Evocative Objects: the Materialities of Amateur Dramatics

Part of the AHRC-funded Amateur Dramatics: Crafting Communities in Time and Space research an AHRC Connected Communities Festival Event

Calling all amateur dramatics enthusiasts, historians, box office volunteers, board members, ushers, chorus members and performers! Fancy a chance to meet other amateur society members, to be filmed and interviewed about your society, and to learn more about the first major research project into amateur dramatics in the UK? Join us for a free workshop day on 16th or 27th of June.

Evocative Objects workshops will be held over two dates in two locations:

Tuesday 16 June    11am – 4pm    Questors Theatre, London W5 5BQ

Saturday 27 June   11am – 4pm   The Swan Theatre, Worcester WR1 3ED

The only requirement is that you have to bring an object with you that captures a story (or stories) from your amateur society

This could be:

· a pair of tweed trousers with the hem let down four times

· a chipped teacup that has been used in 13 different productions

· a framed photograph (signed) of the member of the company who ‘made it big’

· a single torn page from a script highlighted in pink with scribbled notes in the margins

· a crumpled sheet of red gel

· a pint glass from the bar

· a ripped ticket stub from your last show

What will we do? Over a morning workshop and a lunch, we will come together and share our stories and objects. You will meet other people from other amateur societies and talk about the ways in which you archive and capture your organisation’s history. Stories will be recorded and written down in small workshop settings, and at the end of the day, the narratives will be compiled into a final album which we’ll share with you and the larger amateur sector.

Any questions about the events can be directed to E.C.Walcon@exeter.ac.uk.

How to book & Project website is – http://www.amateurdramaresearch.com

Twitter ID – @amateurdrama