Artist-writer Jennifer Leach and ecoscenographer-artist Andrea Carr‘s Earth-arts organisation Outrider Anthems invites us into Bullwoman – a dreaming. Their collaborative Portal Theatre project brings everyday reality into rich contact with deeper worlds, suggesting new myths for our times.
1,600 words: estimated reading time = approximately 6.5 minutes
There is a particular sense of happiness in sharing our latest project, Bullwoman – a Dreaming, on ClimateCultures, as we first met at the 2016 TippingPoint climate change conference Doing Nothing is Not an Option, organised and facilitated by Peter Gingold and Mark Goldthorpe. Many of us who met for the first time at that seminal weekend (TippingPoint’s swansong) have gone on to work richly together. Mark was inspired to create ClimateCultures.
The challenge laid down at the conference was how creatives might change hearts and minds, to help humanity return to occupying a humble and balanced place within the ecosystem. So grand a remit is beyond our ambitions, but in this theatre piece we hope to offer the dreamt possibility of a more holistic, integrated way forward.
We are not suggesting an easy ending of ‘happy ever after’, but we do believe that something new wants to happen, something deep wants to come out and express itself…
A portal to dream abodes & myth lands
We have been working on this theatre piece since 2017, and are happy to say it is coming now to fruition, although there are still challenges to overcome, funding being a central one.
Here, we tell our story so far in images and words, explaining more about the piece, its structure and storyline, and our thinking behind it and many of our visual ideas. If you prefer to scroll a continuous slideshow, we have an online pdf presentation: please dive in.
We would really appreciate the engagement and feedback of fellow ClimateCultures members and readers, and any support you feel you might be able to give. In particular, we are looking for a producer, fundraiser and venues. We would welcome too the encouragement of anyone who is stirred, and who wishes to help bring this big and beautiful piece to fruition.
Our introductory gallery (click to enlarge):
The following are a selection of visual images from our research and development process.
Our cast of characters
In the following galleries we give a taster of the characters and the narrative, without attempting to cover every detail of the script and storyline. We start with the Artists in their Studio…
Bullwoman & the Bullpeople
Portal Theatre
The following gallery unfolds elements of our methodology, thinking, and philosophy, and the impetus behind the work.
If you wish to know more about Portal Theatre, see our manifesto.
Working towards new myths
In grappling with these questions:
- We have worked with and used our dreams,
- We have worked with chance and meaningful synchronicity,
- We have drawn on contemporary events and issues — both personal and collective,
- We have engaged our imagination,
- We have used storytelling and visual theatricality —
to suggest a new myth.
We are aiming to create a flexible and tourable theatre production that can travel to various venues, increasing its reach. There will be a community aspect to it.
In accordance with our vision of Portal Theatre, this will be sustainably achieved in a budget-conscious and resource-conscious way, through the innovative use of sound, film, voice, projection, and design.
Your support – people, partnerships, crowdfunding
We are seeking people and partnerships:
- Performers
- Venues
- Production team
- Fundraisers
- Funding in the form of grants, sponsorship, patrons
- Enthusiasts who can give of their time, interest and skills
We welcome all support, interest and enquiries to outrideranthems@gmail.com
It takes a diverse, skilled community to create and produce a work of theatre, especially in these challenging times. If you feel you could support this venture financially, we would greatly appreciate that too. Please visit Bullwoman’s Crowdfunder.
Thank you.
Find more
You can find more of Jennifer and Andrea’s work together at Outrider Anthems, as well solo work via their websites in the profile links below.
And Jennifer and Andrea took part with fellow ClimateCultures members in Conversations with Work That Connects, a series of lively and engaging conversations that Julia Marques recorded with artists and researchers to explore their experiences with wide-ranging topics that inform the creative work ClimateCultures celebrates.
Jennifer Leach
