by Mat Burtcher | Sep 12, 2011 | News
It’s with a big grin that I announce the next phase of our research and development into one of our most exciting upcoming projects, Conchita Cintron. In order to gather so much as from occasion we may glean about the reality of life for history’s greatest bullfightress, the Heritage Arts Company are going to Seville in a couple of weeks to see the bullfights themselves and explore the world of the Plaza. Conchita’s story took her all over the world, from her native Peru, to London, to Portugal and Spain. We aim to take in the full sweep of her journey, one way or another, and it’s with notebooks and cameras at the ready that we set off to immerse ourselves in an alien cultural experience. We’ve also made a video. A year ago, the Heritage Arts Company spent three days with a variety of performers and practioners at London’s Old Vic, for the first phase of research and development. This video gives a flavour of the things we thought about as we explored the multiple strands of Conchita’s expansive life story, the concept of Duende, and the clash of the masculine and feminine in the blood and sweat of the Plaza. Give it a watch here. I hope you enjoy it – if you do, or even if you don’t, let us know your thoughts about Conchita. There’s a lot of big subjects in this production, which is why we’re so determined to tackle it properly. See you on the sand!...
by Tim Wilson | Sep 1, 2011 | News
Heritage Arts are spectacularly proud to have been Associate Producers for Ron Arad’s Curtain Call, now finishing its month in the Roundhouse main space. We were at the centre of the project for six months and now feeling justly proud of our achievements: “Playful, original and brilliant” Observer “A new way to see art” BBC From helping to plan artist commissions (and that includes Christian Marclay and Mat Collishaw) to managing the budget, from getting heads together to solve technical conundrums to routing spectators through the Roundhouse, Heritage Arts provided the production with real expertise. Thanks goes especially to Lucy Atkinson at the Roundhouse, Michael Castellana at Ron Arad Associates, and the superlatively impressive Peter Wilms. Projects like this – that don’t have a genre, that are outside classification – really interest us. Let us know what you’re up to – drop us a line. Thanks for reading....
by Mat Burtcher | Jul 13, 2011 | News
For millennia, Standonia has been the arena of a struggle for power between the Gods, led by the beautiful Goddess Auria, and the Monsters, led by Boss-King Cras. In recent times, a kind of unspoken truce has arisen… A new arrival threatens this balance. A gargantuan, energy-emitting monolith has appeared: The Obleron. Each side is afraid, and expects trickery from their ancient enemies. The truce lasts, for now, but who can be trusted? Cras and Auria must keep their respective followers in line and preserve the peace whilst trying to find out what the presence of the Obleron means, and whether it is a harbinger of good or ill for their people. This is where the festivalgoer comes in, playing the part of the faithful or fraudulent follower of either the Gods or the Monsters, whichever they choose to throw their allegiance behind. Every step of the way, the cultists, creatures, semi- and demi-gods which populate the festival grounds are a key part of the epic as it unfolds. A prophecy is revealed to both factions which implies that the Obleron will end the dominance of their race. Over the course of the festival, the followers of each clan must seek out the information, chants, rituals and arms needed to prevent something catastrophic happening on Saturday night, as the time of the prophecy creeps ever closer. Will they have the foresight to put aside their difference and defeat the Obleron together, Gods side by side with Monsters, or will one dominate the other once and for all? What secret is sustaining the truth, and once uncovered, will it spell...
by Mat Burtcher | May 14, 2011 | News
Hello! It looks like summer might finally be upon us; it’s about time too. We’ve got a nice busy summer lined up for anyone and everyone who feels in the festival mood, as we’re going to be appearing at not one, not two, but three festivals over the coming months. In June, if you can hightail it all the way to Scotland, you can enjoy a Victorian-era beverage with us in the Beehive, as we’ll be hosting a venue for the fantastic Insider Festival which promises to be a picturesque, paradisal escape from the grey fingers of the big smoke. You’ve probably heard of Bestival and its twin Camp Bestival; what you may not have heard is that there’ll be something rather Questy going down in the Dingly Dell featuring a Sententious Soothsayer and a Withered Wizard who some of you may find just a tad familiar. The Lulworth Quest will run for all three days of the festival, and allow you to win prizes(!), solve puzzles, investigate clues and all the other exciting things that any good quest should, with a pretty special secret-grand-prize for the most adventurous and creative of you. And, of course, we’ll be launching the Gods & Monsters theme at Standon Calling with an epic-upon-epic tale of the forbidden loved between Goddess Auria and Beast King Cras, and the terrifying, mysterious power of the Obleron. There’s cults to be joined, feet to be rubbed and hidden rings to discover. Don’t miss this one. Phew. Right, better do some work then. See you there. And there. And there....
by Mat Burtcher | Apr 6, 2011 | News
The Heritage Arts Company spoke this week at the About Houses conference in Machynlleth, Wales. It’s very beautiful there, and we delved into local history as much as we could – Owain Glendwr and his mysterious disappearance are hot on our minds! We spoke about the field of Heritage and how to engage people with subjects that might appear difficult or elite. Nik’s presentation of his autobiographical piece ‘Valley of the Water Dog’ last month had introduced Heritage Arts to a few in that corner of Wales, and we’re now planning a trip to Blaenau and Cwmorthin, to see the old miner’s houses and have a think about what kind of stories we could be telling. Have a look as well at the fantastic resource – The Peoples Collection. A brilliant idea… And another quick word on where we’re going here at the Heritage Arts HQ. Tim’s project with the Old Vic finished last month and barely a moment after that, Heritage Arts are now assisting the Roundhouse to deliver a project with world-renowned Israeli designer Ron Arad. Mr Arad’s work can be found at http://www.ronarad.co.uk/, but you’ll have to wait till August to see what he’s been working on. The Heritage Arts Company is proud to be affiliated with another multi platform festival-style event; do get in touch if there’s a project you need assistance on. We’ll be only too pleased to help. Tim’s also been consulting two very sharp and up-beat theatre companies – one, Kindle Theatre, whose work at the Coming up Festival deserves a far wider platform, and the other, Skip Theatre, who are...
by Mat Burtcher | Mar 15, 2011 | News
Have you clicked that lovely little truck drawing in the bottom right of the screen yet? No? Well, now’s your chance to jump in: Episode Two of the Radio S-HAC is online! In this chapter, the hapless new controllers of this universal broadcast junkpile find themselves devoid of water, a situation which brings about a horrifying revelation: there can be no tea. Featuring Herodotus on crocodiles, Johnny Flynn on guitar and legendary Bering Sea fisherman Daniel Wakefield with an exclusive account of a near fatal storm, you’d never forgive yourself for missing it. Stay tuned for more: over March and April, we’ll be releasing four more episodes, themed around Rebellion, Ruin, Bread, and, in the edge-of-your-seat ear-popping heart-wrenching finale, Machines. Whether you’ve been following from the beginning, or are just picking up the series, please feel free to drop us a line at info@heritagearts.co.uk, Twitter or Facebook; we’d love to know what you think, and what you’d like to see happen.. But that’s not all, folks! There’s still time to get your submissions in for the final few episodes. If you’ve got an idea for a song, story, poem, play or just about anything that fits in with our theme and you’re just dying for the Radio S-HAC to beam it out there, get in touch. Add your own stories to the library. And if you’re too late, well, that’s just too bad. But there’s always Series Two… Mat...
