Two down and one to go!

We’ve just completed a great week at Customs House, as part of our North East Artist Development Network residency. As well as welcoming back Matt Feerick, we were joined by our costume designer, Rosie Bristow, who has added more lumps and bumps to our costumes. Our designer, the wonderfully talented, Kelly Jago, has also built us an incredible set.  And our stage manager, Patricia Verity Suarez was there too to lend support to the growing production elements and scene creation.

The week ended with an outing of the Canaries to Whitley Bay Metro Station as part of the Arthouses. The community festival brings contemporary artists’ video, site-specific installation and live performances to the streets and community of south Whitley Bay. Bemused passengers watched improvised and set pieces from the show.

Back at Customs House, our lead artist for Public Engagement, Patricia Verity Suarez, ran a two-hour creative workshop that explored history and storytelling looking at historical sources like posters, statistics, articles and stories of the WW1 Munitionettes.

What a full week!  With just a one week left, we all feel like the process could have been 3 months, rather than just 3 weeks. Next week we’ll be hurtling to the finish line, shaping the pieces we’ve created for a showing to peers, partners, programmers and friends next Friday, 1pm at Dance City. I’m excited, nervous, worried, elated and proud, all at once.