ShellShock Theatre Discussions - National Theatre Wales Community2024-03-28T15:17:56Zhttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/group/shellshocktheatre/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=noFear and Loathing in Las Wine Street...?tag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2011-03-04:3152760:Topic:510382011-03-04T14:03:28.943ZStephen Donnellyhttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/StephenDonnelly
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span>Hello,</span></font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>My name's Stephen, I'm a performer and am one half of the team that runs</span></span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/group/shellshocktheatre?">ShellShock Theatre…</a></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span>Hello,</span></font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>My name's Stephen, I'm a performer and am one half of the team that runs</span></span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/group/shellshocktheatre?">ShellShock Theatre</a><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>. Thanks to NTW,</span></span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://lookingforastronauts.wordpress.com/">Andy Field</a> <font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>and the</span></span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/%20">Forest Fringe</a> <font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>we had the chance to spend most of last year performing in city centres and other public spaces throughout the UK, getting the opportunity to do pretty much what we wanted to and were to be found '</span></span></span></font></font></font><font color="#444444"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>generally being a bit disruptive and surreal</span></span></font></font></font><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">'</font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>in</span></span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlQItYwQxIY">Bristol</a><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>,</span></span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://www.shellshocktheatre.co.uk/projects/bring-the-happy/">Leeds,</a> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">and at the <a href="http://www.shellshocktheatre.co.uk/projects/shellshock-theatre-new-website/">Edinburgh Fringe Festival</a>. The performances I've been creating have aimed to express my opinion, have the audience question their surroundings and encourage social and personal criticism. These are all things I try to do myself day-to-day.</font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>I started an MPhil in January looking at performance in public space and the idea of reclaiming public space (especially city centres designed for shopping) as spaces for contemplation, expression and catharsis.</span></span></span></font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span><span>I'm going to be performing in Swansea throughout the year or so as part of my research and will be posting notices of performances on our</span></span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=332358185934">facebook</a> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">group and on <a href="http://twitter.com/ShellShockNews">twitter.</a></font></font></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Whilst researching ShellShock's show <a href="http://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profiles/blogs/are-you-in-swansea-on-saturday%20">HiddenCity</a> I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.swanseacitycentre.com/index.cfm?articleid=23654">Swansea City Council's 2020 plan</a>, which is a vision for Swansea in the future. Envisioned as a '<a href="http://www.abayoflife.com/en/news/swanseas-european-style-boulevard-plan-gets-38m-funding/">European boulevard city</a>' the plan includes the story of Molly, a fictional character through which we see this new Swansea as we follow her on a day out which cumulates in her and a friend seeing a show at the Grand Theatre.</span></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>' After the show, the City Centre is buzzing. It's too early and too alive to go home yet, so they walk over to</span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/02/article-1343419-0CA052C7000005DC-999_634x820.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1343419/Record-number-999-calls-treat-drunken-New-Year-revellers.html&usg=__h3mzVvbi1fdtdYCViSYUY6dAaFo=&h=820&w=634&sz=105&hl=en&start=47&sig2=mQn-0muyZmd0RRBX-KH5Zw&zoom=1&tbnid=lZggZqzUPT8lFM:&tbnh=179&tbnw=127&ei=5ZluTYbjFY3-4waV0oGBDQ&prev=/images?q=wind+street+swansea&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=685&tbs=isch:10,1902&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=501&vpy=83&dur=1&hovh=255&hovw=197&tx=105&ty=110&oei=n5luTfPAGYmJhQfql_VB&page=4&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:47&biw=1280&bih=685">Wind Street</a><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>, where there's a new</span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.epoquehotels.com/images/hotelrepository/987barcelonahotel/big/987barcelona_hotel_01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.epoquehotels.com/h.php/barcelona-hotels/boutique-hotel/h/987barcelonahotel/l/en&usg=__PupQGCwdHa2ozonwgPGV_q0g1AY=&h=480&w=640&sz=57&hl=en&start=0&sig2=z9CxFPw1fivbfVfg3OXn9g&zoom=1&tbnid=_x_B_aEVqxY14M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=182&ei=OZpuTdCdK8Tc4way-ZnDDQ&prev=/images?q=boutique+hotel+barcelona&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=685&tbs=isch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=219&oei=CZpuTdaOHNGHhQe8lKEy&page=1&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=80&ty=59">boutique hotel bar</a> <font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>to discover.'</span></span></font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>Now, anyone who has been to Swansea would probably notice a distinct lack of boutique hotel bars on that street.</span></span></font></font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">Wind Street (or Wine Street as it's more commonly know by the locals) is known as 'Swansea's party heartland' and is reported on the <a href="http://www.police.uk/crime/?q=Swansea,%20W%20Glam%20SA1%206EL,%20UK#crimetypes%20">police.uk</a> website to be <a href="http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Swansea-s-Wind-Street-second-violent-England-Wales/article-3167397-detail/article.html">one of the most violent streets in the UK</a>.</font></font> <font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>It's seems to me unlikely, BUT if Wind Street were to be filled with boutique hotel bars where would the current users of wind street would go for a bit of a release?</span></span></font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>Wind street, in my opinion, is an example of society's pressure valve, a place where people can go and let off some steam. It's by no means unique to Swansea, lots of cities and towns throughout the UK have reported the problem of 'binge-drinking-culture' and its has always been a trend in the use of certain recreational activities to become popular and then demonised, usually sited as a</span></span></font></font></font> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKlLI94xx8k">'problem'</a><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2"><span><span>.</span></span></font></font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">Britain's rave culture in the 80's and 90's is an example of one of these 'problems' which was dealt with through legislation and resulted in the illegalistaion of a sub-culture.</font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">I want to hear your opinions; is binge-drinking, recreational drug use and violence the real problem on Wind/Wine Street or are there underlying issues with the structure of our society and reasons in individual's lives that fuel the need to seek out these activities? Is it an excuse to release their 'inner animal', act like chimpanzees and defecate in the streets? (Personally I feel the need to monkey around from time to time...) Or maybe you think there isn't really a big problem and its just all blown out of proportion?</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">Answers on a postcard, all contributions and thoughts will be gratefully appreciated.</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">Best wishes, take is easy,</font></font></font></p>
<p><font color="#000000"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="2">Stephen.</font></font></font></p>