Coventry has always had a lot of mail passing in and out and through it. At one point, the Bishop Street sorting office handled more mail than any other in the country, and the post service has been an important part of the city’s economy since the 1920s.

Perhaps this was because the city had a lot to say, and those elsewhere had a lot to say back to the city. At any rate, there has always been such a volume of post – love letters, bills, postcards, job offers, dear Johns, good news, bad news, wedding invitations, official notifications, pay cheques, good luck cards, sorry to hear cards, and letters to Santa – flowing through Coventry that its easy to feel that the sorting offices still hum with them, even once the building has become empty.

A CITY GROWN FROM WORDS is an installation which is a reflection of deserted sorting offices everywhere. Places where words – significant or trivial, written or typed, tear-stained or computer generated – have been held and processed before spreading through the city, affecting and changing the lives of those who read them.

When: Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th March 2011.

Where: 50 Bishop Street (old Oxfam Homeware Shop – down the street from the Bishop Street sorting office),Coventry, CV1 1HW.
Open: 12 – 4pm
Admission: Free

A City Grown From Words has been made with recent Performing Arts graduates from Coventry University and is supported by Coventry School of Art & Design, Coventry University, Arts Council England, and Coventry City Council through its Small Arts Grants scheme.

Please tell us about significant letters you have sent or received by calling 0845 22 55 918 (24hrs, local rate); alternatively, tweet us @birdmail or email birdmail [at] talkingbirds.co.uk with SIGNIFICANT LETTERS as the subject.

One of these sets of pics is from the real Bishop Street sorting office and one is from the old Oxfam Homeware shop, which is where we are making A City Grown From Words – may not be too tricky to spot the difference, but we reckon the shop’s not a bad match for the sorting office – and once we have some projections, music and a bit of live action in there too…well, surely close enough?!

We’ve got three weeks in an empty shop in Coventry to make a show marking the closure of the Bishop Street sorting office. Three weeks isn’t long – and we need your help! Please tell us about your significant letters sent or received – tell us via twitter @birdmail or email or leave a message on our phoneline: 0845 22 55 918

Cheers!

still from Talking Birds’ 2007 film “2 letters’ (not that it’s an obsession or anything…!)

Audience comments about CAPSULE:

“Coming to your shows makes me reluctant to go to ‘normal’ theatre, because sitting in the chair is not enough anymore!!! You make it worth it for me to keep coming to Coventry!!”

“That was really unexpected! Very cool idea – and I really like the space. I wasn’t sure of the direction it was going in when watching it but then of course it made sense, and I’ll be pondering this for a while.”

“Capsule was great – very engaging, truly unpredictable, and with a masterstroke in getting the visitors to become active…the narrative was evocative and intelligent.”

“Absolutely lovely a real surprise!, I feel like a kid, don’t know what to expect, what to do with this feeling now the show is over ! Made me really smile inside. Total Joy !”

“Go Talking Birds! Most fun I’ve had in a theatre for ages. Cunning and warm hearted…and recycled too.”

 “Glowing from the most enjoyable theatre for years. Talking Birds, offering us delights, invite us to share their concoctions… the biggest theatrical surprise I’ve had…and that is only half way in!”

 

More on CAPSULE & the FarGo Space Programme

Six performances of Capsule down tonight! Few tickets left between 6pm and 7pm tomorrow if you’re quick.

We stop taking bookings [http://www.talkingbirds.co.uk/pages/capsule.html] at lunchtime on Saturday.

Here’s what the audience are saying:

“Go talking birds! Most fun I’ve had in a theatre for ages. Cunning and warm hearted…And recycled too.”

“Glowing from the most enjoyable theatre for years. Talking Birds offering us delights, invite us to share their concoctions . . the biggest theatrical surprise I’ve had, and that is only half way in – the rest is delight too . . Yay for Talking Birds! Now make the 3 hour epic . . please! Only Saturday to go – book in if you can . . else you’ll never have been there . . and wish you had…”

» Capsule: a chamber show for an audience of six

·float·sink·hide·find·blast off·touchdown·sabotage·freefall·land·dock·
·piece together a story told predominantly through sound·

We’ll be honest with you:
CAPSULE is a bit of an experiment.
We’d like you to come and experience it
& let us know whether you think it works.

We’ve had the use of an empty industrial unit for the month of November, and this show, Capsule, is what we have made during that month. Well actually, at the time of writing, we’re still making it. It will probably still be a bit rough round the edges by 26th & 27th. We might ask you for help…

Continuing the experimental theme, we’d like you to book a ticket online in advance for either Friday 26th or Saturday 27th and indicate whether you’d prefer to see Capsule between 5pm & 6pm, or 6pm & 7pm, or 7pm & 8pm. We’ll get back in touch to confirm a more exact time and give you more details nearer the time.

Dates:
26th & 27th November 2010
Venue:
Unit 4, FarGo Village, Far Gosford St., Coventry, CV1 5ED (former Far Gosford St trading est.)
Directions:
head up Far Gosford Street from the city centre until you reach Pig In The Middle on the left, then turn right. Unit 4 is at the far side of the site.

Tickets: £3 [CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS]

As well as testing the show, we’ll also be testing the first version of our digital access tool, THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE, so if you have a smartphone or other mobile device which can connect via wi-fi, and would be interested in testing and feeding back on the Difference Engine, please bring your device with you (but keep it turned to silent). Stewards will show you how to use the Difference Engine before the show, so please arrive early if you intend to participate.

We’re particularly interested in testing the Difference Engine with smartphone-using audience members with particular access needs, so we’d like to hear from you in advance if you’re interested in helping test the system.

The show is made to accomodate six audience members at a time, including one wheelchair user per performance.

Tickets available from http://www.talkingbirds.co.uk/pages/capsule.html

And here’s the “making of” gallery…revealing the stunning trickery behind the majestic theatricality (or something)

CAPSULE: a chamber show for an audience of six

·float·sink·hide·find·blast off·touchdown·sabotage·freefall·land·dock·
·piece together a story told predominantly through sound·

We’ll be honest with you:
CAPSULE is a bit of an experiment.
We’d like you to come and experience it
& let us know whether you think it works.

[MORE INFO/BOOK TICKETS]

Pics taken every 10 minutes. Pod originally built by Andy Martin to Janet’s design. Put together today by Janet, Nick & Lou.