Jake Oldershaw

It seems like a week ago that we were last in Cork with 'Of all the people...' in 2006. Coming back to the Midsummer festival has confirmed my suspicions that people here are some of the friendliest, funniest people you'll meet. The town seems on the edge of a massive development, which i desperately hope doesn't ruin the relaxed non-commercialist spirit that still lingers in the streets.

Last year we attended a site specific dance show by Catapult Dance at St Anne's church in Shandon. Very nicely put together, it contained up close movement within the tower, as well as various dances that you viewed from the top. As you looked down on the 3 or 4 individual dances and over the rest of the city you could imagine the whole town beginning to take part in the choreography. Shandon as an area seemed pretty rough and ready. When Heather and Karen saw the show the audience was witness to what they thought was either a mugging or a robbery! This year gentrification looks like it's slowly sneaking in. New build houses going up and a bistro, 'The Four Liars' (named after the clocks on each side of the tower each telling a different time) looking pretty swanky.

Over the weekend the Shandon Street festival was going on and amid the gourmet sausages and crepes i went up the tower again with Jo. This time we got to have a go on the main attraction of the tower. For a few euro they'll let you ring the church bells completely unsupervised except for a few numbered sheets notating 'Abide with Me', 'Amazing Grace', 'You are my sunshine' or whatever. As you pull the strings and knock out yet another dodgy tune for the residents of Shandon to endure, the effect is strangely elating, we were jumping around for joy!
If you're ever in Cork i'd recommend it whole-heartedly, just spare a thought for the locals and don't try to work out 'The Ace of Spades' on church bells for an hour!

Posted by Jake at 03:54 PM | Permalink

The extended Stan posse have been split between Vienna and Rostock since monday. I'm with the Cleansing of Constance Brown crew here in Vienna and the rest (in all there's a total of 17 Stanners out!) are doing the rice during the G8 summit.

We premiered here on tuesday - a touch and go affair as the lights, sound and performance were all on the rusty side. That said we pulled it round, and even have the opportunity to gauge audience reaction in the form of a clap at the end (usually doesn't seem appropriate in Stanland).

As the absense of any entries lately suggests it's been a pretty full-on month. The last few weeks of rehearsals in a leaky factory unit in Digbeth took there toll on everyone and as we packed up to open the show in Warwick, Andy was taken ill the night before the premiere. Frantic calls, re-rehearsals and dodgy second hand lx kit later and we just managed to open on time.

It's quite difficult for any of the performers to get a handle on how the show comes across but from general reports it's quite impressive, even prompting a five star 'out-stan-ding' review in the Birmingham Post. A small triumph for the company as the reviewer has been a long standing detractor! We need all the praise we can get as the 100 or so collective costume changes, countless pinpoint cues, twice nightly shows and rock lobster mayhem take their toll!

So it's back to lazy days and keeping focused for evening shows, a lifestyle that's been unfamiliar since leaving Kaos Theatre 4 years ago. I've started to develop a habit of finding anywhere i can to swim outdoors when i'm on tour. Yesterday i sought out the Alte Donau baths which line the banks of an old bend in the Danube. Swimming in an oxbow lake, it doesn't come much better in a capital city and except for the slightly annoying einz, zwei, drei of dragon boat canoers it was a beautifully tranquil and energising afternoon. It has reminded me to get on with trying to lobby for some outdoor swimming facilities in Birmingham. Far away from the sea as you can get in the U.K but they've insisted on blocking up all the old lido's. I've even seen kids trying to cool off in the canal, and that's not right.

Come and be the first to join my campaign

SMETHWICK (or any other Birmo location) MUST HAVE A LIDO!

Posted by Jake at 09:50 AM | Permalink