Feel Free #19: Puffball
zippedlips continues their round-up of free things they found to do in Cardiff
02/04/13-05/04/13, 12/08/13-23/08/13, 16/11/13-17/11/13 - Feel Free #19 - Puffball
Sub-Ed note: For context to this interesting project, check this out.
I don’t even know how to begin to describe Puffball.
At my first time at Puffball, I was very happy that I was able to do it with my friend and fellow Sprout user, ShroukiePoo, and it was the first time I met Weeping Tudor. I also met other participants. This was the first time I met the director, Mark Storor (Fat Girl gets a Haircut and Other Stories), and one of our circus artists Paul.
The first week we had to think about our bodies whilst lying down with our eyes closed, and then we drew our bodies whilst our eyes were closed and discussed them afterwards.
Next, we had to answer questions asking us to write down an element/colour/building/piece of furniture etc. We had someone draw around our body whilst being in a dynamic shape and illustrate our answers into our body in a way we felt fitted us. We would have to write about these bodies. We would then have to set scenes based on sentences from our writing. It is definitely something that challenges your imagination and creativity.
Within that week, we also wrestled each other for our “birthday shoes”. We also blew on different parts of each other’s bodies to move each other gradually and create a shape. Our circus artist, Paul, introduced us to aerial silks, which felt incredibly comfortable and looked like a cocoon.
Based on the writings of Weeping Tudor, we tried various ways of creating a whale tail and we tried to “fit into a puddle”. The first time Mark played Love Me Tender, I was leading a blindfolded Weeping Tudor with a piece of thread, whilst the next time we were in a closed off area getting creative with blue lipliner. That song makes me feel more trapped than the door itself. I have never felt more haunted by a song.
During the next group of sessions, I got to meet new participants. I also met Dave (a musician) and James (circus artist). We first got creative with roses, I can’t remember how this particularly happened but somehow it emotionally hit me and I forced myself to contain my panic attack whilst people observed what I had created. Another material we were told to create with was pillows and sheets. I remember Weeping Tudor wearing a toga. I remember ShroukiePoo coming out of a sheet and feeling she resembled No Face from Spirited Away.
Dave taught us to sing with vowels and we made sounds with hand movements. James got us practicing on a tight rope, doing static trapeze and put us in our harness. I loved this so much, particularly being in the harness. One of my highlights was having a pillow fight whilst I was in a harness (the other highlight was falling off a seesaw whilst spitting out rose petals). I can handle all those things pretty well but for some reason being on a ladder makes me quite anxious. At some point during the week, we were playing with books and I helped create a corset for Weeping Tudor. I loved transforming Weeping Tudor into “The Slutty Bookworm”.
For the last of our sessions of the year, Weeping Tudor and I went to London. It was a gathering of people so we had to bring food, create party hats and play musical chairs (Weeping Tudor won). We would discuss why the food we brought meant something to us, and then we would write recipes based on our stories. We would also bring objects that meant something to us and discuss it. We all feel so vulnerable; it’s so touching to hear other people’s stories.
I have been struggling trying to write this article for weeks and have not been able to include everything but would have loved to. If you took part, feel free to comment on anything I didn’t include.
If you are interested in watching our production, check this out.
Organisations » NoFit State Circus - Youth Circus & Circus Training
Info » Things To Do » Performing Arts » Circus Skills
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Related Article: Taking Part In Puffball
2 Comments – Post a comment
Weeping Tudor
Commented 28 months ago - 7th January 2014 - 04:06am
I am ‘The Slutty Bookworm’, to be sure! :P
What can you say about Puffball? It’s been such an immersive project and still continues to be. Each stage has been a revelation. The very thought of going back to it all the weekend of next week, fills me with much happiness and prepares my creative juices.
Sadly no performance in Cardiff for one reason or another. But myself and zippedlips are to perform in London, which is most exciting.
I should have written more about Puffball recently, with the last two phases. I’ll try and keep this going now. Perhaps we could collaborate?
Oh…and I always win at musical chairs. Always. ;)
zippedlips
Commented 28 months ago - 7th January 2014 - 14:23pm
A collaboration sounds good :)