Last weekend I was tucked away in the beauty of the English countryside, near Cambridge, to debut Hai Media Group's all-female production of The Wind in the Willows at the Secret Garden Party.
Our show, a
re-make of the childhood favourite by Kenneth Grahame, was my own
interpretation of how the elements of the story might play out in a quirky
festival environment. I played Toad of
Toad Hall, joined by a cast of talented women portraying Badger, Ratty, Mole
and Weasel.
Without my co-horts I couldn't have pulled off such an entertaining production and I'm grateful that the following women joined me in the adventure, including sticking around to enjoy the delights of the four-day festival:
Lucy Lowe as Ratty
Lucy is a
recent graduate of performing arts and her training was demonstrated in playing
the role of Ratty. Her boyfriend Matt Price, a comedian, also joined us in
hosting the evening as MC. Thanks Lucy!
Ali Rawlings as Weasel
Cheyne Pride as Mole Cheyne played the role of Mole and an adorable Mole she made!
Cheyne is a gifted
singer and songwriter by trade who sings with both National Debt and her band The Wildcat Tamers. Cheyne's also a professional Cheerleading coach,
who trains children of all ages in the fine art of Cheer. Her dance troupe Cheer-A-Go-Go performs at music and club nights throughout London and Europe. Thanks Cheyne!
Mary Epworth as Badger
Mary is a singer and songwriter who played the role of Badger, giving this character wise words of wisdom. Mary is the lead artist in her Jubliee Band, and you can watch her perform in this beautiful music video that was produced earlier this year:
Thanks Mary!
Dancer Amanda
Mae Steele provided the grand finale dance at the Toad Hall
celebration. We also had a
few supporting rabbits and weasels to join us in the performance (Will Twynham, Andy and Sadie Spector) and following the show we invited the audience to join
us at a banquet table and feast on delicious food at our make-believe Toad
Hall. Thanks Weasels and Rabbits!
Make Your Own Props: It's Amazing What Can Be Done With Cardboard and Poster Paint
As Toad, I had a blast making people laugh as I ran
around in a little motorcar that John & I constructed of cardboard, along
with a small Jail and a small boat.
Feedback has
been terrific from the event organizers and it was a terrific learning
experience. Much gratitude goes to Kate Risker aka Miss Risk and Simon Harris, from the Hand of Glory record label,
for inviting me to create this performance.
Here's ten things I loved about the Secret Garden Party:
1) Brands
were nowhere to be seen, and if they were there, any were in attendance, they
were virtually invisible to the human eye. The brand-less festival let a few
hundred artists emerge for attention, and allowed the mass of quirky creative
ideas shine through. Instead of tribute banners to lager, you’d find Action
Camps inviting guests to make their own superhero costume, listen to an
experimental musician or watch a performance.
3) Skanking to the brassy funky soulful beats of The Fontanas, and having a fireside chat with lead singer Gavin Skeggs and finding out that he is also in a band called The Tarantinos , inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s films.
4) Getting a huge kick out of the performance antics and musical skills of Rat Fink who delivered big sound and big fun.
5) Watching the pyro-technical extravaganza of the Pirate Ship getting blown-up, a very Burning Man-esque moment.
6) Hanging out in the tree house of the Where The Wild Things Are venue.
7) Making a cape at the Superhero Action Camp, making a carnival hat at another Action Camp and listening to Green political talks at the Green Action Camp.
8) Not spending endless amounts of time waiting in queues for food, drink and loos.
9) Bumping into many friends, something that is less likely to happen at Glastonbury, where everyone gets lost in the crowd.
10) Unwinding in the Lost Horizons sauna.
Among
the music performances I enjoyed was seeing Grace Jones headline the festival, at
the only festival gig she is doing this year. She’s 60 now, and still a
powerhouse of music and towering good looks.
Many thanks to Jim Hanner for his fantastic photos from the show and the festival:
Still grooving on the Secret Garden Party,
-Lisa
Who’s Lisa Devaney?
I head the Hai Media Group, a multimedia communications company based in London, offering client’s traditional public relations, combined with new technology marketing strategies. I also perform, creating original Cabaret-style comedy skits for festivals, theatre and parties. Find out more about me, and the talented entrepreneurs I collaborate with, by visiting: www.haimediagroup.com
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