After an incredibly busy 2012, things are showing no sign of slowing up in 2013. Not that much that we can talk about yet, but if you really want hard dates, then here’s two: 12th and 13th March 2013 – tickets are already on sale at mac for the premiere of We’re Only Here Today – also known as the Pilot Nights piloted ‘King Lear performed by two door to door salesmen’…
You can also download our swashbuckling Shot Putt game for mac and android if you haven’t already. Anyone who emails us a review of the game also wins their own edible shot putt (until we run out of them) so you could give that a go if you fancy breaking your teeth?
We’ll be finishing our 20th Anniversary Decathlon in the first half of 2013 and also joining up with Orchestra of the Swan again, this time to jettison The Illiad into space (to join The Odyssey that we sent up there in 2011)…more on this soon.
We’d also like to thank all of you for interacting with Talking Birds in one way or another during 2012 and wish you all a Happy New Year!
Will that do for now? Good, good. As you were then…
This is a bit exciting! We’ve made a game (with the able assistance of @arctic_sunrise) and as of today <fanfare> you can download it from iTunes or Google Play.
Drawing on the slightly tenuous link between the modern sport of shot putt and the medieval practice of hurling cannonballs, Talking Birds’ Shot Putt is a swashbuckling game of skill and dexterity …(or something). It’s the sixth of our Decathlon projects for 2012 – and <whispers> there are real prizes of edible shots available to high scorers.
Shot Putt is available for Android™ and Apple smartphone devices.
Cocktail sticks come in bundles of 100, in boxes of 1000. I’m less sure how many mini marshmallows are in the litre buckets, but hopefully there will be enough… Whether your ambitions stretch to making a geodesic dome or a metre high Eiffel Tower, a javelin-throwing athlete or an alternative Olympic Torch, we’re looking forward to welcoming you to our sociable evening sculpture competition – aka the Javelin (see what we did there?). This is the latest event in the Talking Birds’ Decathlon and will take place at Coventry Artspace this Friday – 20th July – rounding off their day-long Artspace Hijack event. Talking Birds is hijacking the community room and will be giving it the fairy godmother treatment throughout the day to prepare it for an evening of chat and invention…
Bring a friend or two and register a team (of up to 4) to work together to build something magical using only cocktail sticks and marshmallows…there’ll be refreshments on tap, we’ll provide the materials and the space. And there will be a *magnificent* prize for the most interesting/imaginative/impressive sculpture – as judged by our tame *celebrity* judge.
Register teams from 5.30. Build starts at 6pm.
At Coventry Artspace, 16, Lower Holyhead Road, Coventry CV1 3AU.
Song for a Phoenix, commissioned to mark the arrival of the Olympic Torch in Coventry, told a potted 1000 year history of Coventry, while the city was built on stage around our narrator, John Flitcroft. Then, from the Olympic cauldron (metaphorically, you understand), the Phoenix (played by Jumoké Fashola) appeared – to sing a love song to the city.
[The curtain opens. There are two trees on stage. A man appears, and tells this story as the city is built around him.]
Narrator:
And then after the flame was lit, it burned for the city of three hundred thousand, the city of Coventry.
A city which grew out of a clearing in the forest of Arden. A city which was invaded by the Romans. A city which was invaded by the Vikings. A city which was invaded by the Normans. A city which built itself a castle to stop people invading it all the time. A city which was once the capital city. A city which was once the royal city. A city which had the English parliament governing from just near where we’ve got a Pizza Express now.
A city of hope and a city of lost love. This is the city where William Shakespeare jilts a lovesick Coventry woman at the alter, Anne Whately, and goes off to marry a pregnant Stratford girl instead, heartbroken at his mistake, he takes up writing. This is the city where David Hasslehof proposes to his girlfriend at the Ricoh Arena for the fifth time, and gets turned down.
This is a city of firsts. The first jet engine, the first safety bike, the first beat officer from an ethnic minority, the first theatre in education company, and perhaps most excitingly, the first car indicators. This is the city which nearly burned down the Mermaid Tavern while giving demonstrations of new fangled electricity. This is the city which produced Ellen Terry the finest actor in Britain. This is the city which produced the founding father of modern Australia and put a kangaroo sculpture at Canley station in his honour.
This is a city of local heroes. People like Private William Pepper who died at the Somme and who had a tree planted in his honour. It’s leaves are keeping someone in this park in the shade right now.
This is the city which saw its factories felled, its houses smashed, its cathedral burnt. But with the fires raging and the rubble falling, it’s a city whose women sent a tablecloth to Stalingrad signed with their names as a message of solidarity and hope.
This is a city where architect Donald Gibson and sculptor Trevor Tennant, on a piece of quarry stone, carved a phoenix, and laid it in the city centre as a levelling stone, around which the new city would be built.
This is a city of little victories for the ordinary people who live here like Peter Cox who borrows his first book from the library in Pepper Lane. In 1940 usherette Betty Brown dashes out of the air raid shelter wearing nothing but a small towel. It’s the one bright moment of local fire watcher Alfred Williams’ night. In 1947 a ten year old Cov schoolboy Michael Spellacy waves at Laurel and Hardy as they arrive at the Coventry Hippodrome. In the same year David Vernon reaches seven miles an hour sledging in the snow at Allesley Park. His mum uses 4 shillings in the meter to thaw him out. In 1951 A Belgian called Joseph Draps watches the Godiva Carnival and decides to name his world famous chocolates after the legendary woman.
In 1960 the first mosque is built in Eagle Street in Foleshill. The same year Phillip Larkin’s family home is demolished to make way for the Ring Road. Olympic swimmer Bob Lord swims the first length at the new Coventry pool on Fairfax Street. A year later, sportsman Deep Singh plays a Kabbadi match in the first Coventry Kabbadi tournament. And four men start collecting ten shillings from every Sikh family in Coventry to build the city’s first temple. In 1967 seventeen year old assistant zoo keeper Richard McCormack is barged by Harry the Hippo at Coventry Zoo. His bruised bum is treated at the Cov and Warwick Hospital. Melanie and Bill from Eastern Green watch John Lennon and Yoko Ono plant two acorns under a peace bench. A week later Melanie and Bill come back but the acorns are stolen. And the bench has gone too.
In 1972 Come Dancing, hosted by Terry Wogan, is recorded at the Locarno Ballroom, now the central library. Nine years later the Locarno becomes Tif
fany’s and is one of the clubs that get closed down in the nineteen eighties. City pub crawls take in the Alhambra, the Silver Sword, the Penny Black, the 3 Tuns, and The Thistle. At the Cabin Studios on London Road the Primitives record their first album, the pope kisses the ground at Bagington airport, and newly elected MP Dave Nellist is earmarked to share an office with Gordon Brown.
In 1987 Sohen Singh Cheema sleeps under a blanket outside Highfield Road to be sure he’ll get a ticket for the FA Cup final at Wembley. Four weeks later forty thousand Coventry fans fall in love with Gary Mabbutt’s knee. <sung> Let’s all sing together, play up sky blues, while we sing together, we will never lose, Tottenham or Chelsea, United or anyone, they shan’t defeat us, we’ll fight til the game is won.
In 1992 The British juggling convention is set up in Coventry. In 95 the Depot Studios on Bond Street starts offering courses on something called the internet. And at Baginton airport Jill Phipps dies making a stand for something she believed in. Bill and Sue from Wyken who first held hands at the Odeon on Jordon Well, hold hands again at the newly opened Skydome. On Millennium Eve the city watches Frenchman Ramon Kelvink walk the high wire between Holy Trinity spire and Saint Michael’s spire.
So now in the 21st century, Andy Green slips over on the ice at the ice rink, but is helped up by Mandy Bennett who buys him a hot chocolate. Olly from Binley sees Concorde for the first time as it takes its last flight over the city. And a freak apple storm hits Keresely but an apple pie is made by schoolteacher Mrs Collins for her neighbour Sue. Sprinter Marlon Devonish wins gold at the Athens Olympics and walks the medal through the streets. The Enemy play Wembley stadium. Maggie Gallagher wins the Glass Boot and joins the Linedance Hall of Fame. Bex Shiner wears an I love Cov t-shirt on Big Brother. Chris Harris wins the British Speedway Championship at Coventry Stadium. And at the same time, Ryan Gleeson dresses up as batman and proposes to his girlfriend in West Orchard shopping centre. She says yes.
These are just some of the stories, big and small, from this city of three hundred thousand.
And today’s story the 1st July 2012 the Olympic torch, made right here in the city, arrives carried by Debbie Horton of Nuneaton and he lights a cauldron of fire.
And out of the flames comes the phoenix.
[Phoenix appears, walks through the cityscape and sings:]
Out of the furnace and Out of the flame, White, red and orange The fire has a name.
Heat in its wings It rises, and hovers To look at the earth for The city, its lovers:
The old Highfield Road, Memorial park, The Swanswell pond Reflecting the stars.
The circular market Cathedral glass The joke shop, the batch bar The Triumph Vitesse.
Mosaics in subways, The bright orange lights That flash on the ring road, When driving at night.
Out of the furnace and Out of the flame, White, red and orange The fire has a name.
I only love A city that changes A city that lives with its Triumphs and failures. I only love A city that’s suffered A city that knows What it is to be beautiful. Beautiful.
The Ferodo Bridge The moon bright and silvery Casting light On the London Road cemetery.
Wainbody woods, The marshes at Brandon, The Ryton pools, The Wedge at Coundon.
Roof of the Herbert The Odeon dome, The big old grey sports centre Shaped like an elephant.
The cobbles on Bailey Lane Under your tyres The newspaper vendors Who shout ‘City Final’
The old Dog and Trumpet, The ice rink, the bars The Belgrade pantomime Bands with guitars.
The sweet shop in Foleshill, All the black cabs The sun setting over The batwing flats.
Wyken and Willenhall Churches, and bells, Cheylesmore and Styvechale That no one can spell. Rivers and fields, The hills and the fords The houses in Earlsdon That we can’t afford.
I only love A city that changes A city that lives with its Triumphs and failures. I only love A city that’s suffered A city that knows What it is to be beautiful. Beautiful, You’re beautiful, Beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful.
Love for the Harriers Love for the Bees Love for the Sky Blues, Love the twin cities. Beautiful, you’re beautiful. Love for the Sherborne, Love for the ribbon. Love for the Two Tone Love for the Jaguars Love for the Velodrome. Love for the city, Of three hundred thousand.
Cast & Credits:
Phoenix City (where the city is built and it’s stories are told)
Performed by: John Flitcroft (Narrator) Sam Fox, Hannah Rhodes and Alison Symons (Vocalists) Fred Davidson, David Steggles, Emma Thompson and Nick Walker (bringing on the buildings)
Words written by Nick Walker Music composed by Derek Nisbet Set & Costumes designed by Janet Vaughan
Music performed by The Orchestra of the Swan conducted by David Curtis Music recorded and mixed by Matt Katz
Illustrations drawn by James Bourne Set construction by Belgrade Production Services
Stage management by Steve Cressy and Lou Lomas
Research by Anne Forgan and Mollie Davidson
Torch Song (where the Phoenix sings a love song to Coventry)
Performed by: Jumoké Fashola (the Phoenix)
Backing Vocalists: Sam Fox, Hannah Rhodes and Alison Symons
Words written by Nick Walker Music composed by Pete Wyer Costumes designed by Janet Vaughan Costumes constructed by Alison Kirkpatrick
Music performed by The Orchestra of the Swan conducted by David Curtis Music recorded and mixed by Matt Katz
Stage management by Steve Cressy and Lou Lomas
Both pieces (collectively known as Song for a Phoenix) were commissioned by Coventry City Council & supported by Arts Council England
Fair play to Godiva Festival for working really hard to reschedule as much as possible after having to cancel the festival at Memorial Park this weekend.
People have been asking, so we just wanted to let you know that the Olympic Torch Relay event *will* be going ahead at Memorial Park as planned on Sunday from 4.30. We’re on at 7pm, and though we can’t promise to squeeze the entire cancelled festival into our 15 minute slot, we’ll do our best to make you feel good about Cov…
As you may have gathered, our exhibition 110m Hurdles is now open at The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry (until June 10th). We sent poet Julie Boden and photographer Joanna Ornowska into Princethorpe Court to chat to the elderly residents about how they’ve overcome the hurdles they have faced in life – and this wonderfully inspiring exhibition of ten large scale portraits and ten-line poems is the result.
Now we are working with year 5 children from Moseley Primary school. Yesterday we gave each of them a camera, and the mission to – over the half term holiday – photograph an inspiring older person, and talk to them about their top hurdling tips. After half term, the children will be working with Julie to make their notes into poems to exhibit alongside the portraits they have taken.
In part, this project was inspired by Janet’s last visit to see her grandmother, Sylvia, in the care home where she was resident. During the visit, they enjoyed reminiscing about Sylvia haring around on her moped (sporting a hat which Janet remembers as a sort of immensely glamorous pith helmet held in place by a silk headscarf), an activity which she certainly used to get her over many a minor hurdle.
This is sort of why we’re giving people an excuse to photograph and interview their elderly relations and friends – and to learn from them about their top tips for coping with the hurdles life has thrown at them. If you’d like to join in, please do – and add your portraits to the flickr group pool we’ve set up for the project.
Saturday: 110m Hurdles opens at The Herbert, Coventry (til June 10th) 10am-4pm.
Saturday: the two final shows of We Love You City (football) at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (2.45pm & 8pm).
Sunday: (not strictly only Talking Birds, or sport, though it may get a mention) Pecha Kucha Plays also at mac, Birmingham and also as part of Capital Theatre Festival, 6pm.
Now that We Love You City is up and running (til the 26th May), we’ve turned our attention back to the Decathlon…
110m Hurdles: Poet Julie Boden and photographer Joanna Ornowska have been working with residents at Princethorpe Court to consider the hurdles they have faced in life – and their strategies for overcoming them. This project will result in an exhibition of large scale portraits and poems at The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum running from May 26th-June 10th.
High Jump: Earlier this year, Talking Birds, in association with Capital Plays and Writing West Midlands, put out a call for submissions for 5 minute pieces (stories, monologues, plays) which engaged with the high jump, either metaphorically, or literally. The plays or stories needed to be completed – not part-works, or works in progress – but fully realised in, and embracing, the 5 minute form. There’s a list of the selected works here, and they will be presented as a rehearsed reading, hosted by Talking Birds at mac on May 25th as part of the Capital Plays Festival.
Words from the Birds 