WIVENHOE R&D SEPTEMBER 2022

We successfully created a series of activity packs, funded by Colchester Borough Homes. The activity packs contain:

• 3 x story cards to send to friends (each has a QR code link to a story so you are in effect sending a story) • 1 story trail (an adapted version of The Great Oak featuring Murray’s words and Bek’s drawings, children are encourages to hide the cards, draw a map of where the cards are and ask a friend/parent/carer to search out the story) • 1 x cut out and keep Atom and Luna • 1 bookmark and leaflet designed to encourage download of the AR • 1 activity sheet - 3 tasks to help us tell the story of Atom and Luna • A project sticker

Activity packs were successfully distributed at summer schools through our partners: Eastern Angles and Action Transport Theatre.

Key learning

• The time taken to compile the activity boxes was a real problem, and have affected the number of boxes we have had the capacity to compile. Not sure how we resolve this - other than a packing party!

Actions going forward as we move into The Chronicles of Atom and Luna tour

• Develop a clear plan with our venues, sharing activity boxes with venues who can best make use of them (after school clubs, activity sessions etc.) • Particular focus should be placed on Colchester, given the original boxes were funded by Colchester Borough Homes (link to the Mercury Theatre performance)

Our all female Wivenhoe R&D team (From L to R) Sangita Lakhanpal (Mythology Advisor), Bek Palmer (designer), Nina Hajiyianni (director), Becca Bindang and Farrell Cox (performer). Missing from the picture Lora Aziz (Forager in Residence)

Our September R&D was moved from Ipswich to Wivenhoe - taking place in the William Loveless Hall (with the support of Wivenhoe Town Council) and in the neighbouring Wivenhoe Woods.

Over the week as well as development sessions (both indoors and outdoors) Sangita Lakhanpal led Yoga and Mythology sessions, Lora Aziz led a foraging walk for the team and film maker Samera Bowers documented our work. For her short R&D video see here

Unfortunately just ahead of the R&D our writer Murray Lachlan Young contracted Covid and was only able to attend the sessions via zoom. As a result, we adjusted the focus of the session to explore the narrative behind the story - what was working, what wasn’t, what we need clarifying, what needed sharpening, what needed removing. This was then fed back to Murray via zoom calls and 1:1 sessions with director Nina Hajiyianni.

Key Learning

• Perhaps most importantly - the story works and it very much has resonance to today’s world. • Working both inside and out, and with the support of Lora and Sangita the importance of the natural world to our story became front and centre.

• The R&D also saw us successfully test two performers for the roles of Atom and Luna. After the success of the R&D we pledged to continue working with Becca and Farrell. The R&D gave us an opportunity to see what both performers could bring to the roles. • Our ongoing collaboration with Lora Aziz (as Forager in Residence) started during this R&D

Actions going forward

• We achieved a huge amount in the time available but we of course missed having Murray in the room. This was especially the case as, unlike The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps, we were developing the script as part of the creation process (rather than script, followed by creative process). • The nature of the story that emerged in the R&D also presented a series of dramatic challenges - a giant hare, a wolf transformation, an exploding ball, various animals and a transformation battle. • As a result, we rejigged the schedule and budget to allow for a second R&D - with 4 performers - to happen in Wrabness in July.

Performers Farrell Cox and Becca Bindang rehearsing in Wivenhoe Woods Our forager in Residence leading a foraging walk for the cast and company. (From L to R) Lora Aziz, Nina Hajiyianni, Bek Palmer, Sangita, Becca Bindang

Director Nina Hajiyianni, Film Maker Sameera Bowers and Performers Becca Bindang and Farrell Cox in Wivenhoe Woods

All photos from the Wivenhoe residency by Matthew Linley