International theatre company Single Shoe Productions are travelling with their imaginations and inviting audiences along for – and to take part in – the journey, with new video series – Take Us There. Like most people across the world, social distancing has put life on hold for the theatre company, suspending touring theatre, restricting visits to friends, and postponing a family wedding. So now, using just household items, they’re recreating locations they miss and love, and inviting audiences to make and share their own creations.
Do you yearn for the wind across your face on a carefree drive? Or settling in on a beach awash with shells? Perhaps the comfort of your favourite coffee shop is calling… Each week until mid-August, Single Shoe Productions will release a 3-minute video sharing a new place inspired by a specific theme – such as holiday, birthplace or road trip – along with insight into how they made their creation. The company are asking audiences to get inspired, look at their homes in a whole new way, and to take a photo or submit a video (3 mins max) which will be highlighted along with the weekly video release to create a digital scrapbook.
Single Shoe Productions are partnering with venues including Cornerstone Arts Centre, St. George’s Theatre and Derby Theatre to reach local audiences, from families to students to arts groups.
Filipa said “The project started as a way to have fun during lockdown, creating short vignettes that reminded us of where we grew up and places we’ve been together. Honestly, we were a bit surprised at just how happy it made us to travel back to these places in our imaginations and we wanted to share this happiness in the series. In Portuguese there is a word for it – “saudade”, a somewhat counterintuitive blend of equal parts optimism and nostalgia.
“We can’t wait to see where the series takes us and are even more excited to see the places the community members create themselves. It’s just a great bit of fun for all sorts of different folks to try their hands at; from families who’ve perhaps had to rearrange their summer holidays to makers and visual arts students keen to explore places that bring them joy.”
Single Shoe Productions is an international company founded by immigrants whose mission is to create theatrical experiences that challenge boundaries, explore the connections that hold us together and celebrate our common humanity, regardless of where we come from. Under co-artistic directors Filipa Tomas (Portugal) and Bradley Wayne Smith (USA), the company’s work combines visual storytelling, physical comedy and a love for the absurd to create and tour original theatre for universal audiences. Using physicality to drive storytelling, including mime, magic, projections and soundscapes, their work has toured the UK, US and Europe These tours have included performing and teaching in remote rural communities where there is limited provision and reduced access to high quality contemporary theatre.
