We are raising funds for a radical adaptation of Shakespeare's Richard II looking at gender in politics and earth worship, and to develop workshops connecting communities to their natural heritage.
Sorry this project was unsuccessful, we did not reach our fundraising goal.
Our adaptation of William Shakespeare's 'Richard II' is touring to the Brighton Open Air Theatre, Bristol Shakespeare Festival, Raglan Castle in Wales, Floors Castle in Scotland and Stage @ The Docks in Hull in Spring 2021. The symbolism of nature and the decay of nature through man's interference are a huge themes of the play and close to our own hearts. We are re-imagining Shakespeare for a 2020 audience, highlighting heritage and making it interactive with nature and environmentally conscious. As part of this project we are developing workshops connecting local communities to the natural world around them. We will develop these workshops alongside guerrilla gardeners, several partners and the local communities we are touring to, as well as creating 19 jobs for creative artists. As a grassroots, self-funded theatre company we have managed to book a tour despite the devastating impact of Covid 19 on the arts and want to do this project justice and deliver on all fronts.
What we'll deliver:
Why it's a great idea:
As Sir David Attenborough said earlier this year, we are in the middle of a climate crisis and we can no longer ignore the facts. There is a nature crisis in the UK. Plants and wildlife are under serious threat. Children are spending less time outside enjoying nature, which means they are less likely to care about and protect it. Our goal with this show and these workshops is to inspire communities to spend more time enjoying and protecting nature where they live. In the show itself - where the characters revere and worship green things - audiences will be interacted with and given seeds to go home and plant, the benefits of which long outlast the memory of the play itself. Whether they live in the city or countryside, we will spend time making seed balls, discussing the use of nature and animals in Richard II, the decay of nature and how the world has changed since the 1600s, our heritage and where we come from using Shakespeare's words to highlight, inspire and educate!
Steps to get it done:
We believe in order to care about anything you have to feel a personal connection to it, that's what planting something does. It can make one realise the utter wonder of a seed becoming a vibrant flower or a huge tree. In our play, set in a near future following a global ecological collapse, the characters had to learn the hard way and now worship anything natural like we might a diamond or a piece of gold. With this project, we want to be part of the journey of re-connecting we all have to do in order to change how we interact with out planet. According to the mental health charity Mind: "Spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems including anxiety and depression. For example, research into ecotherapy shown it can help with mild to moderate depression". This project will combine lots of suggestions from Mind including: growing things, bringing nature inside if access to outdoor space is limited, doing activities outdoors and helping the environment.
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Journey
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Thank you to dear Stu for your generous donation, also to Shaun! Every little counts. So if you know someone who would be interested in helping making live art happen at a time when it's harder than over to do so, or has invested interest in connecting communities to their natural heritage tell them about it! We are still a way off our goal & so any word of mouth or shout out is a great help!
How will the money be spent?Target (inc. fees) £3,868
Costs Breakdown
This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.
Target (inc. fees) £3,868
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VolunteerWe are a female led theatre company making adaptations that are challenging and relevant to contemporary society using multimedia, music and movement.
Our mission is to create an inclusive, vulnerable, brave, creative and motivating working atmosphere, while breaking down preconceptions of character stereotypes regarding race, gender, class and sexuality.
In these uncertain and frightening times, we can choose to isolate and put up walls, or we can actively break down barriers and embrace our differences.
Here at Quandary Collective we are striving to find ways to connect with one another - human to human - through the stories we tell.
As theatre makers, we strive for honesty and clarity.
As a female led company, we are making our voices heard.
We are proud of our European heritage, and are making work in the UK for touring nationally and internationally.
Quandary Collective - because the whole world is in a bit of a quandary at the moment, but perhaps together we can claw our way out.
Project Owner: Quandary Collective The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.
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