Risky Business – One Vision with a Twist
Progress Report December 2009
Background
In 2005 we provided taster workshops for people with high support (complex) needs living at Lanthorne Court in Broadstairs.
We also provided some interactive arts workshops for people with complex disabilities living at the Avenues Trust in Thanet. We learnt a lot from doing these workshops and have built on these skills to develop new workshops.
Developing the Project - Making it Happen
In June, 2009 we started to develop a new show. The show is aimed at people with high support (complex) needs. We wanted the show to include the use of multi-sensory techniques; to create an original, interactive and highly specialised piece of theatre.
In July 2009, we worked with a company called Funsense who are already very established around delivering multi-sensory workshops across Kent.
We did a 3-day set of workshops with Funsense. These 3 days were spent exploring and planning how we would like to develop our workshops and performances.
At the end of July - Funsense and Risky Business provided a multi-sensory workshop for people with high support needs living in the Sittingbourne area – this was so we could develop new skills and find out what people really enjoyed about the workshop.
Together we came up with some fantastic ideas; Funsense worked with us to develop ‘One Vision with a Twist’.
Funsense worked with us to develop ‘One Vision with a Twist’.
We spent five months planning and rehearsing ‘One Vision with a Twist’.
What we did;
• Risky Business researched different ways of communicating and built partnerships with other local community groups and organisations such as Kent Supported Employment and Samantha Harrison – Massage Therapist.
• These people became part of the performances by way of offering advice and support. This was done in the shape of a ‘Choices Market’, which provided information about; Housing, Direct Payments, Social Events and Jobs.
• Everyone had a role and responsibility before, during and after the performances.
• We found venues in Canterbury and Thanet, we booked the venues.
• We decided on the 9th and the 16th November, 2009 to deliver the first workshops in Canterbury and Thanet.
• We designed a new flyer.
• We started to ring and e-mail people on the Campus Reprovision list. We also contacted other organisations and residential homes who support people with high support needs in the Canterbury and Thanet area. This was so more people could access the performances and workshops.
The performance and workshops;
The idea for ‘One Vision with a Twist’ is based on our successful ‘One Vision’ show – which we wanted to develop, expand and make more interactive so it could enable people with high support needs to make decisions about their lives using different methods of communication.
We have adapted some of our old sketches from our ‘One Vision’ show.
In the photo below Penny is talking about wanting to be a builder.
One Vision;
‘One Vision’ is about different people’s life experiences. The central storyline is about a man with learning difficulties who decides to leave his residential home and find the life he wants. The story follows Chris on his journey using sketches, poems and songs from ‘Queen’ – performed by ‘The Bohemians’, a brilliant Queen Tribute band who perform live as part of the show.
One Vision with a Twist
The ‘One Vision with a Twist’ story takes you on a journey with Penny and Flash as they try to recover all of Penny’s lost dreams and memories.
The scene is set using 4 gazebos made into a circle along with a giant screen. The gazebos represent different choices people can make in their lives. People are guided into the middle of the circle through a tunnel with a sign above it saying ‘Welcome to your Life’.
The screen is used as part of the story; we use it for our shadow work and to project people’s
images in real time.
• We use multi-sensory props - people are able to use these as part of the performance.
• People could also have a massage, be involved in a glow in the dark painting workshop and paint pictures about their dreams for the future.
• We designed puppets, props, costumes, and special effects which we use as part of the performances and workshops.
We used a number of lighting and visual techniques such as;
• Giant back projection screen
• Shadow sketches
• Smoke machine
• UV Lighting
• Windows Media player
Evaluation
We have had brilliant feedback from these performances.
People used feedback forms and told us what they thought worked well and what didn’t in the performances; we took this information and have started to adapt the existing show into shorter performances so we can deliver them to more people in the Kent area.
Due to popular demand we will be delivering more of these workshops in Thanet at the beginning of 2010.
We will also be delivering workshops in Dartford and Gravesham in 2011.
