Sunday 17 October 2010

Glorious opportunities

by Mary Paterson

'Glorious' is a new touring performance from Rajni Shah - the third in a loose trilogy examining cultural identity, that includes Mr. Quiver (2005) and Dinner with America (2008).


image - Lucy Cash

Glorious is a haunting and unusual musical that will be completely reinvented for every location, as members of the local community work with the company to create the event.

Rajni says, "I want to explore the sense of not knowing that pervades Europe today – both the fear and the space for hope that has emerged as a result of our increased awareness of climate change, shifts in border policies, and the dramatic impact of the financial collapse. I cannot think of a more appropriate or interesting form for this than the musical – a form that immediately communicates with a vast number of people, including myself, but that is often used to represent some kind of utopia or dystopia. At a time when many people feel disempowered and frustrated, can we make a musical that positively embraces the unknown and the unknowable?"

I am involved in Glorious as a writer, and over the next two years I will be collecting stories from the people who collaborate and participate in Glorious. The result will be a series of interweaved narratives about making, doing and being, to be published in book form in 2012.

Glorious is beginning now, and looking for people to take part. Please click on the links below to find out about three upcoming opportunities.


Image: Lucille Acevedo-Jones

How Does it Feel?
Newcastle, November 10-12th 2010
Open Workshop organised by the Wunderbar Festival, with Lucille Acevedo-Jones, Sheila Ghelani and Rajni Shah. This workshop is not for professional artists - enthusiasm and curiosity are all that's required.

Workshop and Performance
Inbetween Time Festival in Bristol, early December 2010
Participants will work with Lucille Acevedo-Jones, Karen Christopher and Rajni Shah to devise short performances that they will then perform alongside the company during the festival. Participants do not need to have prior performance experience, but need to be comfortable with the idea of performing on stage in a professional setting.

Seeking Glorious Musicians!
NottDance Festival in Nottingham, February 26th 2011
We are looking for an instrumental music group to take part in our first full-length preview performance of Glorious in Nottingham. We are looking for any size or type of amateur musical group with an interest in the project.

Details of how to apply are on the links above.
Deadline for all applications: November 1st 2010

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