us how this can be done successfully whilst offering their audiences both a thought provoking and entertaining production. Truly incredible.
A rediscovery of my year is also Serbian, a band called SAT Stoicizmo and their album Mah 2. I first heard Mah 2 twenty or so years ago and was reminded of them again courtesy of someone’s random twitter link, only 500 CD’s were ever made (it’s supposed to be listened to on continuous looped vinyl!) but I managed to track down a copy. Fantastic. Music to stir the spirit and fuel the anger which results in change.
There are two buildings I’ve visited this year and found breathtakingly remarkable, the first is the fantastic new Helsinki Music Centre Concert Hall and the Sibelius Academy, which I was lucky enough to get a behind the scenes look at just before they opened to the public and students. The Concert Hall is stunning in it’s complex beauty hidden within apparent simplicity. The main concert hall is larger but similar in design to the Royal Exchange Theatre, purely coincidental I’m sure! Helsinki is great city for the soul, a place which seems to value creativity and it’s artists. Many fascinating people and ideas seem to be lurking behind its sometimes brutal architecture. I was also particularity impressed with KIASMA, in fact I think Helsinki is my previously undiscovered city of the year!
Me...talking...in Helsinki
Theatre sound design students work exhibition...Helsinki
Stickers...Helsinki
A Barrel Organ I recorded in Helsinki
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff is a fantastic institution, with some wonderful students (and members of staff!) and also a new concert hall and theatre that has just recently opened and which is the second amazing building I’ve come across this year. If you’re in Wales make sure you check it out. In 2013 RWCMD will be hosting the World Stage Design 2013 exhibition. What more can I say but this is a real cultural and educational gem, a place which Wales can be truly proud of and the rest of the UK can hopefully take some inspiration from.
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Without fail every day this year I’ve heard some wonderfully inventive sound and experimental music, who am I to recommend, or dismiss, any of this? All of it has such enormous value and the fact about whether I like it or not doesn’t matter, but what remains true is that everything I hear has some kind of affect on me and my work. My hope is that people keep experimenting, exploring and ignoring convention and ensuring they keep embracing whatever it takes to make discoveries and remain adventurous whilst offering us all something which we can be inspired by and learn from.
If I was to suggest a random internet journey of sonic discovery then I’d suggest perhaps starting it here, here, or here and just seeing where it takes you…
My more mainstream music favourites of the year … so many, so many … but certainly these …
Tame Impala, a wonderful ‘start of the year’ discovery.
Laura Marling, an exceptional young talent.
Ensembles’ album Excerpts, a beautiful record.
The Fall, rediscovered again after many years, exceptional gigs in Brighton and Manchester along with a fantastic new album, Ersatz GB.
Still and always there for me once again in 2011 the music of, Pablo Casals – Bach Cello Suites and Zero 7 – Simple Things. Calming for the soul, familiar music when away from home, late night hotel room, jet lag addressing sustenance. A staple familiar diet when in unknown territories.
One of my own favourite pieces this year was something I created for Jen Hingleys Synaesthetic project called T1, T2, T3 … here’s the full version.
T1, T2, T3
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** Rant Alert ** (It wouldn’t be Christmas, or the New Year, without one)
I have a wish for 2012…Here’s hoping for the demise of mp3 … it’s has to happen sometime, be prepared and back up those i(yearn better quality audio)Pods. This may sound negative, it isn’t supposed to be in the least, maybe my wish should read ”I wish that everyone was able to experience music and sound at the highest quality possible and not in a way dictated to us by those who own the servers we download from.” Those who are selling us our sounds seem to prefer offering the consumer no more than poor reproductions of an artists often costly and lovingly crafted work. Mp3 has an enormous value as a method of sketch booking sound, or as a convenient way of previewing music but as the main method of experiencing all the sonic delights at our disposal? I’d argue that it falls some way short. Sometime this does feel like a one man crusade, after all the main perpetrators of this rubbish is Apple (that is as in Mac, not Macca’s record label) who after all is GOD … for the atheists amongst us think about it. I’ll accept that an artist has the right to only release their music as an mp3 if that is their wish…but it’s also true that the artist should have that choice, not the middle man. As an idealist and professional nothing but the best is surely good enough for our audiences and ourselves? Nothing but the best should ever be good enough, you probably wouldn’t buy a photocopied Miro would you?
** END OF RANT **
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And on that note … as I fall off my soapbox (I’m sure I was a pushed!) I just want to say…I’ve so much more to share from 2011 but …finally
My Hotel Room of the Year Award goes to this…(thank you Swansea!)
This year has been one of discovery, upheaval, happiness and at times a little sadness, much like any other…as always I’ll continue to share my likes, dislikes and some sounds here, here and here … and there’s other stuff scattered all around the internet if you ever care to take a look …
Have I mentioned I also designed some shows and have four productions opening between now and April 2012 more news on these soon!
Lastly I’m blessed with some remarkably loving, patient and talented friends, which I’ll be forever grateful for (and in all honesty don’t really deserve most of the time)…and I promise to try and make the next year a little easier for you all x (and I’ll also try to spend a little more time with y’all)
Here’s wishing everyone much happiness, peace and love in 2012.
In the June edition of Lighting and Sound International I was the subject of the Q&A section, you can read what I had to say here … Steven Brown Q&A LSI June 2011.
As you might have noticed my website is in the process of being updated by the wonderfully talented Jen Hingley, take a look at her work here … http://jenhingley.com/
The Prague Quadrennial is getting closer, less than two weeks to go now so check out the PQ website for up to date information. For information on exactly what I’m up to follow this link. For up to date information about all sound activities (social and otherwise) at the event follow @pq2011sound on twitter. An interview can befound here.
I’ve recently taken part in a project named City Soundings, this is broadcasted tomorrow (June 4th 2011) as part of International Radiophonic Creation Day. Tune in it’s going to be great!
Help! Premier drum kit, 80′s, custom chrome clad shells, some Zildjian cymbals and odds and ends, do you want it? Buy, or long term loan? Storage and you can use it whenever you want? Contact me…really need to find some kind of home for this ASAP…
USA sound students please help Erik out see below!
Hello PQ Sound Design Students,
The US exhibit will showcase select student designs, as well as design work generated at the PQ. Please sign up to take part in a unique PQ event. It will take about an hour and a half of your time, during which you will be paired with another US designer. Your team will go through the first few stages of a design conversation, and generate a creative response to a short text. This is a wonderful opportunity to have your work represented at the PQ, collaborate with another designer, network, and make a new friend! Please respond with your PQ availability. My name is Erik, I am a sound designer working on the USITT exhibit team. My email is etlawson@andrew.cmu.edu.
Attached is the official information, from the PQ website:
We feel America’s student designers are constantly challenged by designing for a given space, often with limited given resources and time. So, within the USA student exhibit, visible to all of the PQ attendees, student design works will emerge as live American student designers actively create responses to a piece of given text with given materials, space, and time. Be it a model, costume, lighting sculpture, soundscape, or even performance, the world will get a chance to see the action that happens behind the student design process.
Overlapping timeslots will allow students to collaborate with each other and with the work previously created in the space. This process will make the exhibit an ever-evolving entity, encouraging viewers to return to see what new variations have been invented. Considering that there are 10 days to the open phase of the Quadrennial, and that the exhibit will be open for many hours each of those day, we will need a large number of students to participate and make this vision a reality.
You must be willing to spend a couple of hours visually and/or aurally responding to a piece of text onsite in the American Student Exhibit. The response can take on any form you like; rendering, sketch, bash model, sculpture, the possibilities are endless. You will be provided with limited resources that you can use in any way your creative mind can think of. And, to encourage collaboration, other students will be in the exhibit with you. Upon the creation of your and your collaborators’ responses, they will then be placed on display in the exhibit for the duration of the Quadrennial.
With our exhibit, entitled EMERGE, we are hoping to look at parallels of collaboration and the initial or “rough” ideas that are created right at the beginning of a design process. The exhibit itself will begin virtually empty at the beginning of the PQ and over the course of the 10 days, will host approximately 60 collaborative teams. Thus the exhibit will be ever-evolving, enticing viewers to come back to see how, and in what ways, the ideas have emerged.
Some thoughts from my journey into the theatre today…
Everyday now it seems that my inbox contains more bad news about the arts….what is particularly worrying is that this isn’t just happening in this country (the UK) but globally. Below is one of these sad, frustrating, anger inducing emails I’ve received…Surely the ignorance of those responsible for running our countries can’t continue indefinitely…can it?
The importance of what this now disbanded service (like a great many others) offered the whole industry in terms of opportunities, training and providing a platform for great work, debate and entertainment is just irreplaceable. What will this and the other cuts leave us with in the future, X-Factor, Pop Idol and Britain’s Got Talent? (In a few years time to be probably renamed Britain Used to Have Talent?).
Maybe we’re paying for allowing those who enter the arts in order to massage their own egos too much airtime, rather than concentrating on promoting and celebrating the great many others who enter the profession(s) because they realise its true value, have something important to say and posses unique skills and talents which are best experienced when shared.
Somehow we will come out the other side, a little battle weary and no doubt shell-shocked, but we need to stick together more than ever…
From: Marion Nancarrow Sent: 01 April 2011 14:01 Subject: World Service Drama (sadly not an April Fool)
Dear Friends
From midnight last night, after 79 years of broadcasting on the network, World Service’s regular drama slot came to an end and the team was disbanded.
In its heydey, Drama transmitted 2.5 hours a week. Voices heard across those years included Donald Wolfit, John Gielgud, Rex Harrison, Peggy Ashcroft, Paul Scofield, Trevor Howard, Ian Holm, Judi Dench, Tom Conti, Penelope Wilton, John Kani, Winston Ntshona, Archie Panjabi, Juliet Stevenson, Keeley Hawes, Toby Stephens, Sophie Okonedo, David Suchet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Bill Nighy, Meera Syal, Ed Asner and Calista Flockhart. Kenneth Branagh, Daniel Day Lewis and Ewan McGregor did their first radio for the World Service! Plays by Stoppard, Soyinka, Tremain, Beckett, Bennett, Rushdie, Naipaul, Atta Aidoo, Dove, Oda, Agboluaje, Baldwin and Shakespeare have been heard, winning countless Sonys. The hugely popular – and only global – soap, Westway, attracted a diversity of writing and acting talent and won the CRE Award for Best Soap in 2000 (beating Coronation Street!). The entire 7 years of broadcast was repeated on Radio 7.
Recent judges for the international playwriting competition, now in its 22nd year, included Doris Lessing, Lennie James and Kwame Kwei-Armah. Recent collaborations have been with Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Court, King’s College, The Slade School of Fine Art and, of course, the British Council.
Directors Gordon House and David Hitchinson became household names and the department has always shared its expertise with new writers, directors and actors.Westway became a training ground for writers and producers moving on to Eastenders, Casualty and beyond and the department gave advice, support and training for drama projects set up by the WS Trust, includingRruga Me Pisha in Albania,Story Story in Nigeria and Thabyegone Ywa in Burma, as well as to the Asian network soap, Silver Street. We ran writing and acting workshops in Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Zimbabwe, across South Africa, Malawi and the Middle East. We co-founded “Worldplay”, an annual season of international collaborations with English-speaking Radio Drama Producers across the world. With the British Council and African Productions, the first ever 2nd language radio writing residency was set up in London. Writers who attended went on to win the Caine Prize, to be shortlisted for the Asian Booker and to have plays premiered off Broadway and at the Royal Court.
And World Drama became the place for new voices – from the Sony Gold winner Michael Philip Edwards’ one man show Runt, about being Jamaican in America, to plays by 10 year olds from Ghana, Kosovo, Singapore and Bangladesh in Generation Next; from 12 Royal Court Young Writers in 12 countries writing online about water in We Are Water, to young people living with disabilities in Uganda in Beautiful Only at Night. Our last 2 regular broadcasts were a play inspired by the work of a theatre company in Malawi who use drama to change attitudes to HIV/AIDS and a Russian playwright’s first commission about climate change, written in the Artic! In this way, the network gave a platform and an opportunity to celebrate the diversity, imagination and universality of every country of which its audience was comprised.
Of course, we continue to run the BBC/British Council International Playwriting Competition and that is a wonderful and genuine way to continue to bring new voices to the network. And some ad hoc drama will hopefully continue.
I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to achieve – and lament what our audience and the upcoming generation of talent will lose – but I’m also acutely aware that none of this would have happened withoutyou – our fantastic contributors and supporters, who gave so much to ensure that only the best work was heard on air. And that really is the point of this long email: I can’t thank you enough. I hope we will find other ways to bring those stories to the world.
I had a fantastic time in the USA, speaking to the always inspirational sound design students at Yale once again and also to the fantastic students and professionals who attended my presentation at the USITT Convention in Charlotte. I returned to the UK and visited Cardiff for meetings about World Stage Design 2013 and to take a look at the wonderful new Theatre and Concert Hall at RWCMD and whilst there I was lucky enough to experience the fantastic Transformation and Revelation exhibition of theatre design organised by the SBTD.
So, right now I’m preparing for my first trip to Helsinki to talk to the sound design students at TEAK, a trip I’m really looking forward to and putting the finishing touches to my work for the Prague Quadrennial.
I’m in the middle busy, but absolutely wonderfully fulfilling, few months of exploring the future, celebrating the past and learning a great deal more about my dyslexia!
x (and I’ll also try to spend a little more time with y’all)
