Strangers

Hello Lovely People.

I can't stop smiling when I think back to my visit to Wales last weekend to work on the Play in a Day. It was so fab to be in the same physical space. I know we can't have that yet with the NZ lot and have to continue loving you all from afar.

So, lots to respond to here and I'm not sure I'll have the time to address all things right now but will do some more in the morning. Actually, I think I'm mainly saying 'hi' to The Strangers Massive!!

Design, yes, we've had lots of thoughts and when poor lovely Adrian gets out of his sick bed I'll ask him to share his fab thoughts with you all (Alex). We are hoping to go along the lines of generic costumes in neutral colours or rather base colours of black and white with accent colours, in basic style but with added detail pertaining to characters specifically. E.g. t shirts with a palu (the scarf worn with a salwar kameez in Indian dress) or a simple dress with a 19th century style bustle at the back. Kind of a fusion of the contemporary with the traditonal, the timeless and placeless with culturally specific signifiers. The hope is to keep budgets low but to add some interest through these added details. Does that make any sense? Also hoping to get some talented local person to create a graffiti style design that when transferred to lots of tshirts lying next to each other will be reformed when people wearing the tshirts stand in the correct order.

I'm not at the 'we've cast' stage yet. We actually are now looking for more performers because quite a few of our group have fallen by the wayside due to exam commitments here. I know you know that one, Nelson folk. Very excited that you have cast though and that is inspiring me in my choices here in Slough. It will be great to see you connecting with your overseas/overborder counterparts wouldn't it?! I have some ideas as to who will connect well with whom but until my decision is final you're all still in the dark. Sorry, I'll get a wriggle on. I can see you as Mr Silla Alex! (Our mr Silla is going to be played through shadow puppetry, (we think) and through voice over by our sound guy from the tech booth. We wanted to have him as ethereal a character as possible because of the unliklihood of a man living to 347 not washing with our audience. It also leaves lots of room for our disabled members to move and dance in their way without the pressure of learning and delivering dialogue which can be daunting.

Next Thursday we are taking part in Slough Young People's Centre's traditional Christmas cabaret. Remember Jermaine who left a lovely message some weeks ago, and of course, Sarah's old haunt? Well, it's a gorgeous, fluffy, creative, foody event and we'll be doing a rehearsed reading of some of the scenes to share with the rest of the young people and their families. That'll be fun.

We are also working for four afternoons over Christmas hols, which will hopefully allow us to catch up with you guys in Wales and Nelson, as we are a bit behind I think.

Funny, it's been like that from start hasn't it? One group leading the way for a bit then the other taking lead and another waiting in the wings 'til they see what the others are up to. It's very cool.

Ok, so i've rambled in Lizzie style. Soz Moz

Will address the merging issues in the morning, but really loving the Mr Silla is Charles idea. When he was created by one of our crew back in May, he was hotseated and he told us he was from New Zealand. So, why not have another incarnation of Charles in the form of the 347 yr olds Scrapyard guardian?

Not sure how you might use talk stick. Any further ideas on this would be cool.???

Love to all,

Lizzie xxx