The Edge

Here, at the Edge

This week we are holding one of our legendary discussions, with another International guest:

We met Isaura in 2006, when she visited with her son, Matthew.  Isaura set up the Bobby Mendes Peace Legacy in association with our US colleague, Shannon Flattery of Touchable Stories.  They use the arts and peace campaigning to work against violence in their home neighbourhood of Dorchester, Boston in memory of Isaura’s son Bobby, murdered in 1995.  Bobby’s murder sparked off a spiral of violence between young Cape Verdeans which has resulted in almost a thousand deaths over the last 15 years – an incredible figure in such a relatively small place. Her and her son Matthew visited with us and attended a number of workshops and discussion groups with young people in Birmingham, and with the parents of young people who had suffered violent deaths.  They had an amazing time with us, and Matthew, particularly said that the visit had allowed him to ‘find his voice’ – and returned to his community to continue the work alongside his mother, campaigning for peace.  Matthew was murdered in a drive-by shooting three weeks after their return.  Despite this second tragedy, Isaura has continued to work for peace, even publicly forgiving Bobby’s murderer at his trial.  She is back for a second visit, and we are honoured to host her.  If you’d like to hear this inspirational woman talk, please come along to the Edge, this Thursday from 6pm, we’d love to see you there. Of course, it’s free, but feel free to donate to the Peace Legacy through their website. Thanks.

At the Edge…

As part of this year’s BASS Festival, we’ve hooked up with fellow ‘weareeastsiders’ Punch to present an exhibition by Bulgarian artist, Raycho Stanev.  ‘The Great Excursion’ is an interactive media exhibit examining a period in recent Bulgarian history when over 300,000 Bulgarian Turks were expelled from the country on what the government called an ‘excursion’ – which normally means you can return – but not in this case.  In a period of time when the BNP have been talking of repatriation policies, and belts are tightening, these issues are very relevant to us as we look for ways to come together, when external forces seem to be forcing us apart.  The Great Excursion launches on Thursday 3rd June at 6pm with a panel discussion looking at issues of identity, race and nationality – a great panel featuring Mukhtar Dar, Ammo Talwar, Paul Murphy, Paradox and more tba, should provide some ‘lively’ discussion. The debate will be followed by Bulgarian food, drink and dancing – our seminars and talks are a lot more fun than you might think!

The Great Excursion by Raycho Stanev

The Great Excursion will be at the Edge from 3rd until 19th June, from 1pm until 7pm.  Please check out some of the other great events happening as part of BASS, full listings here.

At the Edge….

Yet more action at the Edge, this time you can banish those election night blues, while you’re waiting for inevitable disappointment by seeking Sonic Asylum.

That’s Asylum as in sanctuary.

Headlining is Canadian folk band, The Wilderness of Manitoba, all the way from Canadia.  More info about them can be found on Magpie Brown’s site here.  Able assistance will be provided by performance art group Bet4, all the way from deepest Derbyshire, who perform work intended to harness the power of synaesthaesia.  Or something, you’ll have to see for yourself or go here.  This will be followed by a Musery set by Dr Soesmix, playing tunes intended to heal and groove you, simultaneously.  All this, interactive sonic installations and sonic toys, a ‘sonically healing tardis’ to enter, hot chocolate, cupcakes, a communal rangoli we’ll all make together and loads of comfy sofas and chairs to chillax on. There’s a limited capacity so please let us know at info@edgearts.com how many tickets you’ll need (each one a limited edition artist’s print).

You’ll forget where you put your ‘X’.  See you at the Edge…

Don’t forget, we have an Open Call Out to anyone who needs a space to do anything, public or private, art or not-art, just get in touch and we’ll just make things happen, in a just way.

At the Edge… Last chance to be fooled

The residency by the Nomadic Academy of Fools is halfway through and, so far, so fantastic.  It’s so hard to describe the work, but I’ll try.  Jonathan and the Fools take you into a world with their performances, that is beautiful, truthful and realer than reality.  And generally hilarious – after Friday’s show my ribs and cheeks were aching, and I felt amazing with all those endorphins rushing around my body.  More than one audience member described it as medicine or ‘soul food’.  So, this jam-packed week, take some time to come to the Edge and get your soul fed – Wednesday at 8pm, NAF perform Shakespeare’s Richard II and on Friday at 8pm it’s ‘Feast of Fools’ including a solo performance from Jonathan Kay.

At the Edge… – What kind of Fool are you?

From Friday this week, we have a residency starting by Jonathan Kay and the Nomadic Academy of Fools.  If you know nothing about their work, check their website. It’s a little difficult to describe, it’s not theatre, it’s not performance art, it’s something else…fooling I suppose.  jonathan has been developing this work for thirty five years, based on the idea of the Fool, such as the Fool in King Lear – the Fool sees through things, the Fool speaks the truth, while all around him are lying.  It is astonishing work, there really is nothing else like it out there.  We attended workshops with Jonathan over 15 years ago and the techniques and approaches he used still influence us today – and I’ve attended several of his legendary Glastonbury performances, which will stay with me forever. I really can’t recommend this work enough  – this is the first time the Fools have appeared in Birmingham for years and it’ll probably be years before we get a chance to see them here again – so don’t…bloody…miss…it.

Here’s the dates and ting:

Shows: This Friday 19th at 8pm, ‘Know One’s Fool’ – improvised wonder  from Jonathan Kay himself
Sun 21st until Wednesday 24th inclusive at 8pm – ‘Shakespeare’s Richard II Scratch’ -  ‘a magical performance without props or set, where the cast play all the parts’
Friday 26th at 8pm – ‘Feast of Fools’ - performances by all the fools of a comedie de tragik nature’ (f**ked up cabaret?)

Workshops – Sat/Sun 20/21st March, 10am until 6pm ‘Know One’s Fool’ - discover the dangerously daring art of fooling
Sat/Sun 27/28th March 10am until 6pm ‘Know One’s Fool’ – discover the dangerously daring art of fooling again (some people are attending both workshops, recommended) – then you can go and see a nice film at Flatpack.

Sorted.

At the Edge…

This Saturday, West Midlands Film Makers for Haiti are holding a fundraiser at the Edge in aid of our brothers and sisters in Haiti:
The night will feature award winning short films, promos, art films and will be followed by a disco to raise money for the DEC Haiti Appeal. There will be a screening of  Oscar short-listed multi award winning short Gone Fishing, Shooting People Short of the Year 2009 A Supermarket Love Story,  BAFTA winning short Brown Paper Bag, Bouncer starring Ray Winstone and Paddy Consodine, animation from The Brothers McLeod, as well as great shorts from local film makers.  There will also be a series of promos by dub-punk multi-media threesome Jackdaw with Crowbar who will be playing/performing on Saturday 27 at A Plasticine Party for Flatpack Festival.

so that’s all nicely joined up, then – see you there and give something back!

And next week the absolutelynottobemissedunderanycircumstancesyouwillkickyourself residency begins by Jonathan Kay and the Nomadic Academy of Fools, continuing to include Flatpack Weekend.  So if you fancy being amazed, surprised, highly amused, engaged, excited and seeing something for once that you will struggle to forget, get yourself along to the Edge: