Queer Playback at international playback gathering

Over the rainbow: telling queer stories workshop

Arnet and Jane are running a fab workshop at the IPTN - an international playback gathering in Frankfurt, Germany.  The workshop is for anyone who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) or  who might be questioning their sexuality. Using games and playback we will have the opportunity to enjoy sharing and listening to our often hidden stories about our sexuality and sexual orientation. What stories lie on the 'other side' of the rainbow? How safe do we feel when we tell them?  As LGBT playbackers what insights and experiences do we bring? How are we, as LGBT people, represented in playback theatre and given space within the arc of the playback performance? 

IPTN, Frankfurt 

Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 November 2011 

Queer Playback at GFest

 
What’s so queer about being queer?

Playback workshop & mini performance

5-7.00pm, Friday 18 November 2011

The Cockpit, Studio 1, 

Gateforth St, Marylebone, 

London NW8 8EH  

We are delighted to be performing at GFest, London's LGBT cross-arts festival. This is a friendly and interactive introductory workshop in which you will have fun learning some drama skills and sharing your stories, combined with the opportunity to see a playback 
performance at first hand. No previous experience necessary.  All welcome.

                                                           Tickets: £7 / £5 (concs)

Box office T: 020 7258 2920 / advance booking online: www. thecockpit.org.uk/

 

Make an evening of it and come to GFest's women's cabaret night at 7.30pm.

GFest LGBT cross-arts festival

GFEST  7 to 20 November 2011

www.gaywisefestival.org.uk

GFest is London's premier LGBT cross-arts festival. It is a platform for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and queer artists, organisations and venues to promote LGBT and queer arts. Organised by arts charity Wise Thoughts, GFEST features established alongside fresh or young LGBT artists and queer talent across the arts, including visual arts, theatre, dance and performance, LGBT short films, debates, workshops and parties.

Queer Playback Theatre Workshop

 Sunday 2 October 2011

10.00am-4.00pm

Who is the workshop for?  

All lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people with some drama, performance or playback experience.

What's the workshop about?

The workshop is an introduction to playback theatre. It's an exciting, creative and fun opportunity to work with other LGBT people, sharing our stories as we learn more about the skills, rituals and perspectives which form the basis of playback theatre.

You'll also be ble to find out more about the possibilities for performing playback theatre and get involved in an emerging network of queer playback practitioners.  

Facilitators: Queer Playback Theatre Company founding members: Arnet Donkin, Mirror Mirror Playback, Plymouth; Lorna Henry, Breathing Fire, Black Women's Playback Company, Bristol; Jane Hoy, London Playback Company.

Venue: Drill Hall Studios, 16 Chenies St, London WC1E 7EX

(nearest tubes: Goodge St, Warren St, Tottenham Court Rd)

 Refreshments provided. Bring your lunch.

For further information, to check out if the workshop is right for you or to enrol, email us at queerplayback@gmail.com and we'll send you details.

Fee: £25 waged/ £15 unwaged. Payment by cash, cheque or bank transfer

  Arnet, Lorna and Jane

I attended the 1st Queer playback workshop in Bristol in July. It was incredible. I found the facilitators warm, inviting and fun. I thought it would be hard, or emotional in some ways, coming from a counselling and psychotherapy background. Yet, I just found it hilarious and really grounding from beginning to end. I didn't want it to end. I look back and think of some playback's I could've improved on, but mostly, I just loved it and the end result didn't matter so much as being fully present. REALLY WONDERFUL. Thank you!

Feedback on our workshops

'I tried new forms of expression'.....says Marnie Johnson from Hastings.  

Marnie took part in Queer Playback Company's drama workshop at LFest, Shrewsbury and said that  'The workshop surpassed all my expectations. I thought I'd feel self-conscious, but the facillitators created such a warm and friendly environment, that it felt safe to push the boundaries of my comfort zone. I've always been impressed by improvisation and loved having the opportunity to try it out. Would love to do another workshop and learn more'.  She  said she was also impressed by the performance in the evening as she watched 'skilled and experienced performers bringing stories to life'.

Superlatives for Queer Playback from 

author and comedian VG Lee. She writes:

"I was very impressed by the Queer Playback Company when I saw them perform

at this year’s L-Fest. They took events from audience members’ lives,

re-interpreting them through drama, music and humour. The results were

absorbing, sometimes really funny, often emotionally affecting. There was

a real sense of highly professional teamwork and the individual

performances were superlative. I can’t recommend the Company highly

enough!"

Highlight of weekend says LFest Arts Programmer

photo by Lisa Oliver










Queer Playback Theatre Company got off to a great start with its first all-women line-up at the new LFest weekender for lesbians and their friends at Shrewsbury Showground in July.

Lorna and Jane ran an energetic drama workshop introducing participants to drama and Playback techniques in the afternoon. In the evening Queer Playback played to a full house. The audience was truly Alive and Kickin' - the title of the show. They shared hilarious tales of  the delights and hazards of camping and also exciting and tender stories and moments from their lives. And suprises included one storyteller who, after seeing her story enacted, stole the show by going down on one knee to propose to her partner!   

A fab Playback team from around the UK was recruited especially for LFest. Players included Rose Thorn from West Wales (ex Breathing Fire Black Women's Playback Company, Bristol); Sal Woodward from Ecco, Liverpool Playback; Anni Tosh from Derbyshire University Playback;  Alison Benefield, Manchester Playback; and Jane Hoy, London Playback; with conductor Lorna Henry also from Breathing Fire.

Arts programmer Helen Sandler says: 'It was magical. I hope you will all be able to perform together again next year as you each brought something special.' 

Come and see us next year at LFest, the weekend of 13 July 2012. Pre-registration for tickets is already open at: www.lfest.co.uk

Alive and Kickin' - lesbian lives and loves

Queer Playback performance and workshop 

LFest, Saturday 23 July - Shrewsbury, Shropshire.  

www.lfest.co.uk.

Have faith! The sun will shine! It's not too late to sign up for fun, games, camping 

and this drama workshop and performance. 

Lots to do and a brilliant arts programme for lesbians and our friends.

Drama workshop: 1.00pm

Queer Playback Theatre 6.30pm

Alive and Kickin' - lesbian lives and loves 

 Six fabulous actors replay stories fromthe audience.

Actors

Alison Benefield, Anni Tosh, 

Jane Hoy, Lorna Henry, Rose Thorn, Sal Woodward

Queer Playback Theatre at Bristol Pride

What's so queer about being queer? - A drama and improvistion workshop

Queer Playback Theatre Company has chosen Bristol Pride as the setting for its first event for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people. This drama and improvisation workshop is open to everyone identifying as LGBT, no previous drama experience is necessary. The workshop will involve drama games, fun and laughter and a chance to get to know some new people, followed by an opportunity to perform in an informal performance...Playback is a form of improvised theatre which takes the stories, moments, memories from audience members’ lives and transforms these into theatre by using movement, music and the spoken word to recreate the experience. Please see the attached flyer for more information and please pass on this email and the flyer to your contacts.

The workshop will be held at the Wildgoose Space (accessible venue), Mina Road, St Werburghs, Bristol, on Sunday 17 July 2011. From 10.30 am – 4.30pm with a free informal performance for friends and family members at 5.30pm. Workshop cost: £15 waged and £10 unwaged. If you need any more information, please contact us at <queerplayback@gmail.com>.

Bristol Pride Festival Opens this Saturday 9 July

Bristol's wonderful 8 day festival opens in a couple of days at Cabot Circus. For more details go to
<http://www.pridebristol.org/>

Queer Playback at LFest

LFest is an exciting festival in Shrewsbury with an amazing line-up of artists and performers. Lorna Henry and Jane Hoy of Queer Playback will be running a drama workshop on Saturday 23 July and there will be a Playback performance at 6.15pm. Come and tell your stories! Learn some playback! 

The arts strand is programmed by Helen Sandler and includes comix and creative writing workshops, laughing yoga, circle dancing,  performance poets, films, writers VG Lee and Manda Scott talking about their work, comedy from Laughing Cows and the one and only Jackie Kay reading from her new novel Rusty Red Road.

You can also camp and run about doing sporty things as well as enjoying the lovely riverside surroundings  at the festival which starts on Friday 22 July and ends on Sunday 23 July. 
 Go to www.lfest.co.uk for details or email us at queerplayback@gmail.com.

ShoutOut Radio - Thursday 23 June 2011

Catch us on the Radio to find out more about the Bristol Pride Event and the Queer Playback Theatre Company. Lorna will be interviewed live on ShoutOut Radio between 7 and 8 pm. Bristol Community Radio 93.2fm or listen live at <http://www.shoutoutbristol.org.uk/>

Queer Playback Theatre Company

Freedom Youth - 14 June 2011

Had a great time playing drama games with the Freedom Youth Group on Tuesday night (14 June). Went to Freedom to tell young people about the Bristol Pride Fringe Event on Sunday 17 July: What's so queer about being queer? The day workshop introducing queer people to Playback Theatre. Hoping group members will be able to join us for the event in July for more fun...

What's so queer about being queer?

An event for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people on Sunday 17 July from 10.30 am.  Creative and fun opportunity to learn some drama improvisation and Playback Theatre. No previous experience necessary. Closes with an informal performance for family and friends at 5.30 pm. £15 or £10 low/unwaged. For more information go to: <http://theatrebristol.net/opportunities> and then put 'queer' in the search box or email us <queerplayback@gmail.com>