Development, community and training projects

These projects are delivered from the grassroots up. They evolve from collaborating and consulting with clients on their needs. StoneCrabs aims:

1. to use theatre as a catalyst to provoke new thoughts and attitudes, and promote less simplistic views of certain subjects;

2. to integrate diverse cultural practices and deploy diversity in the making of our work, which is based on the twin belief that education is dialogue, and theatre is an essential tool in promoting that dialogue within the community;

3. to create opportunities for people in the communities where we work, by fostering their skills and talents through theatre productions and training.

Development projects

Our projects have clear developmental aims: fostering community self-awareness; deploying research and development to advance our knowledge of a community and the community's knowledge of itself; and creating forms of theatre which express and explore these insights.

Festival of Playreadings & Scratch Development Projects to test out new ideas and breathe life into the translated works of international playwrights old and new.

For many people, a ‘play-reading’ conjures an image of a group of people sitting around reading a script – which may not be enthralling. ‘Origins/Origens’, co-produced with the Brazilian Embassy in 2005, led StoneCrabs to re-evaluate the concept. By ‘moving’ the play with script in hand, professional directors and actors bring the printed page to life in a very immediate way and provide an intriguing glimpse into the acting process.

• Origens / Origins 2007; 4 Playwrights: 3 Continents: 7 Deadly Sins

  

• Origens / Origins 2006; Nova Dramaturgia of Brazil

  

• Origens / Origins 2005; Season of Nelson Rodrigues Plays

  

Training projects

Our training projects aim to transfer a wide range of theatrical skills to others. Among the programmes we offer are training for 'New Directors', training for 'Young Actors', a range of specialist workshops, and an international programme of 'Dialogues in Theatre'.

1. New Directors Programme

   StoneCrabs is a director-led company: its interest in nurturing new directors from all sectors of the community fuels this programme. Each year a small number of new directors go through training programme centred around production, project management and theatre directing. It introduces artistic and practical management tools for the director and encourages an individual approach, utilizing the director's own vision.

   At the end of the programme, the participants direct a play reading with professional actors in a play of their choice.

   • 2007: The Albany, Lewisham
     Directors –
     Sophie Bradey: An Oak Tree by Tim Crouch
     Yarit Dor: GBS by Jason Hall
     Beno Hill: The Room by Paul Brennen
     Tomoko Kawamura: Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter
     Zubia Masood: Dutchman by Amiri Baraka
     Darren Raymond: Prison Wings by Indie Louise Arrna
     Gemma Rowan: That Time and Play by Samuel Beckett

   • 

   • 2006: The Brockley Jack, Lewisham
     Directors –
     Bola Agbaje: Top dog/ Under dog by Susan-Lori Parks
     Abdul Ali: A Gaggle of Saints by Neil Labute
     Gael Le Cornec: Outlying Islands by David Greig
     Tamsin Curno: The Lover by Harold Pinter
     Richard Cussands: The Decorator by Donald Churchill
     Simon Magnus: White Plague by Karel Capek
     Paula Siu: The Chairs by Eugene Ionesco

     

2. Young Actors Programme

   A training programme for young people interested in developing theatre/acting skills. The course is conducted over a 16-week period through tutorials and mentoring by performing arts professionals. The workshops are geared towards staged performances by the participants at a local theatre.

3. Dialogues in Theatre

   Our international programme Dialogues in Theatre is committed to the practice of cultural exchange and the celebration of shared experience by promoting a participant-centred philosophy through the medium of Theatre. To make this a reality, StoneCrabs undertakes to exchange with other companies as well as to train participants both in the UK and in other countries to become the practitioners/facilitators of the future.

   • Dialogues in Theatre 3 – Japan, 2008: StoneCrabs returns to Tokyo as part of the UK-Japan Celebrations – for more information: www.ukjapan2008.jp supported by Anglo-Daiwa Foundation and British Council in Tokyo.

   • Dialogues in Theatre 2 – Japan, 2006: StoneCrabs had the wonderful opportunity to run workshops in Tokyo for CaramelBox Theatre Company. Franko Figueiredo, Tereza Araujo and Kwong Loke spent two successful weeks in Tokyo working on this programme with Japanese actors. A rich dialogue, mutual learning and enhanced mutual respect were achieved. Ground covered by the workshops included Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, staging Shakespeare and Voice for the stage

   • Dialogues in Theatre 1 – Brazil, 2006: Franko Figueiredo & Tereza Araujo collaborated with Vila Velha Theatre Youth Group in a series of workshops promoting the sharing of their beliefs, values and skills. We also explored the opportunities for empowerment through an ongoing theatre education and cultural exchange programme between arts and education practitioners and young people internationally.

4. Workshops

   • Boal - A practical workshop exploring techniques that enable participants to discover and share the universe of the legendary Brazilian theatre practitioner, Augusto Boal, and his ground-breaking ‘Theatre of Images’ and ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’. The workshop includes games, techniques, and improvisation, according to Boal’s theories, followed by group discussion. It is led by the celebrated Brazilian performer and specialist in community theatre, Tereza Araujo who has worked with Boal in her home city of Salvador in Brazil.

   • Body & Soul - The Body and the Soul, the Object and the Language, a workshop for actors and performers looking to explore the work of Tadeusz Kantor and Brazilian Indigenous Rituals. – Led by StoneCrabs joint artistic Director Franko Figueiredo.

   • Mask - The practicalities of working with and in a mask so that it enhances rather than restricts the performance. The workshop will take participants through these practicalities, thereby enhancing their expressive vocabulary, and explore different types and styles of masked performance. – Led by StoneCrabs artistic directors – Franko Figueiredo & Kwong Loke.

   • Playing the Greeks - A practical workshop exploring The Trojan Women and the Oresteia Trilogy. The workshop aims to develop the actor’s instrument to work with heightened text, find the physical and vocal centres, and de-mystify the aura of the invention of Western drama. Games, voice and movement exercises, and textual analysis are employed in looking at Chorus work, main character speeches and the plays’ structures. In a relaxed way, we will build an ensemble from the group to work on voice for the text, movement and physicality for characters, and discover our own relevant, contemporary ways of ‘playing’ this ancient form of drama. We will do floor work on scenes to discover and explore the above – Led by StoneCrabs joint artistic director Kwong Loke.

Community projects

Our projects have clear developmental aims: fostering community self-awareness; deploying research and development to advance our knowledge of a community and the community’s knowledge of itself; and creating forms of theatre which express and explore these insights.

1. International Women’s Festival

   StoneCrabs’ participation in the International Women’s Festival started in 2002 with our production StoneCrabs; Story of Violence, Vitriol and Victory.

• 2008: Women of All Ages In 2008, in collaboration with the Albany and many Lewisham community groups, StoneCrabs launched the project Women of All Ages, an evening of theatre, poetry and music combined with the unveiling of a community art installation. This marked the opening of Lewisham International Women’s Week Festival. Women of All Ages aimed to encourage and motivate the workshop participants to look into how their own lives and experiences can inform and influence each other towards a more positive, tolerant and cohesive environment and community.

  

• 2007: Women at Work The theme of the festival in 2007 was ‘What is the real meaning of having a voice, power and equal rights in our society?’ Tereza Araujo led the workshop involving 12 women from all over the country and an international artist who helped the group to create the art installation. The workshop focused on women’s expression and freedom of creativity in visual art and theatre in developing value for themselves and others. The resulting art installation celebrated the women’s unique voices provoked both audience and participants to reassess their own values and their responsibility towards themselves and their community.

  

• 2006: 50/50 Feminine Image This project interviewed 50 men and 50 women. The aim was to stimulate a new way of seeing women, and encouraging people to have positive attitudes towards the treatment of women.

  

• 2005:Miss Julie (see ‘Past Productions’ menu)

• 2004:A Real Princess (see ‘Past Productions’ menu)

• 2002: StoneCrabs; Story of Violence, Vitriol and Victory (see ‘Past Productions’ menu)

2. Time to Act

   This community development project spanned over 6 months involving different communities in Lewisham. StoneCrabs worked in collaboration with Lewisham Time Bank Project Coordinator and ran a series of workshops led by Tereza Araujo and Julia Evangelista together with Deptford-based visual artist, Luciana Dualibe, these workshops provided a ground for discussions on multiculturalism, and encouraged the development of positive attitudes in the process of building a more tolerant and peaceful community.

   The end of the project was celebrated with a community fun day held at the Woodpecker Centre on the Milton Court Estate in Deptford.

   

3. U Decide - Building a Happier Community, and U Decide - Acting For Health

   The projects have two phases: 1) Research, involving face-to-face visits, and 2) Drama Workshops exploring story-telling and creating an art installation. Both ‘U Decide’ projects have involved people from local community groups in the workshops. 'U Decide' projects seek to inspire and empower people to believe in the positive nature of diverse communities.

   

4. Brazilian Roots

   Brazilian Roots is a project that uses cross-over activities including drama, craft and games to introduce children to the rich culture of Brazil. This includes the native history and traditions of the Amazonian Indians, their rich folklore, and the modern-day colourful and vibrant life of Carnival in other parts of Brazil. These workshops underline the importance of celebrating life through festivals.

   • Brazilian Roots - Amazon Forest - This workshop explores how Europeans influenced the way the Indians lived and how Indians live today.

     

   • Brazilian Roots - Carnival - This workshop presents the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of carnival, exploring the significance of its colourful costumes, dance, music and folklore tales.

     

   • Brazilian Roots - Dancing Cow Festival/ Bumba Meu Boi – The ‘Dancing Cow’ is a traditional figure in Brazilian festivals, and can be seen in the Carnival, Christmas, religious celebrations and many other festivals. The cow is a mythical creature that crosses borders and helps bring individuals together through its historical and mythological roots. This project, involving children from schools in Lewisham and Lambeth, consists of a series of workshoops combining craft and drama to build a dancing cow. It concludes with performances by all the children participating in the project.