#121 Butty Bach
Guts. Words. Sounds. Pictures.
Issue #121 Butty Bach
3rd July 2024
Hello.
I’m back from the Flock Festival.
Don’t make me talk about it. I’m feeling too emotional.
I’ve been to a lot of wonderful festivals in my time but the way this particular one was organised and programmed was revelatory to me.
I think I did some of the best improv of my life.
And it was varied work too, from non-narrative exploration through high concept Sci Fi all the way to a complex character study that relied on absolute trust with my fellow performer. And then we topped the whole thing off with the heart-racing, joy bomb of freewheeling chaos that was our improvised Molière show.
Glorious. And those were just the shows I was in. There was so much more to enjoy - such ingenuity, talent and love for the art form.
If you adore big, theatrical improv packed with ideas and stage craft, you might do well to keep the last week of June free in 2025.
Just saying.
Rule of three
[Guts] Giulia Enders
Giulia Enders is a highly-respected and ferociously intelligent doctor who has become a world authority on that most under-rated of organs, the gut. She is also an absolute goofball. I find her work fascinating and (dare I say it) perhaps a little life-changing. Watch her documentary on Netflix and if you like what you hear, her book goes into much more detail as to the wonders of our personal microbiome.
[Game] Strands
The New York Times puzzle app is glorious, in that it brings together Wordle, Connections and their Crosswords in one place FOR FREE. Now Strands has joined that illustrious company and it is such a fun and enjoyable twist on the wordsearch format.
[Improv] Bemme & Melange
Of all the shows I saw in Amsterdam, the one I enjoyed most was Sound Off! by Bemme & Melange. I’ve known Ursula and Anne for years and always thought they were superb improvisers. But I hadn’t seen them work together until last week. And they are astonishingly good.
It’s a non-verbal show, everything created through physicality and sounds. And with these joyful restrictions in place, they go on to create a world teaming with life and possibility.
I have rarely seen something so funny, inventive, well-paced and improvisationally impressive.
Go to their shows, learn in their workshops and invite them to your festivals.
Spotlight
It’s the final Mighty Pirates show of our initial run this Saturday, 6th July. Come and see the astounding talent that is Ali James face the devilish tricks and rollicking adventures that await her. We’ve been a’tinkering with the format and would love to pack out this final performance, so please do consider coming to watch the show in its ULTIMATE FORM (SO FAR).
Longform thoughts
Break the status quo you’ve established. Drive a wedge between characters - get into trouble, fall in love with the wrong person. Anything that feels safe and established - blow it up and see what happens.
After an inspiring conversation at a festival, I set out to try and solve the dreaded 35 minute problem.
Radio contact
My pint-sized pal. Butty Bach is a Welsh term meaning little friend. In this case, Butty Bark, amirite?