SPRINT 2013

I approached Camden People's Theatre director Brian Logan about a portrait of his audiences and came away with a short all access residency in the midst of their annual festival of new theatre SPRINT. I was on site for 2 days, the festival was nearing its end, but I think I caught a nice glimpse of the fringe.

On the first day, I spent a couple of hours with Anne Langford, one of the 5 artists SPRINT seed commissioned to create something new - the programme is called Starting Blocks. I caught Anne whilst she was rehearsing; filling in the structure of the show on resilience and survival. Then I hung out with Luke and Andrew of Leeds based company Rough Triangle as they prepared for After Party Performance. Turns out we had mutual friends in practitioner Ellie Harrison, small world. I'm now watching how they used all the bits of party dressing in the show, the balloons are fantastic outfits with a life of their own, party bags for audiences as they enter the theatre, poppers for each (birth)day of the year. After the performance ends, the two men swiftly pack their stuff in luggage bags and head off. They wish they could stay and catch the next show but this is their last train home. Conker Group begin set up for Political Me: Apology Songs. A simple changeover - fairy lights across the back wall, an electric piano, a woman wearing a map littered with memories on paper tags. She changes into a fallen star, fallible and optimistic.

Anne is in the foyer when I arrive the second day. She seems to have broken the back of her piece and seemed much more energised by what was to come. Meanwhile in the main space, Dirty Market is setting up. We are a full house tonight I hear someone say. I see a familiar face - it's Anne-Gaelle! I haven't seen Ann-Gaelle since last year's Edinburgh Fringe, she was dancing and I was in the movement chorus of h2dance's piece Say Something. I am a quiet observer of the pre show ritual, quiet but present, I've got to make them trust me quickly. Thus the nature of the fringe.