Annie Chave: I have just finished studying Drama, Education and Community at York St John University, where I focused on, and really enjoyed, creating performances for, by and with different communities of people. I am originally from Mid Wales, from a small rural town in Powys and so have really enjoyed looking at wider audiences here in York. I hope to continue doing so now out of uni, making performances with the company that can relate to ourselves but also hopefully to others. I plan to stay in York where I work part time at a Cafe on Gillygate, and at the York Theatre Royal's youth theatre to fund myself whilst working in the company as the finance and location coordinator. Bronte Hobson: For me, the arts are the best way for humans to explore, well, humans and what it means to be human. My theatre practice explores and unpacks the work of pre-existing artists and what they had to say about the human experience. My main source of stimuli includes classic novels, poetry and play texts. I want to adapt existing art and present it in a visceral, visual way that allows the audience to find their own individual meaning from the work. I want my work to revitalise an audience and invite them to contemplate their place in this chaotic, semi-virtual world. Joe McCallum: I'd like to fill the world with my words in hopes that some one will listen. I'm an artist, musician, theatre maker and day dreamer, trying to make a positive impression on the world with the work I make. I believe we can use theatre to help us understand things better. While studying at YSJ I've been able to experiment with autobiographical theatre and alternative ways of making music within theatre. In my own work, I like to use my own mental health and song to hopefully make people feel less alone in this confusing world. I want to use what I do to make a difference and to connect to my audiences. Lorna McCullough: I like to tell stories that aren’t often performed, or give old one’s new leases of life, I’m interested in the notion of testimonies, of telling the stories of those who often can’t tell them themselves, to educate and inform theatre-goers of things they may possibly have not known. I love working both independently, and as part of a team, something the Blue Flamingos has enabled me to do! It’s always interesting to be able to hear other perspectives and approaches to work that you wouldn’t have thought for yourself, and to, of course, get support when you’re struggling. Eibhlis O’Malley: Over the past few years in my time at York st john studying theatre I have explored family, looking at the dynamics of a family and how we can play and push out the norm on stage. I believe in making contemporary theatre that is both engaging but more importantly has something to say about the world. After exploring issues such as the effects of social media and body images as well as finding a way to talk about mental health. Looking forward I want to make work which explores family as well as continuing to make comedies. Liv Ratcliffe: I have a real passion for creating and performing theatre. As a practitioner, I live by the quote ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ (Maya Angelou). I believe in making theatre that will make the audience feel something, as in the end, they won’t remember what was said or done, but how it made them feel. I am drawn to the way theatre can help and teach people, and this is what I aim to do in my practice. I want to bring people together. I enjoy creating theatre with people and for people. I have experience working in the community and with autobiographical theatre. Leon Walker: Jess Wilkins: I am a theatre maker, facilitator and performer who plans to use their work to tell the stories of people and places through the use of storytelling, performance vignettes and theatre images. I believe in the value of identity, voice and memory of every person and every place. I believe in using theatre as a way of telling stories which are so often forgotten or overlooked by society. My work is experimental in form and dynamics, using some elements of naturalism and blurring this with unique storytelling and abstract imagery. I want to use my theatre to make a difference to the world, by telling the world the stories which are not often told. |