Alison Bennett

TRADE is an on-going project (four years in fact) and this is our FINAL development before hitting the road next year. It is an highly physical, fast paced and at times grotesque exploration of the themes of guilt, redemption and the power that underpins our whole world...money. We use bouffon and object play to create this unique piece of physical theatre. 
We are funding a 3 week development in conjunction with Site and Sound Festival (Leichardt Council) and Shopfront Contemporary Arts and Performance.

                                                                             

1st Development-trying to understand financial language

What have we done so far?:

We've secured 4 residencies to create the work: an artist residency at Woollahra Council, 2 Creative Exchange Residencies with Ashfield Youth Theatre and of course this glorious development at Site and Sound Festival.

Trade was originally created by Alison Windsor, Cheyne Fynn, Naomi Livingstone, Dymphna Carew and Alison Bennett.
This re-development stars Mathias Olofsson, Josephine Starte, Alicia Gonzalez, Dymphna Carew and Alison Bennett

 

We performed to sell out crowds at the Freshworks season at the Old 505 Theatre in 2015. We have built structures, re-built structures, improvised, experimented and opened our process up to our peers. We've listened carefully to their feedback and now we're back for the final development.

Oh look, here's a quick radio review : 2ser review of Trade at the Old 505 Theatre

So what do we need to do now?



We will be introducing new artists (some of the originals have other things on....like winning a scholarship to study at Atlantic Acting School in NY)  and some vital technical elements to evolve TRADE into the sophisticated piece that it can be. We welcome Melissa Lee-Speyer as dramaturg and some exciting artists on sound and directorial posts. We have thus far completely self funded and now we are reaching out so we can make the most of this incredible three week opportunity. 

We have arranged an exchange with Shopfront (space for workshops + a small donation)  and engaged one of their young people to be a digital intern and record our work and the process. This is of course part of the Site and Sound Festival (Leichardt Council)l and we have four days of development time with them.

Its a huge step for us. We have to remake our structures which are well past their use by date, create new costumes and introduce the new artists and push our style to its limits. 

Industry professionals will be coming to watch our showing so we can form relationships and get it touring. Now is the moment and it is now that we need your help!

Basically, to complete 3 whole weeks of development we need to pay some artists and obtain some higher quality materials:

5 x actors stipend: $500 each for 3 weeks (not much) = $2500
$500: sound designer
$500: writer/dramaturg
$500: set construction
$700: set materials: we need the super strong but lightweight metal so we can play on the structures-it aint cheap-we've been using wood and they are now in desperate need of an upgrade
$500:costumes: bouffon costumes, huge gorgeous exagerrated, we're going beyond the op-shop and into real costuming
$250: ridiculously low fee to Shopfront for the space
$250: stipend to our media intern who will be digitally documenting the process (one of Shopfront's wonderful creative young people)
$150: Discounted price from that great photographer Emily Elise
$150: Disocunted price for the graphic design

So basically, after years of self funding, we need to pay these artists and upgrade our materials! 

There are so many challenges:

1) This development doesn't have an immediate performance outcome (by this we mean a season, we have a showing on 21st May at 3pm)  and we could lose momentum before we get it moving.

To deal with this we have applied for the PWA Lab, Crack Theatre Festival and we're doing a FREE showing for the public and industry peers. To make sure that all the actors are working well together, the first part of our development will be a 3 day workshop with director Jo Turner. You can do the workshop too!



2) There are so many people involved and multiple locations.
To deal with this we have done significant planning that began at Christmas. We have clear creative outcomes, a plan to get them and a detailed timetable.

3) We can't assure we'll get on tour after the development:
We can't. But we have been spending this planning time forming relationships with potential partners and we've already been inviting Performing Lines and Critical Stages to the showing. This is our moment to SHINE and we need your help!