Ten years ago, we were Data Miners in Residence at Vivid. Ten years is undeniably a long time and things were different then: Vivid presided over a suite of film making spaces in the Big Peg in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, the web was less crowded, less wordpress-y and peppered with primitive (and largely ridiculous) flash animations. At Vivid, Talking Birds embarked on a terrifyingly ambitious programme of data collection, working with professionals across some of the era’s most influential sectors. By email (which had only relatively recently lost its novelty value), our Data Miners rigorously questioned volunteers, collected data, clarified points, sifted findings and pruned data trees until we were confident our results were sufficiently robust – and what startling findings they were! The results enabled our Data Miners to formulate ten ground breaking theories about the world, which were then published online for peer scrutiny before being ratified. Although the statements may appear outlandish, you should bear in mind that they were hailed at the time as “strangely plausible”.

And now, ten years on, what do you think?

If you participated in the research, did the Web Demographic project change your life as much as you thought it did at the time? And, 10 years on, (whether you participated or not) are the theories still pertinent? We’d love to know your thoughts! We’ll publish the responses that make us laugh – and award a coveted Whale t-shirt to the one that pushes the Talking Birds giggle-o-meter to the highest level…

The 10 Web Demographic Theory Statements

1. All first memories feature singing or the number four.

2. A disproportionately large number of people found fame in 1976.

3. Most people believe that the place where they are is really somewhere else in disguise.

4. People in Scotland are most likely to be spurred on by strangers to make a reckless world record attempt.

5. Cameras lost in Birmingham are most likely to turn up in Bucharest.

6. Families are more authentic in old photographs.

7. The identity of people in the South East of England is defined by the colour of their door.

8. Colorado Springs, US is an exact replica of Worthing, England, revolved through ninety degrees to the west.

9. Demolition is most likely to be welcomed in the west of England.

10. Nothing is mundane.

Where to find Web Demographic:

Bits of Web Demographic still exist online but do remember that as it’s been there for an awfully long time, it is a little cranky and some of the embedded flash links have sadly expired. You can find the remaining bits and pieces here.

What people said about Web Demographic:

“Followers of Talking Birds’ growing reputation will not be disappointed by their skilful delivery of sharp, almost surreal, humour…The straight faced satirical delivery…is joyful. The project is mischievous and absorbing.” [a-n magazine]

“Outlandish and surreal, but at the same time, strangely plausible” [participant]

“This is silly but compelling…You can read some wonderful cod-scientific explanations for the theories then vote on whether you agree or disagree.” [Cobweb Express]

“Even the apparently silly things can be tricky to refute…” [Birmingham Post]

“Many thanks…for highlighting the ridiculousness of the internet. And art. And of Worthing.” [participant]

– See more at: http://www.talkingbirds.co.uk/pages/online.asp#sthash.TXnICq3U.dpuf

There’s a few things coming up in the next few weeks which, although not strictly pure Birds’ projects, have a feather or two all over them…

First up, Derek’s playing along live to a screening of Nosferatu at EGO Performance Space on Silver Street in Coventry this Saturday 28th September. Doors open at 7pm.

Then next Friday October 4th, Janet’s regular Pecha Kucha Night Coventry is back at The Tin Music & Arts (formerly Taylor John’s House in Coventry Canal Basin). For more details – including the newly announced speaker line up – visit the Coventry page of the global PK site.

Third up, live poetry show Being Human (produced by Midland Creative Projects, the Belgrade Theatre and Bloodaxe Books) is back on the road on October 7th (and calling into Coventry on the 18th & 19th October). Talking Birds were responsible for the design and music aspects of the show, which was first staged last year and has been getting rave reviews by the look of it – you can read a few of them here. Find the full list of tour dates here.

Pole Vault : an 11 minute downloadable audio walk, to listen to whilst walking along a canal towpath [click to download].

The roots of the Olympic sport of the Pole Vault reach back many centuries when obstacles, or more commonly canals or other stretches of water, were traversed using a pole.

Canals have a complex and sometimes dark history as places where desperate people attempted to take their own lives. One such case was that of Elizabeth Barnwell, who was suffering from ‘puerperal mania’, a severe form of postnatal mental illness. This audio walk tells her story.

With:
Professor Hilary Marland from the Centre for the History of Medicine, University of Warwick (interviewed by Nick Walker)
Roland Mackie – Canal Ranger for Coventry Council (interviewed by Anne Forgan)
Jake Oldershaw singing the Boatman
Derek Nisbet – Violin

Song lyrics: Nick Walker
Music, Sound Design and editing by Derek Nisbet

[Pole Vault is one of Talking Birds’ Decathlon artworks, marking the company’s 20th year.]

PS As this is our sixth production in six months, we’re planning to take it a bit easier for most of the summer…except for the various planned outings for the Whale, the OakMobile and the Q. Look out for more new stuff in the Autumn.

27th, 28th and 29th June 2013
Shop Front Theatre, 38, City Arcade, Coventry

Cure, containment, corruption: a theatrical examination of 18th century private asylums.

Trade in Lunacy is a chamber theatre performance inspired by the practices of treating those diagnosed with ‘diseases of the mind’ in asylums in private homes, set up by individual entrepreneurs to generate income and enhance claims to cure.

An exciting new collaboration between Warwick Centre for the History of Medicine (CHM) and Talking Birds – this event builds on Professor Hilary Marland’s research into the history of mental disorder and its institutions.

On Thursday 27th June, a panel discussion and reception will follow the 6.30pm performance.

For information about the project and the Centre for the History of Medicine, visit the project website.

Tickets available from OxBoffice or 0845 680 1926.

This Saturday (June 22nd) in Victoria Square Birmingham, from 11am – the OakMobile – our rather special (and up until this point top secret!) collaboration with the National Trust will be unveiled.

To launch the OakMobile, the National Trust is putting on a whole load of stuff for people to do in the square, with activities running all day (11-5). Yes, we know the weather forecast isn’t great, but after Taking Flight in the monsoon last week we’re ready for anything, so bring a brolly and come out to see us….!

There’s lots of interesting stuff happening around Coventry over the next week. Ludic Rooms are running another mobile phone trail around the city centre – look out for yellow dots in the windows of participating shops in the precinct and answer the questions posed by the scrolling LEDs to take part. Ludic Rooms were responsible for the rather brilliant EnactCov trail last year, so this should be fun.

Talking Birds (and its individual artists) are also involved in the festival:

For the last month, Janet has been working with Hi8us Midlands and Anne Forgan on the Think Space project, exploring with a group of young people how they can harness design and making skills to transform their living spaces in temporary accommodation. The Think Space Lab – opposite the main West Orchards/Debenhams entrance – where they’ve been working now houses an exhibition of objects made or upcycled using their newfound skills. More info on the blog.

Next Tuesday (June 11th) is Pecha Kucha Coventry’s latest event – this time curated by Ludic Rooms as part of the Mysteries (which means Janet gets to enjoy PKN as a punter instead of organising it for once, which she’s rather looking forward to!) More details here.

Meanwhile Derek has been working on Talking Birds’ official contribution to the Mysteries Festival! With Peter Cann (director of Talking Birds’ Greek space epic ‘Troy Story’) he has been crafting a series of songs inspired by the life of Coventry-born inventor of the jet engine, Frank Whittle. Containing such memorable lines as “I’m afraid you’re just too little, Mr. Whittle!”, these songs have been practised and practised by children from four Coventry schools (Sir Frank Whittle, Courthouse Green, Edgewick Park and Sacred Heart) and – along with choreography & direction by Emily Lloyd-Roberts – will be performed in Millennium Place (under the Whittle arches outside the Transport Museum) on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June at 12.45 and 1.30pm.

For the full Mysteries Festival schedule, check out the 2013 online brochure:
http://www.coventrymysteries.com/2013-schedule/

There’s a lot going on at the moment, so this is a quick dates round up for you:

June 2nd Whale at Pulse Fringe Festival, Ipswich

June 5th We’re Only Here Today at Pulse Fringe Festival, Ipswish

June 12th-14th Taking Flight in Millennium Place, Coventry as part of Coventry Mysteries Festival

June 22nd The OakMobile will be revealed somewhere in Birmingham

June 27th-29th The Trade in Lunacy (part 1 of the Asylum Trilogy) at The Shop Front Theatre, Coventry

July 6th-7th The Whale at the Lord Mayor’s Festival in Norwich

July 9th Troy Story at Birmingham Town Hall (4.30pm)

As spring has sprung (sort of) and it’s more than a month since the last blog post, it seems timely to let you all know about some changes here at Birds HQ. We’ve appointed the formidable (french pronunciation) Philippa Cross as Talking Birds’ General Manager – throwing her in at the deep end with the Stratford performances of Troy Story a few weeks back – and Nick, who’s been with Talking Birds since the very beginning, has now left his role as Joint Artistic Director to pursue some New Voyages. (Although there are plans afoot for him to reprise his legendary role of Trevor Goose this Christmas – watch, as they say, this space…)

Nick writes:

Flying the Nest

In March 1992, while filling out the Edinburgh Fringe Festival brochure entry, it became clear that we would need to commit to the name of the show (as yet unmade), and also the name of the company that was taking it up (also fairly unmade). Someone, I think it was Dave, suggested that since the show featured some birds that talked, we should call the show Talking Birds. And in a moment of breathtaking inspiration it was then suggested that we should call the company the same thing. It didn’t seem to matter to me at the time as I was sure the whole adventure would be over by early September.

Twenty one years later and the flock is still soaring across the skies in impressive V formation, but I’ve now left the rotation and am perched quietly on a telegraph line where I will watch the skein ride the updrafts from a distance.

It’s been a blast and I’ve learned most of life’s best lessons from the journey, not least the clever deployment of words like ‘skein’, and I’m sure occasional Talking Birds brochure entries will use the Walker biro, but until that time, leading from the front will be the formidable duo Derek and Janet ably assisted by the fresh pair wings of Philippa who joins as General Manager.

To all those people I have befriended, loved, and worked with along the way (and those categories have very blurry edges), thank you for the fair wind and the beautiful skies.

Nick Walker, April 2013

TroyStory – our intergalactic opera retelling a couple of Homer’s epics – launches at Stratford Upon Avon Civic Hall on Friday – which means this week is all about the final preparations…

The orchestrated score is now with David Curtis, conductor of Orchestra of the Swan. On Tuesday it’s the last cast rehearsal in school (with the young people of Welcombe Hills, Thomas Jolyffe and Wilmcote schools). On Wednesday, the orchestra rehearse. On Thursday, we get the set and tech kit into the venue and on Friday, everyone will converge on the Civic Hall for a dress run and then the first show.

It would be great if you could join us for the show on Friday at 4.30 or Saturday at 2.30. This is what you would be letting yourself in for:

It is the year 3000 and Odysseus is at home with his wife, son, robot and electronic goldfish when he is summoned to the war on Troy, a planet on the other side of the Galaxy. He might be the cleverest of all Earth’s Generals but has he got enough horse sense to defeat the Trojans? And can he get home through hyper space – which is packed with Sirens, nine headed monsters and giant one eyed sheep farmers? And will he get back before his wife gets fed up of knitting duvet covers and marries somebody else?

All these questions and more will be answered in an intergalactic opera made by Orchestra Of the Swan and Talking Birds in collaboration with Welcombe Hills, Thomas Jolyffe and Wilmcote schools. Featuring loads of singers, a bit of fighting and a few tricks, TroyStory takes two epic yarns from ancient Greece, puts them into the future and re tells them in round about two hours, (including a stop-off for refreshments)…

TroyStory includes the Illiad-inspired prequel to, and our acclaimed Space Odyssey. Tickets are on sale here – grab them while you can!

We get a little mention in this article about empty shops (though the Fish & Chip shop bit probably more accurately refers to our very good friends Theatre Absolute).