It is happening. It is serious…It’s getting late. Act now or die. That is the truth. But I’m hurting here.I need a life-saving operation from you. Please do this one small thing, for both of us. We’re married. Don’t you see? You can’t live without me!
‘Partnering with Earth’ is a powerful immersive poetic instillation written by ‘The Shouting Mute’ about climate change and the state of the planet and possible futures facing our species, using pre recorded verbatim to create a live interactive soundscape with sound designer and composer Jonny Leitch, and using upcycled materials and recycled designs to create a landscape of possible visions with designer Sophie Fretwell the audience is invited to join the actors as they debate and perform a mix of live poetry and dance with interactive discussions to highlight the climate emergency and it’s possible solutions.
Audiences are invited to write down their feelings about climate action on the table’s or ask questions to a Prime Minister played by Joshua Ward who defends his empty rhetoric with soundbites and speeches that are #hot air, backed up by his visible inaction. Debating with him is an otherworldly leader played by Emily Rogers, a queen of hearts of the earth and activist who brings the audience into the action, inviting their frustrations with this phony PM.
Mother nature explains that time is up and welcomes the audience into a utopian vision, a living and breathing set designed by Sophie Fretwell and Horticulturist Devon Perring who together have created a feast table and chairs made from living flowers, moss and other green natural things.
All costumes were biodegradable and reusable, crafted by the costume designers at the AUB in this green collaboration. Working with Activate and the Inside Out Festival the performance was shown for three consecutive days during September 2021 at Symondsbury Estate in Bridport Dorset.
All costumes were biodegradable and reusable, crafted by the costume designers at the AUB in this green collaboration. Working with Activate and the Inside Out Festival the performance was shown for three consecutive days during September 2021 at Symondsbury Estate in Bridport Dorset.
PROWSE IN THE PARK 2018
The Shouting Mute has been asked, a second time, to create a poetic art installation experience for Inside Out Dorset Festival as a creative response to the landscape and community in which the installation will be set, answering the question ‘The climate emergency and people: what happens?’ This project is currently being explored with Activate and Inside Out Dorset, and we’re looking forward to the very exciting research & development phase in preparation for the festival in 2021.
He was originally commissioned to create a poetry/art/sound installation and performance piece for Inside Out Dorset Festival 2018 in Shelley Park. Preparation began in the months leading up to the festival, with public workshops, and poetic responses. This culminated in ‘Prose In The Park’, which The Shouting Mute brought to life with a team of talented creatives for Inside Out Dorset Festival during the summer of 2018.
He began by inviting the public to attend interactive workshops held in the Shelley Park cafe during the days of August 13th/14th – to collect and collate local resident responses and opinions on Shelley Park. He then brought together a creative team to bring his vision to life.
It became a poetic woodland walk, where the audience were invited to journey along a path littered with poetry, on the ground, and hung from the trees. Their travels were interrupted by performers moving through the crowd, and accompanied by an ethereal soundscape, interwoven with voice recordings. There was also a seating area where adults and children were welcome to join some of the team writing their own poetry and responses to the park.
The Shouting Mute 