The recent news item about Rufus the vanishing, and reappearing, Wimbledon hawk reminded me of some workshops I ran last month. These are a relatively new departure for me, about which more later, mixing 'found' and 'junk' instruments with storytelling. They took place in a marquee at Holt Hall and I was sharing the billing with friend, author and performance poet David Mason.
At the other end of the marquee a mandala making workshop was to take place. Nice and quiet. But the bird drawing workshop leaders didn't like the space they had been given in a nearby gazebo - too windy for both the birds and the paper, apparently. And then the cuddly toy store felt they'd been left out on a limb so they moved in too. Finally, when it rained, we had an influx of people looking for somewhere dry to eat their lunch.
All this gave David a captive, if somewhat 'we'll-talk-amongst-ourselves', audience to try and out-shout. For me focussing the children on the activity, especially the part where I tell a story, was challenging. But somehow having the birds at such close hand made it all worthwhile.
Apologies for the qulaity of the pics. Not for the first time, I left my camera at home and had to rely on my phone.
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