Author Archives: cbulford

  1. Two Short Nights Collaborations: Ella Moorhouse on Bodies in Motion

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    This year, Two Short Nights Film Festival has had the privilege of working with a number of creative collaborators, including Young Audience Panel member Ella Moorhouse. 

    In this collaboration, Ella offers her critical eye over two films from Short #2: Bodies in Motion, a collection of shorts that explores our relationships with our bodies, how we connect through them, and the stories they tell. In this review, Ella focuses on the nuances between films ‘From a Strange Land’ and ‘Crumbs.’

    Ella Moorhouse studied Film Studies at Exeter College and is an aspiring screenwriter. She is an active member of Exeter Phoenix Young Audience Panel and has curated season for Studio 74. She lives by the sea and currently runs her own business selling vintage clothes.

    Let Them Eat Cake: Food and The Body

    By Ella Moorhouse

    Even the most arbitrary of rituals can say a lot about ourselves. Films of opposites, Caroline Steinbeis’ ‘From A Strange Land’ and Maya Zaydman’s ‘Crumbs’ revolve around the politics and inner turmoil of the most simple action of sharing cake, which in turn reveals something about our bodies and what they mean to us.

    The modern silent film ‘From a Strange Land’ shows us how our bodies can create whole private worlds and the inevitable pain of them being exposed. We open on the scene of moving-in day, boxes being ripped open, the bare legs of a child running through the barren landscape of a newly emptied house. Immediately, we’re juxtaposed with the knick-knacks of a different dimly-lit house: old framed photographs and vintage make-up canisters, which introduces us to our main character, Margaret, an older woman with a penchant for William Morris pattern and golden retrievers.

    Within the first minute, we are presented with the binary opposition of freedom vs restraint between the two households, the chaotic abandonment of the younger family and the quiet solitude of the single retiree. This contrast is further explored through the turning point of the revealing of Margaret’s housewarming gift; a cake, exquisitely baked and decorated with flowers.

    In Zaydman’s ‘Crumbs’, our gaze is shifted into how our bodies can trap us in our search for comfort and pleasure

    Despite her hours of work, Margaret quickly returns the lid of the tin, obscuring it from view. Here we have a portrait of a woman battling her own freedoms, seen when she anxiously decides whether to leave the top button of her blouse unbuttoned, trying to appear relatable to her new neighbours. A homemade cake represents the epitome of pleasure and allowance, however Margaret denies herself this indulgence and gives her enjoyment away; the hours of unseen preparation to create this beautiful gift represents her inner tussle with her relationship with her appearance, and the need for perfection.

    Meanwhile, next door could not be more different. The father, only wearing a cardboard box on his head, pretends to be a monster; the mother, also naked, laughs from the sofa. Whilst bizarre and absurd from the outside, the ability to reveal their true unclothed selves to each other shows their bond; in their world, being comfortable in their own skin makes their house a home, even more than material possessions. Unlike Margaret, who yearns for the past, the young family live firmly in the present, enjoying this brief window of time before their son grows up and the embarrassment of unclothed skin inhibits his freedom. A crescendo builds as Margaret, carrying her talisman of the cake, walks next door, emphasised by the jump cuts between squealing of laughter from the bacchanal scene inside the house and the quiet hush of the street. After ringing the doorbell with no avail, Margaret tries through the back entrance, crossing the threshold in this ‘strange land’, and stumbles across the bizarre scene. The climax is marked by her dropping her gift; the destroyed cake representing the destruction of not only the young family’s private world by an outsider but Margaret’s quiet life being viscerally challenged. After the Adam and Eve moment, Margaret gingerly leaves a biscuit that survived the fall; an olive branch that suggests that all playfulness is not lost. Both households are stunned by the hilarity of what they have just experienced, and despite their differences, they have started the journey of learning to empathise and understand each other, even beyond the end credits.

    The modern silent film ‘From a Strange Land’ shows us how our bodies can create whole private world and the inevitable pain of them being exposed”

    Where ‘From a Strange Land’ shows us the beauty and freedom our bodies can create for us, in Zaydman’s ‘Crumbs’, our gaze is shifted into how our bodies can trap us in our search for comfort and pleasure. We open on the arresting image of a couple in an intimate embrace, the woman suggesting warmly, “There’s cake”. We cut to the domestic scene of the couple sitting eating a homemade cake out of its baking dish. In this short exchange, our first assumptions of the nature of their relationship are challenged. The woman, Noa, played by Maayan Turgeman, asks, “So what’s up? How are you?” suggesting that they are friends, however her short white slip and kimono reveals the sexual nature of their relationship. The man, Yoel, played with cool detachment by Nir Shlomo, deflects her question, instead remarking about the cake, “Hang on, this is really good”. Already the power dynamics are at play. Noa’s attempts to normalise and domesticate their relationship are shut-down; not only is the cake “really good”, but the casual, pleasure-focused type of relationship that they share is too good not to spoil.

    Suddenly, Yoel’s phone rings, and he answers it with, “Hey babe”. The full extent of their situation is revealed; they are not only friends with benefits, but Noa is Yoel’s secret mistress behind his steady girlfriend’s back. As soon as Yoel answers the phone, Noa’s body language changes; she plays with her hair and picks at the crumbs of the cake. Throughout the film, the cake represents the boundaries Noa has failed to establish; she has spent hours making this cake to share this man, only for her to be left with eating the crumbs.

    Cake is not nourishing and is not sustainable to eat everyday; through Yoel’s eyes, Noa is a treat to indulge in every once in a while, whilst Noa changes herself and her tactics constantly to try and win Yoel over, keeping her life on hold until he wants her. However, Zaydman excels at painting a real portrait of modern womanhood, consent and sexuality. Noa initates sex, calling Yoel “beautiful”, and whilst things are going well, Yoel withdraws his consent, stating “maybe we shouldn’t sleep together”. The lines are immediately blurred; is Noa being too pushy as Yoel is not expressing his full consent, or is Yoel confusing the boundaries of their relationship; if he’s not there for sex, what is he there for? After Noa’s attempts to create intimacy once again end in disappointment, we see a woman at the end of her emotional endurance; each tactic she has tried has failed, every intimate moment has been empty. Our alliances shift again when Yoel confides about his historical childhood trauma; despite Noa being sympathetic at first, she accuses him of not telling her sooner. Yoel retaliates with “this is always nice… why make things complicated, heavy”, mirroring his remarks on her cake at the beginning; he has compartmentalised her in his mind, and neglects to see that things have already become complicated for Noa. Afterwards, Yoel lies on her lap like a child, Noa’s sexual appeal has diminished for him and instead she become a comfort blanket, just like a piece of cake. After she tells him to leave, she picks at the remains of the cake, consuming the last crumbs of her old self and drawing up the fuel needed to rebuild her new one.

    Catch Cake & From a Strange Land on 3 Feb as part of Two Short Nights Shorts #2: Bodies in Motion screening. Find out more at twoshortnights.com

  2. Two Short Nights Collaborations: Gavin Spoors on The Balance of Power

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    This year, Two Short Nights Film Festival has had the privilege of working with a number of creative collaborators, including freelance critic and writer Gavin Spoors, who has given us his insights on Short #3: The Balance of Power

    Gavin is a freelance critic and writer whose work has featured Filmhounds Magazine, JumpCut Online and Flip Screen. He has covered festivals such as London Film Festival, BFI Flare, and Norwich Film Festival which champions short films from the UK and across the globe.

    Salt Water Town

    Rising sea levels aren’t the only worries for the father and son at the centre of this well-crafted drama. Set in a failing caravan park on the Welsh coast, Liam (Tom Glynn-Carney) clashes with his father Glenn (Game of Thrones alumni Owen Teale) after they receive news that in time their park will succumb to the coastal damage caused by the climate crisis. Liam wants to leave, Glenn wants to stay. But there’s more bubbling underneath: Liam doesn’t seem t belong anywhere in this soggy, poverty-stricken town and Glenn is stuck on his old ways even though he knows it’s only a matter of time before things get seriously dire. The miserably cold, wet location is beautifully captured on screen but it’s the stunning performances that reel you in and sticks in your mind.

    Greed

    At the centre of Greed is a terrific monologue and a ‘What if?’ scenario aimed at those who have benefitted from women’s inequality. Presented in one location set at a banquet for one, the focus is very much on the narrator delivering a message for women to become greedy and take what they want, just like how the patriarchy has done for thousands of years. With the monologue as the driving force, the direction and camera work don’t make much of an impact but thankfully the performance and pacing of the overall film does.

    Two Options

    Two Options is a tense ride mostly set within the confines of a van. A Polish immigrant drives around a menacing accomplice who hides a mysterious motive from the audience as well as the driver. The simplistic cinematography creates a claustrophobic atmosphere as a good portion of the film is shot from one angle within the van. Adding to that tension are the stellar performances. The “Polak” is a fish out of water with both the situation and the language barrier, and “Le Tare” is a dangerously unpredictable firecracker. As the true objective comes to light and the titular two options present themselves, the tension reaches a boiling point even if the ending is slightly predictable. There’s a poignant observation on racism and immigration too underneath the surface of this thrilling short film.

    Meat Market

    This one minute short has a great idea that isn’t quite executed as well as it could have. A man waiting by a mysterious burger shack follows after a woman in the street but meets a grisly fate. The Giallo inspired lighting and sets are a lot of fun, and the filmmakers know it. There’s a sarcastic tone but having the film literally wink at its audience feels a bit overboard, especially when dealing with a serious topic.

    The Pie Shop

    Featuring TV actors such as Royce Pierreson (The Witcher, Line of Duty) and Georgina Campbell (Black Mirror, His Dark Materials), the performances are unsurprisingly terrific but thankfully the story is equally as engaging. Set in the titular pie shop, regular customer Mickie (Royce Pierreson) approaches another regular, Kim (Georgina Campbell), and the two get to know each other by reflecting on the past. Throughout subtle direction and acting from the cast, there’s a sense that something isn’t quite right and the true nature of what is happening is brilliantly played. It builds towards a devastating ending that, although slightly overlong, will stick in your mind long after the credits roll.

    One Acre

    The climate crisis has been at the forefront of many a documentary, including this short film that puts the spotlight on a young first generation farmer. Through voice over she reflects on her experiences so far; from her daily process, to friendships, and of course the climate crisis itself. It’s a fascinating subject but unfortunately the lacklustre direction undos a lot of the narrative weight the dialogue is carrying. The imagery on screen doesn’t necessarily reflect what our narrator is talking about and doesn’t make the most out of the wonderful location on hand.

    Al-Sit

    Al-Sit is a triumph of a short film. This is very much a Sudanese story about the arranged marriages that still happen to this day, but the film gracefully tackles universal themes of choice, love and tradition vs. modernity. Set in a cotton-farming village, fifteen year old Nafisa (played by first time actor Mihad Murtada) is confronted by her arranged marriage to a young businessman that was arranged by her parents. Nafisa’s grandmother Al-Sit (Rabiha Mohammed Mahmoud), the village matriarch, stands in the way of the marriage but has her own plans for Nafisa. It’s a visually stunning film thanks to gorgeous sun-kissed cinematography and costumes bursting with colour, but the story and performances are exemplary. The meat of the story – Nafisa caught in the crossfire of a conflict between the traditional Al-Sit and the modern groom-to-be – is riveting, thanks to the camera filling the frame with the actors’ faces as they verbally spar. Even with the heavy themes at play, Al-Sit ends with a hopeful glimpse of the future for girls like Nafisa.       

    All of these films can be viewed on 3 Feb as part of Two Short Nights Shorts #3: The Balance of Power screening. Find out more at twoshortnights.com

  3. Two Short nights Collaborations: Gavin Spoors on Life at a Distance

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    This year, Two Short Nights Film Festival has had the privilege of working with a number of creative collaborators, including freelance critic and writer Gavin Spoors, who has given us his insights on Short #1: Life at a Distance.

    Gavin is a freelance critic and writer whose work has featured Filmhounds Magazine, JumpCut Online and Flip Screen. He has covered festivals such as London Film Festival, BFI Flare, and Norwich Film Festival which champions short films from the UK and across the globe.

    The Beyond

    It’s ironic that the first film of the Life at a Distance strand is an exploration of death. This documentary follows morgue attendant Mathieu as he tends to a recently deceased patient who succumbed to Covid-19. The Beyond is a fascinating insight into Mathieu’s work as he washes the hair and cleans the body of not just a person but a family member, a friend, a person. The way Matthieu interacts with the other deceased in the morgue is morbidly amusing, treating death as just another part of life. Even though the narrative is framed around the pandemic the filmmakers don’t make any particular statements about what that means for Mathieu and the audience, but they have still crafted an intriguing and insightful experience.

    Aqueducts

    “Aqueducts transport water. Images transmit the memory. Images of aqueducts are useless”. Despite the pessimistic sentiment from the documentary’s pivotal quote, Aqueducts is a poetic exploration of memory through photography and film. Narrated by an unknown woman who chronicles her relationships with different family members through old photographs and film reels, this short makes a stark point about how these objects don’t actually serve a crystal clear memory. Even though it is by design, Aqueducts is cold and puts the audience at an arms length from the main subject, but there is a warm point made about how we are instinctively drawn to these fragments of memories passed down – like water through an aqueduct.

    The Wheel of Destiny

    The Wheel of Destiny immediately stands out with its visuals and sound that harken back to classic game shows from the 80’s – from the costumes to the film grain and theme music. Three contestants compete in a nondescript show to win some sort of prize but what begins as a loving homage quickly spirals into an absurd comic nightmare. What really sells the strangeness is the sound design: the emptiness of it creates an uneasy feeling until the building of ticking clocks and wheel spins leads towards a tense crescendo. It’s debatable whether The Wheel of Destiny is a simple one note joke or has something deeper bubbling underneath, but it’s a short entertaining ride for sure.

    Round Round Baby Round Round

    Unsurprisingly there are quite a few short films that explore the pandemic in their own unique ways but unfortunately Round Round Baby Round Round misses the mark. A pregnant woman calls her friend and attempts to explain her ex’s reasons for wanting to keep the baby, all whilst they both struggle with connection issues. The focus on bad video call communication is meant to reflect the same trouble we’re currently facing but it’s just as annoying watching it on screen as it is experiencing it in real life. Round Round Baby Round Round is shot in a squared aspect ratio which works well for the verticality of the shots focussed on an iPhone but doesn’t work with shots featuring the protagonist – mostly due to the bizarre shot composition and framing, All of these issues, plus some lacklustre direction, unfortunately makes this a weak entry in an otherwise strong programme.

    Survivers

    This darkly comedic sci-fi short may have particular relevance during the global pandemic but even so this is a fantastic film. It’s the end of the world and humanity is made up of three scientists in a car wearing protective helmets – and they’re itching to take them off. The striking costume design doesn’t only provide a cool sci-fi look but also actively contributes to the film’s dark tone with the helmet’s ominous neon red lights. Having the cast initially in the car makes for a claustrophobic location that is bolstered by some great camera work and direction. Survivers has some gruesome tricks up its sleeve too and balances comedy with drama to make comments on the individualism rampant throughout society. You don’t want to miss this one.

    Baby X

    Like many of the films featured in this programme, Baby X was filmed during the first English lockdown and tackles issues surrounding the pandemic. What makes this experimental short stand out, however, is it’s unapologetic anger from being a pregnant woman in a country where the government has failed its citizens. Combining footage of herself drenched in sinister red lighting with segments from government speeches, the anger and anxiety can be felt through the editing and overall pacing of the film. You’d be mistaken for thinking this is a dystopian sci-fi short, which makes the reality of this film all the more terrifying.

    Gliding

    At the centre of Gliding is a heart-warming relationship between a young roller-blading girl and her grandmother. This is yet another pandemic story but the focus here is on the importance of physical interaction and looking after vulnerable family members. Thanks to the great performances, moments such as the girl and her grandmother touching hands on opposite sides of a window come across as sincere and moving, and thankfully not cringe-worthy or disrespectful. There is also a subtle but powerful coming-of-age narrative woven throughout the film, with the young protagonist having to face the realities of the pandemic. It’s a shame then that one of the last moments is so heavy-handed that it threatens to derail an otherwise moving experience.

    Hey Ma

    hey, ma explores that moment in which we’re convinced we’ve seen someone it couldn’t or shouldn’t be and attempts to put some dramatic weight on it. It unfortunately doesn’t quite achieve that goal but the fantastic cinematography and performances make this worth a watch. A young woman pursues someone she is convinced is her lost mother and attempts to communicate with her. Anyone watching can hazard a guess on how things will play out from the very beginning and it seems the filmmakers are banking on the audience to be shocked by its predictable conclusion. The journey, however, is more enthralling thanks to creative cinematography that captures the great performance from the film’s lead.

    Thank You So Much

    Equally hilarious and horrifying, this sharp satire takes a stab at the performative truth behind the Thursday evening clap for healthcare workers. A family competes with neighbours from across the road in a quaint village in showing the most support for NHS staff, all while an actual nurse tries to get to her shift. The competition between the two families is genuinely funny as they drag out unimpressed military veterans and grand pianos for impromptu singing, and it only becomes increasingly ridiculous and hilariously uncomfortable from there. Thank You So Much reaches a dark and dramatic climax, bringing the issues of class and race divides to the forefront. This is a brilliantly designed short film and one of the best featured in the festival.


    All of these films can be viewed on 3 Feb as part of Two Short Nights Shorts #1: Life at a Distance screening. Find out more at twoshortnights.com

  4. New Band Showcase x Independent Venue Week

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    Spotlighting the best emerging talent from Exeter’s music scene

    Our New Band Showcase series is back for 2022, with not just one but TWO incredible line-ups coming up, bringing you the very best of the local music scene.

    Taking place on Tue 1 and Wed 2 of Feb as part of Independent Music Week 2022, our showcase nights are here to champion up and coming music from the South West.

    Exeter Phoenix is so much more than a live music venue. We celebrate the culture of live music, develop new talent, and give artists the tools to experiment, take risks and realise their best ideas.

    For many budding artists, these gig nights give some new musicians their very first taste of playing in front of a live audience and invite the community to discover new music, support local arts and give audiences the chance to say they saw them here first!

    So whether you’re here to support the local music scene, discover brand new music (or both!), we can’t wait to welcome you to our New Band Showcase gigs this February.

    Keep reading to find out more about who we’ve selected to play at this month’s New Band Showcase gigs.

    Singer James Sebastian performing on stage

    James Sebastian | Tue 1 Feb

    Headlining our first New Band Showcase on Tue 1 Feb is James Sebastian, who may only be 20 years old but has already pledged to bring the ‘sunny groove’ of the 70s back into the world. With hair down to his shoulders and a hearty number of flowery shirts, he lives the music he loves, taking inspiration from some of the greats, including Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Elton John and the Beatles.

    Die Twice | Tue 1 Feb

    New generation Indie band Die Twice are ready to bring their electric energy to the Exeter Phoenix auditorium. They recently recorded a 4 song EP with the Two-Tone legendary Grammy awarded, Coventry-based producer Roger Lomas.

    The Post | Tue 1 Feb

    Fresh faced four-piece The Post are ready to bring their music into the world at their debut gig on 2 Feb.

    Check out ‘The Post’s’ music here.

    NEW BAND SHOWCASE | TUE 1 FEB | 7.30pm | £3 | TICKETS HERE >>
    Black and white image of band dust in the sunlight

    Dust in the Sunlight | Wed 2 Feb

    Originally from Devon, alt-pop duo Dust in the Sunlight bring their effortless vocals and dream-like melodies to their headline spot at our New Band Showcase on Wed 2 Feb. They’ve already signed a record deal with West-London based label, Project Melody and their self-titled debut EP has garnered support from BBC Introducing, CLASH and Radio X.

    Bleach Sequence | Wed 2 Feb

    Down tempo/ electronic artist Beach Sequence draws inspiration from the likes of Boards of Canada, Tycho, Rival Consoles & Bonobo.

    Check out Bleach Sequence’s music here.

    Isolated Corners | Wed 2 Feb

    Inspired by indie kingpins such as Radiohead, Grizzly Bear and Elbow, Isolated corners bring their blend of indie rock with driven groove to Exeter Phoenix.

    NEW BAND SHOWCASE | WED 2 FEB | 7.30pm | £3 | TICKETS HERE >>

  5. Bloom 2022

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    Today we are thrilled to launch BLOOM 2022 – A free community festival for mental health awareness week!

    After hosting online festivals in 2020 and 2021, we are delighted to announce we will be running the festival in person this year, as well as offering the chance to get involved online.

    From photography to yoga, poetry to panel discussions – we can’t wait to tell you what we’ve got planned! Pop this date in your diary and keep an eye on our pages to make sure you’re involved.

    Because Bloom is for everyone, we’re offering you the opportunity to let us know your thoughts on what mental wellbeing means to you and what you would like to see at this year’s festival. You can join us for a think-in (and a coffee) on Wednesday 2nd February, details here.

    This year we are generously supported by Iron Mill College and The Exeter.

    “Iron Mill College, Exeter, is delighted to be sponsoring such a fantastic event that will raise the awareness of mental health and wellbeing in our city. With our 40-year history of delivering activities and workshops on mental health, our low-cost counselling service, and training courses to professionally qualify counsellors and psychotherapist, it is a focus of great significance and concern to us. We support the Bloom Festival wholeheartedly and are looking forward to seeing everyone there. Do come and say hello!” – Principal –  Dr. Jo Trelfa. 

    We can’t wait to see you there!

    Browse the programme here>>>>>

    https://exeterphoenix.org.uk/genre/bloom-festival/

  6. Bloom 2022 – Join us for a Think-In

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    Check out the full Bloom 2022 programme here >>

    In May, Bloom 2022 will return to Exeter Phoenix as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

    The Bloom festival celebrates mental wellbeing, encourages openness around mental health, and showcases the arts as a powerful tool for wellness. After a few years of online only events we’re really excited to be planning to see you in person! Whilst continuing to still make some of our programme accessible to our online community.

    Bloom is a community festival, and so we would like to take this opportunity to invite your input. We would love to hear from you about:

    • What does mental wellbeing mean to you?
    • What would like to see from Bloom in 2022?
    • How can we ensure we reach, engage and impact as many people as possible with our festival programme?

    You can find out a little about last year’s festival here – https://exeterphoenix.org.uk/bloom-2021/

    The think-ins will take place in the Workshop, on the ground floor of Exeter Phoenix, with members of the Bloom planning team. These will be friendly, open and welcoming sessions for discussion. Everyone is welcome, whether you want to contribute or listen. No booking is required.

    Join us:

    Wednesday 2nd February, 10:00am – 11:15am OR 5:30pm – 6:45pm

    Tea and coffee will be provided. Each session will last a maximum of 75 minutes.

    If you’re unable to attend our scheduled date but would like to pass on your thoughts, please send an email to amber.goodwinfiges@exeterphoenix.org.uk, or call Amber on 01392 667065.

  7. Studio 74 x Your Cinema

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    Studio 74 at Exeter Phoenix is the home of independent cinema. It’s the home of cinematic explorers and collaborators. It’s the cinema you want and the one you need. It is a place where brave films meet brave audiences. It’s where your voice makes Studio 74 your cinema.

    In partnership with Exeter Phoenix Young Audience Panel and regionally based creatives Studio 74 is ready to amplify its mission to champion the best British and independent cinemas and make it available to all.

    We asked six local creatives to redesign their version of our Studio 74 logo. Keep reading to find out all about each of the artists and their inspiration behind their design!

    Abi Bayliss

    ABI BAYLISS

    “My intention was to capture what I love about cinema: the artist direction behind films, black filmmakers and old Hollywood. It was great to have this individual freedom on the project.”

    Abbi is a digital illustrator and visual artist currently in residence with MAYK. Abbi has experience working within Bristol Arts sectors such as Arnolfini and RWA, alongside being a Rising Arts Agency creative and the youngest member of the Visual Arts South West Steering Group. Her regional exhibition tour of her Black Portraits Project has been exhibited across the South West to Carnaby street Soho. Abbi is also a published illustrator of the children's books ‘Where is Summer’s Fluffy Cat?’ and this year's sequel ‘Why is my hair curly?’. Working for organisations such as the BBC, writing a podcast for the National Trust and illustrating the Big Give campaign for Arts and Health South West, Abbi earned her title by Rife Magazine as one of Bristol’s most influential people under 30.

    Instagram

    Etsy

    Illustration Workshop

    Accessible Studio 74

    FREEFALL

    Freefall is a collective of young creatives who meet each week at Exeter Phoenix. Their projects often respond to the work taking place in the spaces at Exeter Phoenix. They used a range of materials and techniques to approach the Studio 74 logo rebrand including screen printing and collage.

    “It was really exciting to experiment and play with lots of different techniques. I liked being able to think about the branding and it was particularly exciting to have the opportunity to see our work on screen!” Freefall Member

    Arsalan - Studio 74 rebrand - transparent

    ARSALAN MOTAVALI

    “For me it was just an extension of playing with my dual-nationality. I hope the colours give that sense of open-ness and communicate the inclusivity to those underrepresented, but also show Studio 74’s ability to adapt into different culture and be welcoming to all.  I chose to do everything by (digital) pencil also, because I think the homemade feel of it creates something more nostalgic and welcoming.

    The language is Farsi, and it’s just a translation of ‘Studio 74’ written in quite traditional calligraphy. Iran also has a really unique independent cinema community, with loads of distinguishable filmmakers – Kiarostami, Asghar Farhadi etc.”

    Arsalan is a member of Exeter Phoenix’ Young Audience Panel and is currently finishing his MA in International Film Business at Exeter / London Film School.

    He is excited to play a small role in drawing more diverse audiences to Phoenix, to more closely align with the increasingly diverse filmmaking talents and subject matters that are being represented on the big screen.

    Darren Shaddick_Studio74_Entry

    DARREN SHADDICK

    Darren Shaddick is a Freelance Illustrator and Graphic Designer based in The Sticks of North Devon, UK.

    "I went into this logo rebrand with no prior intentions apart from the fact that I wanted to spontaneously explore hand drawn type, textures and patterns.

    I divided the logo into sections that have their own distinct visuals, this represents the variety of film that Studio 74 puts on.

    To me, each segment of the logo rebrand looks cinematic with visual cues inspired by art deco cinemas and the flatness of vintage movie posters."

    Instagram

    Website

    Louis Ord- All Aboard

    LOUISE ORD

    “I'm all about drawing words these days - which is great considering I was never given my "pen license" in primary school. When I'm not writing on chalkboards for people, I'm creating art with anything I can get my hands on (like broken plates!). The best part of making art is the surrendering to the process of it, and how you navigate your way to an unknown end point of your choice.”

    Instagram

    ScottyGillespie

    SCOTTY GILLESPIE

    Scotty Gillespie is a multidisciplinary artist who makes bright and optimistic imagery franging from digital illustration, animation and ceramics.

    Website

    Instagram

    Open seven days a week and with tickets starting at £5 Studio 74 is ready to welcome you all. Click the button below to take a look at our full film programme!

    STUDIO 74 FILM PROGRAMME

  8. The World Turned Upside Down: A play, an experience, an insight.

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    As part of our Spring 2022 Theatre Programme, we are delighted to welcome Forum Theatre performance ‘The World Turned Upside Down’ to Exeter Phoenix on Thu, 13 Jan.

    Conceived and directed by Paul Jepson, the performance is part of Ideal Project, an initiative led by the University of Exeter which improves the experience of dementia.

    Ideal Project have written a blog for us, which tells us all about what to expect from the Forum Theatre piece and how the shows unique theatre style has portrayed what it’s like to live with dementia.

    Written by Tess Walsh: Exeter College film English and Politics Student

    Memory cafés. Diagnosis. Allotments. Mindfulness. Care homes. Seated yoga. Anger. Is this Dementia? Personally my knowledge of dementia in my short 16 years of life has been reduced to my own grandmothers experience and a few misleading representations of Alzheimer’s in the media.  Which I believe is similar to most people’s scarce experience too.

    However, ‘The World Turned Upside Down’ wishes to portray a more truthful expression of what it really is to live with dementia, developing those ideas, which evolved from the research Linda Clare and her team have been conducting throughout lockdown, with all different types of people affected by this condition. Throughout there are as expected incredibly moving and solemn moments, much as dementia is often painted by the media. 

    However, there are also moments of joyful vivacity and energy, as well as a constant thread of delightful comedy. The truthful experience the whole team has managed to encapsulate is, I believe, is the source of this plays raw appeal as Keats coined it “beauty is truth, truth beauty”. 

    However, I said ‘play’ and actor Steve Bennett quickly corrected me that this term was in fact “misleading,” for this piece is more what is technically known as ‘forum theatre’. The influential South American practitioner Augustus Boal, who was driven by the injustices within Brazil and wider South America, to create a social justice performance, established this niche, yet powerful style of theatre. These were not to preach a hypocritical messages, but encouraged audiences to interact, ‘stop the action’ and contribute, far beyond the ‘he’s behind you’ of British pantomime, but exploring different options for dealing with a social justice problem or issue. There could not be a more suitable performance style for an issue like dementia, one we still know little about and even less about how to deal with, so who best to direct this portrayal of the condition than those with experience of the condition in the audience dealing with it every day?

    Though it maybe artistically suitable, there is no doubt forum theatre is an incredible challenge for the performers. Gill Cree, Steve Bennett and Sally Geake portray people with dementia, and carers, family members and friends around them through the situations they offer the audience. In conversation with Steve about concerns he might possibly have, concerns I would certainly have If I had to improvise on audience suggestions throughout the performance, he in fact said he liked how it “keeps you on your toes” admitting that truly “acting is only reacting”. Though Gill and Steve, both actors who will be portraying people with dementia, did admit to anxiously learning as much as they possibly could about living with dementia by having conversations with people with dementia to understand more about the condition and living with it every day. This was necessary, knowing when it comes down to improvisation with an audience they have no script blocking or even director Paul’s instructions to rely on, but solely their acting ability and personal knowledge of the condition, which is even more crucial considering the theatre style centres around portrayal of truthful issues. Neither actor admitted to having any personal experience with dementia in their lives, when asked about how they were to portray their character realistically, especially in such testing environment they came up with an interesting sentiment. When acting, Instead of putting themselves in someone’s shoes they take what they know to be true within themselves and search for a similar emotion/feeling/experience e.t.c within their character to deliver an authentic performance. 

    I enjoyed this concept because I believe it speaks beyond the performing arts and in fact about a method we could all use in our everyday lives especially when dealing with societal issues such as dementia in a greatly more empathetic way. Not once in this blog have I yet referred to dementia or Alzheimer’s as a ‘disease’ because though it is many things I do not think  it is at all that – however I don’t believe most of the public share my thoughts. This could possibly be a core reason why dementia in some way has become (or maybe it always was) a taboo, leading to (as portrayed in the ‘play) difficulties those caring for and with dementia. Because to the world, especially most young around me, it is a disease. It’s something to cure. And if you can’t cure it then why bother? Why bother with the memory café’s, mindfulness classes and trips Weston super-mare? Because, as the world has forgotten, these people are people!

    I used to imagine that my grandmother’s dementia was less of a handicap and more a superpower. Near the end yes, she heartbreakingly couldn’t remember the names her children, yet simultaneously she could crack out (to me) ancient Irish folk songs she learnt when she was much younger then myself. Word for word songs which had long been lost to the rest of my family and probably generations of others, she brought back to life with a vivacity her wonderful voice did with any melody. 

    So, what is dementia to you? 

    Come along to ‘The World Turned Upside Down’ and you may just find out!

    Check out https://www.idealproject.org.uk/ to find out more about the IDEAL project.

    To book tickets for ‘The World Turned Upside Down’ head to https://exeterphoenix.org.uk/events/the-world-turned-upside-down/. You’ll also be able to watch a short film which further explains the performance and the process it has taken to create the show.

  9. Spring Performance Programme 2022

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    Aliens! Riots! Running! It can only mean one thing… Introducing our Spring 2022 Performance Season!

    From stories that put women centre stage, to perilous expeditions on the hunt for the legendary Snow Beast, we’re so excited to share a brand new season of theatre shows and dance performances, coming your way over the next few months.

    Head here to browse the theatre shows and here to browse the dance performances that we have lined up, or you can download your very own Spring 2022 Performance Programme digital brochure!

    Why Digital?

    A lot of things happened in 2020-2021 that led to many useless brochures, posters, flyers and other bits of paper going in the bin. In 2019 Exeter Phoenix made the decision to try and reduce our impact on the environment by producing fewer printed materials as part of a wider strategy to make the arts more sustainable.

    Now, we are giving you the choice! You can print your own brochure, print the shows you don’t want to miss to stick on the fridge, or browse digitally. If you do choose to print, please remember to recycle! Thank you for supporting us in our move to be a more sustainable organisation.

    Download your copy now!

  10. LOVE IS THE HIGHEST ECONOMY

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    Exeter Phoenix are proud to host this extraordinary series of artworks on the façade of our building that function both as alternative Christmas lights and as urgent reminders of the steps we all need to take in tackling the climate crisis.

    LOVE IS THE HIGHEST ECONOMY is a series of low voltage LED, illuminated text sculptures, originally installed by Still/Moving at different locations around Glasgow for the duration of the recent COP26 conference. The works were made with various community groups around the country during 2021, as well as indigenous representatives and leaders, and with delegates at COP itself.

    Here, they are presented together for the first time as a message of hope and caution at a time of year when ideas of peace, goodwill and love come into tension with conspicuous consumption and excess.

    ABOUT STILL MOVING

    Still/Moving is composed of three artists, Laura Hopes, Martin Hampton and Léonie Hampton, who met when they were 13. Living in Devon, UK, their collective practice aims to create social and ecological change through questioning established modes of thinking and behaviour. Projects are developed through a process of collaborative and participatory dialogue and activity among each other and with partner communities. Inspired by the artist Louise Bourgeois who said ‘It is not about the medium, it is about what you are trying to say’, their work emerges in diverse forms, including sculpture, film, photography, performance, installation, the spoken and printed word.

    Léonie has an internationally acclaimed fine art practice. She studied Art history, specialising in contemporary European and American art, and is a part time MA Photography tutor at LCC London. Martin is an award-winning filmmaker who co-founded Squint/Opera with architect Will Alsop. He studied Architecture at The Bartlett, UCL, specialising in speculative designs for extreme locations such as the moon and intertidal zones. Laura is an artist and AHRC funded PhD candidate, whose research project focuses upon the relationship between climate change and colonisation.

    THE PHRASES

    LOVE IS THE HIGEST ECONOMY comes from the powerful and moving words written and performed by the author Ben Okri with his partner Charlotte Jarvis on the penultimate day of COP26 in Glasgow.

    You can read Ben Okri’s performance speech in full here.

    IT’S STARTED

    Green meadows, Nottingham

    IT’S STARTED resonates with the Green Meadows values as we recognise there is strength in every individual to make change happen. ‘IT’S STARTED’ also expresses the sense of urgency towards the rising temperatures and how we need to act now.

    “Tackling climate change can feel an impossible task as an individual and many of the community members we engage with are waiting for changes to start on a national scale. The Green Meadows project aims to empower Meadows residents to take immediate, local action, and tackle climate change together.”

    –Heather Hodkinson, Community Engagement Officer, Green Meadows

    greenmeadows.uk

    RIPPLE EFFECT

    Our Streets Chorlton, Manchester

    Ripple Effect is a phrase that was coined by the fantastic School Champions in Chorlton; a group who have brought together an entire community of parents, guardians, teachers and local residents, having turned an initial conversation into tangible climate action.

    “With a focus on improving our streets outside of our schools, the School Champions Network have pushed for safer, healthier and greener journeys for families when dropping off and picking up their kids from school. Change starts on our doorsteps and in our communities, and the Our Streets Chorlton’s School Champions have proven that with purpose and a desire to make change, one idea can turn into activity across an entire area.

    Our Streets Chorlton is a community-led climate action project in the heart of south Manchester. We are here to start a conversation, one centred on how local people can help to reduce carbon emissions by enabling Chorlton people to reduce local and short car journeys.”

    ourstreetchorlton.co.uk

    ON THE EDGE

    Bude Climate Partnership, Devon

    “Remote, peripheral and perched on the North Atlantic shore, Bude is exposed to the force of thousands of miles of steadily rising ocean and increasingly fierce winter storms hitting its shoreline, putting it very much ON THE EDGE – physically and metaphorically – of the sharpest impacts of climate change.

    As the most sensitive location in the UK to sea-level rise, our challenge as a community is to find ways to protect our town, our way of life and our cherished coastline, parts of which are currently retreating at a rate of a metre a year, while also reducing our own impacts on the climate crisis.”

    Bude Climate Partnership has united community and environmental groups in working together to make positive changes that will ensure our town, its surrounding communities and landscapes have a long and safe future ON THE EDGE of Cornwall, Britain and the sharpest impacts of the climate crisis.’

    budeclimate.org

    LOSS + DAMAGE

    “Article 8 of the Paris Agreement outlines the responsibilities of countries to take action on loss and damage. Addressing loss and damage stands alongside mitigation and adaptation as a fundamental pillar of climate action. But despite signing on to the Agreement, the wealthy countries who contributed the most to causing loss and damage are still unwilling to provide the finance and support needed to address it.”

    During this COP Scotland become the first rich country to publicly contribute to Loss and Damage by giving 1 million. Over the following days at COP other countries are also finally rising to this responsibility and paving the way for reparations.

    TO BE HEARD

    “Originally conceived in a pilot project with #LetterstotheEarth and #WeGlimpse aimed to link the G7 meeting in Carbis Bay to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Through conversations on the street and workshops, we wanted to find out what local people felt needed to be said. People expressed there need TO BE HEARD. In COP 26 partnering with LTTE (Listening to the Land Pilgrimage) Still/Moving showed this work at to Kelburn Castle on Sunday the 7th November where many Indigenous elders and Delegates from Vulnerable countries are hosted along with the pilgrims.”

    JUSTICE RESET

    This seminal phrase is key to the work of environmental lawyer Farhana Yamin: “Justice Reset” is a unifying demand to COP26. It gathers all constituencies whose call for climate justice and just transition recognises the need for a complete overhaul of the existing system by shifting resources and political power to those with less.

  11. Re-discover Christmas at Exeter Phoenix

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    After a Christmas that nearly never was, we’re thrilled to welcome our visitors to savour the festive season to its fullest this year and get you feeling warm and fuzzy in the season of good will!

    Choose from a rich choice of atmospheric music, cabaret and storytelling events, shows, workshops and opportunities for outright rambunctious celebrations await anyone who cares to swerve the high street to see what is going on under Exeter Phoenix’s roof – and beyond.

    Re-discover the fun and variety the Christmas season has to offer, here at Exeter Phoenix!

    Quirk Theatre’s heart-warmingly hilarious show Rhia & The Tree Of Lights invites the whole family to enjoy a fantastical adventure around our amazing Jurassic Coast. From a Deep-Time Disco to a boogie with a flamboyant sea slug, with vibrant, original music & traditional Indian stories, Rhia & The Tree of Lights is a festive show for the whole family – a meaningful alternative to the panto that takes you to the heart of what the season is all about.

    The regular and much beloved SPORK! Poetry event returns this December with a Christmas special, promising a world class comedy rap jazz duo, powerful spoken word artists and the Exeter Railway Band serving another helping of carols for good measure.

    For those seeking quirky glam and hearty alternative jollitude this month, the annual Steampunk Yule Ball event offers just the ticket: a ‘Carnivale’ themed spectacular, heaving with bands, DJs, performers and sideshows. Attendants are invited to dress and feel their best in the spirit of this unique night.

    Jim Causley will be returning to present A Causley Christmas, a night of West Country carols performed with great musical skill and passion combined with the poetry of his famous relative Charles Causley whilst Carolling & Crumpets with John Kirkpatrick promises folk and folklore combined into an evening of exploration around pagan origins of seasonal themes and rituals.

    Jim Causley: A Causley Christmas
    John Kirkpatrick: Carolling & Crumpets

    Festive films on offer for the season at Studio 74 will include the magical Italian Pinocchio (2019). Wildly unlike the Disney version, Matteo Garrone’s dark adaptation is packed with fantasy, adventure and beauty. Sometimes the old ones are the best and you can also sit back and savour It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) on the Studio 74 screen this Christmas.

    Don’t forget to pop into the Exeter Phoenix-supported Maker Mart on Gandy Street, the perfect opportunity to pick up unusual, locally crafted gifts. At Exeter Phoenix and the Exeter Phoenix-supported Positive Light Projects on Sidwell Street, you could also consider making your own by joining the seasonal crafts and printmaking sessions on offer. Classes and workshops also make a lovely gift, if you’re not sure what your recipient will most enjoy you can contact the box office to arrange a Gift Voucher.

    The Phoenix Café-Bar will as always offer the opportunity to relax with a warming beverage, or pop by for lunch. Our Festive Drinks menu is now available.

    After your fill of Christmas, Exeter Phoenix are planning to see the year out with a bang: NYE Party: Show Must Go On! will be the perfect place to shake out the old and bring in the new with an exuberant circus vibe, bubbles and glitter. Bands, DJs and walkaround performers will be taking over the Exeter Phoenix. Fairground games, a quiz, darkly glamourous drag karaoke and a silent disco will see people into a hopefully very happy, healthy and brilliant new year.

  12. A Window to the Future at Exeter Phoenix

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    This is our beautiful historic building. As well as being home to culture and creativity in Exeter, it is a rare survivor of the 1942 Blitz which decimated other areas of our city.

    As you can see, it has a lot of windows; 106 in total. These fill our galleries, studios and workshops with light, but they are all single-glazed and metal framed, meaning they lose A LOT of heat. What a pane!

    But that needn’t be the case – installing secondary glazing on our windows would preserve the look and feel of these special spaces, while eliminating draughts, retaining heat and reducing our energy consumption.

    With so many windows to tackle, this is a costly job. But we now have the opportunity to double your donations and make this dream a reality thanks to M&S Energy’s Community Fund, who have chosen our project to receive up to £5,000 in match funding.

    Materials for each window will cost £200, so if we are successful in achieving our £10,000 target then we will be able to reduce the amount of heat lost through our 50 most wasteful windows!

    What’s more, Exeter Phoenix has pledged to cover the cost of installing the windows, making your donations go even further and have even greater impact.

    If we can raise £1,000 by 30 or more donors by Fri 17 Dec, the M&S Energy Community Fund could grant the venue the additional funds needed to install the secondary glazing needed to make our venue greener. You can show your support to a greener future by donating here.

    REWARDS

    We’re offering a myriad of unique rewards as part of this fundraising campaign that will only be available to our fantastic donors, including a limited edition postcard, a laser-cut wooden Exeter Phoenix Christmas decoration and a private cinema screening!

    Find out all about the wonderful rewards we’re offering as a thank you for your support here.

    THANK YOU!

    A huge thank you to you, our wonderful supporters. We very literally couldn’t be doing this without you.

    • Holly Lawrence
    • Christina Bulford
    • Laura Cameron-Long
    • David Hatton
    • Caroline Winyard
    • Aengus Little
    • Steven Keightley
    • Tamla Thornton
    • Ashley Dashwood
    • Robyn Lawrence
    • Nic Wassell
    • Annaruth Peel-Cusson
    • Hugh Gregory
    • Andrew Keatings
    • Simon Pilley
    • Martin Weiler
    • Polly Crockett
    • Andy Gilbert
    • Gemma Baal
    • Ken Lawrence
    • Andrew Dean
    • Rae
    • Peter Cooney
    • Sue Kay
    • Mick Braddick
    • Ali Lucas
    • Andrew Blewett
    • Jill Sheen
    • Peta Myers
    • Jeremy Bartlett
    • Sawsan Khuri
    • Jim Goodwin
    • Martin Mathieson
    • JP
    • Zeus Watson
    • Lorna Mitchell
    • John Cowen
    • Louise Roberts
    • Johanna Korndorfer
    • Sheryel Ashwell
    • Kenneth Morrissey
    • Kalie Dowling
    • Alice Clements
    • Kate Lawrence
    • Tom Lawrence

  13. Sunday roast club is back!

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    We are over the moon to be bringing back our Sunday Roast Club from Sunday 21st November.

    Choose either Roast Beef or a seasonal Nut Roast, served with roast potatoes, caramelized parsnips, cauliflower and broccoli cheese, spiced butternut squash puree, braised cabbage, carrots, Yorkshire puddings and buckets of gravy all for £11.50.

    Add a delicious dessert for £3 too!

    We will be serving each Sunday from 12pm until we are sold out, so book to avoid disappointment. Tables will be available either in the café bar, on the terrace or in our new heated marquee space. Just let us know any dietary restrictions and we will take care of the rest.

    To book just contact us on cafébar@exeterphoenix.org.uk.

    Roast dinner

  14. Halloween at Studio 74

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    This Halloween Studio 74 has handed the keys over to our Young Audience panel who have curated a weekend of cannibals, wicked conventions and unexpected consequences.

    While exploring ideas for the programme the Young Audience Panel began to pick apart our relationship with Halloween and horror. Here, the panel and Studio 74 Collaborators share their thoughts.

    The Witches (1990)
    Raw

    ELLA MOORHOUSE – Young Audience panel

    “This year, I’m going to bite the bullet and finally watch Takashi Miike’s Audition followed by vintage classic Cat People and hopefully make it out alive”.

    Every Halloween, I tuck myself in for the night, dim the lights and watch a double-bill of some of the scariest, weirdest, funniest and beautiful horrors out there.

    When I first decided on this mini scare fest, the year was 2017, I was home, alone, in a dark creaky Victorian cottage; naturally the perfect setting. It was the year I got obsessed with anything David Lynch breathed or touched, so of course the perfect line-up would be Eraserhead (1977) with a Lost Highway (1997) chaser.

    Lynch’s first feature film, Eraserhead is a melancholy, confusing, dark and sorrowful meditation on fatherhood, identity, loneliness and aspirations; a classic ‘midnight movie’ in indie cinemas when it was first released. As baffling as Eraserhead is, it was Lost Highway that truly left me with chills. With a mysterious stalkerish man that lives in a wooden hut out in the desert, mistrustful identical twins, wrongful incarceration and crazed jazz solos, it’s an uncomfortably intimate look into the seedy underbelly of 90s America.

    Last year, armed with a couple of San Miguels, and in the true height of lockdown extraness, a sourdough baked into the shape of a pumpkin, I revisited Italian giallo classic, Dario Argento’s Suspiria (1977), the sumptuously shot cautionary tale of the prestigious dance school with many secrets to hide. Released in the same year, I ended the night with the weird and wacky cult favourite Hausu (1977), complete with evil cats, girl gangs and slightly dodgy green screens.

    This year, I’m going to bite the bullet and finally watch Takashi Miike’s Audition (1999) followed by vintage classic Cat People (1942) and hopefully make it out alive.

    ELLA’S WATCH LIST

    Suspiria (1977): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Suspiria-Jessica-Harper/dp/B073SGGW8Q

    Hausu (1977): https://player.bfi.org.uk/subscription/film/watch-house-hausu-1977-online

    Audition (1999): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audition-Ryo-Ishibashi/dp/B00ET20LZY

    Cat People (1942): https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b0078ns6/cat-people

    ANTHONY ANDREWS – We Are Parable

    ANTHONY ANDREWS | We Are Parable

    “One thing that terrifies me to the core of my soul is Triplets, the now greenlit sequel to Twins”


    In terms of films, one thing that terrifies me to the core of my soul is Triplets, the now greenlit sequel to Twins, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito and Tracy Morgan. I mean, just who is going to watch that? I generally have a fear of sequels coming out decades after the first, relatively well received film. That and films with Ryan Reynolds in them. 
    Outside of film, I would say it’s the undefined fear of something stopping me doing what I love.

    I think films that give me goosebumps aren’t normally blood and gore for me, but those that are steeped in some kind of reality. I felt a real sense of unease after watching Prisoners, for example.  

    Halloween isn’t really a thing in our house, so we don’t celebrate it. Our kids do love the Goosebumps books and films, though. 

    I’ll settle for watching something like Scream 2, which I believe is the high water mark for the franchise. The first Nightmare on Elm Street is incredible (I remember being way too young to watch it with my friends at the time – we watched it in the middle of the afternoon so we didn’t get too scared!), Dawn of the Dead is great too. Anything by Sam Raimi – Drag Me To Hell is actually amazing, talking goat and all. Also Audition by Takashi Miike, which I’ve seen just once in 2000 but has stayed with me for well over twenty years! 

    My wife hates Horror, so for ages I stopped watching them, but after stumbling on a few titles over the last couple of years, I forgot how much I appreciate the thematic tropes.

    Scream 2 can be rented for £3.49 on Amazon Prime.

    http://www.weareparable.com

    ASHLEY THORPE – Director, Carrion Films

    “The skins between worlds do indeed grow thin on Halloween.”

    It seems funny to me now looking back, that a season that has become synonymous with me, my art, my everything, was once a season that I feared. Of course, back in the 1970’s and early 80’s in Britain Halloween was not celebrated to the extent that it is today. The occasional children’s party might pop up once in a while but I don’t remember ever dressing up, ever being visited by trick-or-treaters or even carving a pumpkin. No, it was something altogether different back then. Halloween was a night when the things that you feared every other night had the opportunity to edge just that little bit closer. It was the night of vintage Horror double bills on BBC2. It was a night when the skin between the worlds grew thin and night falling was not a time for celebration. Especially for a child that suffered from night terrors.

    Although I’d always loved monsters, I was terrified of ghosts, having grown up in a family that never spoke of them lightly. The dead were close. The supernatural was not something to mock. So, it seems funny that I should ever dare to read Usborne’s Supernatural Guides after dark. Although their first ‘All about Ghosts’ had its fair share of chilling stories, illustrations and unexplained photographs, it was this illustration from the later ‘Haunted Houses Ghosts & Spectres’ that would scare me witless. Indeed, eventually I had to make sure I skipped that page to ward off visions of that blue floating face dripping blood hovering at the end of my own bed.

    Things are different now. In time to ward off night terrors I came to embrace horror in all its guises, learn of the craft, of the authors and the anatomies of all those things that go bump in the night and make a friend of them. Halloween now is a time of celebration. It’s a time that my daughter Lily Wednesday (Lily as in Munster, Wednesday as in Addams of course) starts to eagerly plan for the moment October arrives and the night itself is full of games, spooky movies and all the confectionary you could possibly stomach.

    But once the children are sleeping and the doorbell stops ringing,  the house settles and slowly the old feelings often return. But with a slight difference. The skins between worlds do indeed grow thin on Halloween. Now, it’s the night wherein your world gets a glimpse of mine.

    BORLEY RECTORY, directed by Ashley Thorpe is currently available on Netflix.

    http://carrionfilms.co.uk

    GLEN STEVENS – Maintenance Officer

    “Trick or Treat!”

    I grew up in Germany where Halloween was not really recognised and Trick or Treat was not a thing. However, that didn’t stop me and my brother doing our best to score sweets from our neighbours. Members of our community would not know what to make of two small boys standing on their door steps dressed in make shift ‘scary’ outfits demanding sweets.

    LUKE HAGAN – Digital Coordinator

    “I am not afraid to admit that the show got right under my skin.”

    Cartoon Network released a mini-series a few year’s ago called OVER THE GARDEN WALL. It is for children but I am not afraid to admit that the show got right under my skin. It is animated with great music and it has a spooky 1920 feel to it. There is a cosy and sweet facade with a sense that something is deeply worrying and everyone of going to die. It has talking animals in. Naturally, watching it has become a bit of a Halloween tradition.

    View the trailer to OVER THE GARDEN WALL here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36mAsVSH_-s

    ANNA-RUTH PEEL-CUSSON – Visitor Services Manager

    As an adult I love horror. Scary = Delicious.

    As a child I was scared of EVERYTHING.

    If I was scared of something even the word would set me off and I would insist that my parents only use the first letter. So I would say, “Don’t say witch! Say ‘W!”

    Witches used to scare me the most and I swear to this day that looking out of my bedroom window I saw a witch flying. I still can’t find a reasonable explanation for what I saw.

    CLAIRE HORROCKS – Film programmer

    CLAIRE HORROCKS | Film programmer

    I love horror and have always enjoyed the sensation of being scared or frightened. I have two older brothers, one of which delighted in sharing his video nasty collection, ghost stories and general obsessions with the unworldly. It takes a lot for films to frighten me but he and I used to flick through his book; A DICTIONARY OF GHOSTS. The pages were littered with old Victorian photos with ghostly children in the background and tales of the unexplained. Terrifying.

    I have just finished reading The Witches to my seven-year-old so this Halloween I will be brining her to Studio 74 to watch THE WITCHES. She is just like me and doesn’t scare easy but I can’t help thinking Nicolas Roeg’s twisted interpretation of the Grand High Witch might have some effect.

    JIN LEE | YOUNG AUDIENCE PANELLIST

    “Are people interested in tangible, “this could happen to me” scenarios where there’s an implicit level of relatability with the film’s circumstances?”

    On approaching the Halloween season at the cinema…

    The aptly-titled, John Carpenter-birthed “Halloween” franchise might be a good guide as to what moviegoers seek in the Halloween season. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes: jump scares, violence, and some quasi-human, near-supernatural antagonist. But is that exactly what defines a “Halloween” film? Are people interested in tangible, “this could happen to me” scenarios where there’s an implicit level of relatability with the film’s circumstances? Or perhaps totally farfetched stories of an unknown and unpredictable threat are what hooks viewers in?

    Then comes the consideration of if fear is even what’s sought after. Lots of “Halloween”-adjacent films, namely th

    e animated films of Tim Burton and/or Henry Selick, tread light with horror tropes and instead lean on imagery traditionally associated with Halloween: ghosts, the undead, skeletons and whatnot. Maybe the focus should be on the dressing-up part of Halloween, emphasising an event that’s largely an entertainment source for most people?

    This isn’t to say that one way or another of interpreting the cinematic definition of “Halloween” is better or worse than another. The intention here is to merely provide the lightest of food for thought before perusing any collection of films labelled suitable for “Halloween”; there certainly seems to be more nuance to what’s desired of cinemas during the Halloween period than at first glance.

  15. Fun for all the family!

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    With October half term looming, we’ve got some some fun family friendly performances, films, workshops and activities coming up, suitable for a variety of interests and ages!

    Performances:

    Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventures For Kids  – Mon 25 Oct, suitable for all ages

    World record-breaking beatboxer SK Shlomo makes mad music with his mouth. Become one of this sonic superhero’s sidekicks in a world of funny sounds, brilliant noises and cool music, whether you’re aged 1 or 101!

    Flying With Strings – Wed 25 Oct, 3+

    Flying with Strings is a new collaboration between Devon-based puppeteer Sarah Vigars and musician Louis Bingham. Inspired by the avian world of Britain, Europe and Africa, this interactive show and workshop features intricate string puppetry and live music.

    Come along to see the puppets in action and learn about the world of birds, including the graceful swallow, the charismatic hoopoe and the colourful bee-eater. There will also be some puppets to have a play with too! Suitable for all ages.

    This Island’s Mine – Sun 24 Oct, 7+

    Ariel was always here. Caliban was born here. And Stephano has just arrived. They all claim ‘this island’s mine’. But do any of them have that right? And what happens if they can’t agree?

    Set in the extraordinary world of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Roustabout (creators of Luna & One Small Step ★★★★★) present a playful and daring exploration of the place we choose to call home.

    Filled with magic, music and mayhem, this show encourages young people to ask: Where do I belong? Where is my home? Is it truly mine?

    Margo & Mr Whatsit – Tue 26 Oct, 4+

    Sophia’s imaginary friend is called Mr. Whatsit. No matter where Sophia finds  herself living, he’s always there with a new joke to tell and a new game to play.

    But when Sophia moves into her new foster home, Mr Whatsit finds himself  unimagined! Now Sophia has a new imaginary friend – the glamourous, grown up Margo.

    Can Mr. Whatsit’s childish playfulness keep him from being unimagined for good? And with her imaginary friends competing against each other, will  Sophia manage to find her forever home?

    PaddleBoat Theatre Company present an interactive make-believe tale where the real and imaginary collide, and friends are never far away.

    Workshops:

    Your Face My Face – Tue 26 Oct, 8+

    Working in pairs, you will be using charcoal and collage techniques to create fun images of one another! All materials are included.

    Experimental drawing – Thur 28 Oct, 8+

    Explore mark-making techniques using a variety of materials to unlock your creativity.

    Brickfilm: Lego Animation – Two Day Workshop – Mon 25 Oct -Tue 26 Oct, Ages 8 – 13

    In this two day hands-on workshop you will use stop motion animation techniques to design, plan and shoot a short film using your favourite Lego from home.

    Under the supervision of our professional animation and filmmaking tutors you will create a set for your very own story and bring your characters to life using visual and sound effects. The final films will be uploaded to our Youtube account after the workshop for you to share with your family and friends!

    FILM

    The Witches (12a) – Sat 30 Oct – Sun 31 Oct

    Nicholas Roeg’s beastly adaptation of Roald Dahl’s scariest book brings to life the account of one boy, his grandma and a whole lot of mice.

    When Luke is orphaned he is sent to live with his Norwegian Grandmother, who shares tales of a grotesque breed who have claws, no toes and who disguise themselves as lovely ladies in a bid to catch children.

    It is not long before Luke understands his grandmother’s yarns are true and her wise words are designed to protect him from the world of THE WITCHES.

    Roeg’s signature creepy style brings Roald Dahl’s most terrifying characters to life and will leave any child thinking twice before they accept chocolate from a lovely lady again.