Lightbulb Moment

So, I was in town on my way to a physio appointment and along the way, I wandered by a Festival of Perth event which was some street theater done by a French street performance group. Well, group, it was two women who sew the clothes of passers by while they are waiting, alterations, additions whatever but the women have their sewing machines on the back of their bicycles.

The cool thing was that when someone wanted something done to their clothes, they had to hop on the bicycle and peddle to provide the power for the machines to work!! It was very interactive, visual and a fun idea that had gathered a big crowd of people in Forest Chase ( downtown Perth CBD). No mean feat in a place that usually is too paranoid to embrace public art in any major way, much less show tacit acceptance or a public display of approval. Don't get me wrong I'm not bitching about this city. I'm an exile here and I love it. But generally the locals don't go gaga in public over anyone except a movie, music or sports star.

What's this got to do with light bulb moments? Well, not long after I left the peddlers and sewers(with a bit of a puzzle). I hadn't seen what happened to somebody on the street who wanted their dress sewed. In as much as, what did they wear while they were generating power on the bike? And, I did see dresses having lace added to them and riders wearing, presumably, not their own dresses. Perhaps the French seamstresses gave each participant a stunt dresses to wear.
Anyway anyway... Back to Tawdry and the light bulb moment. Tawdry as a nail technician, does people's nails in exchange for secrets, however, it's mostly (but not exclusively) women and girls. And if I wanna hit the streets with this little performance/instillation/website thingey after the relative safety of a risk taking fringe theatre audience and interact with the general public, then how do I make it more engaging for men who may also have secrets they want to get off their chest? For in Australia certainly, a lot of men would find it next to impossible to sit down at a table in a public place and have their nails done and then be expected to write or type a secret to give to a virtual stranger. This is even more critical if I want to take the show to country and remote areas of Australia (and maybe other countries eventually)

So, it's summer here, it was hot in the mall (Forest Chase) and I was late for my appointment, but as I left the street performance and made my way through the crowds the idea popped into my head. Shoe Shine... What if I alternated? One time Tawdry would do free nails for secrets and the next time I would do free shoe shines for secrets. Hmmmmm I can see the possibility. Given the ubiquitous nature of trainers, I may have to make it shoe cleaning. But...out in the country, men and particularly older men wear shoes or boots. Old men with secrets to get off their chest!!!
Yes... I think I can work with this idea... Stand by for more. I'll keep you posted.

For now, here are some secrets from last Tuesday's gig 24/02/09 at the Blue Room theatre in James Street Northbridge Perth WA...
Cya soon TH!

ON AIR

Here's the interview I did with the wonderful DANAE GIBSON on Morning Magazine courtesy of Perth's RTR FM last Friday...

Self explanatory i reckon

Cheers,

TAWDS

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Up Late

Wednesday 1am 25th/02/09
sat at the nail table in the Parlour of the Blue Room Theatre in Northbridge WA and did people's nails from 7pm until 11.40 pm.

The diet coke and the anti exhaustion eye balm didn't work so well...

But, again I learned if you show up and do the work, surprise surprise, progress and perhaps even change happens. Nothing is immovable, who knew???
How have I managed to not metabolise this simple fact for sooo long.

I have ideas but now I commit to them and even when I'm tired or not up for it so much
Because I show up and because I stay in that place even for a small while
I get results...

Penultimate 'show' for Tawds this evening at the Blue Room in little old Northbridge WA and yet again I was busy all night doing nails and having the best chat's with peeps and came away with more than 40 secrets (loose definition there) point is, it will happen, and because it happens it inspires me I have a great night and along the way more ideas pop up and furthermore, I have a clearer idea of 'where to next'

Yeah , I worked two gigs of 15 hours with just over an hour off, whose complaining?
I got to prove my existence
I got to talk with people about stuff, not random, not all flippant, much of the talk was a kind of mutual delving and quite revealing but entertaining and re-affirming.

WHAT WERE PEOPLE UN-BURDENING TONIGHT?


I still am jealous of them
It'll be 7 months since they got together


when i was young my bike got a flat tire and instead of pushing it all the way home i threw it in the bush and told my mum it got stolen
i got a new bike and the next day that got stolen


i'm afraid my life will come to nothing, what a waste


My brother used to beat me up at the bus-stop


the girl of my dreams doesn't dream of me


I'm not really ALLERGIC
I just DONT like SEAFOOD


and more besides these...
Check the website www.aworldofsecrets.com for the full archive of all the secrets collected from the 25 Summer Nights Festival

There is much more to write about this silly little project that is creating it's own life and direction but at this point I gtg get some rest. One more post and I'm done...

PS Silver is the new black on boys' nails LOL
Keep it to yourself though, it's a secret

The Haul From The Crab Pots

I'm loving the learning that comes by way of a project that evolves along the way
I'm having fun seeing what it offers up and throws back
Sometimes it feels like I have to go and 'check the crab pots'
Have been allowed to leave a secret box at the theatre for the duration of the season and people have been adding to it on other nights when Tawdry isn't in the Parlour

No. I'm not Frank Warren and yes, his ideas and work with the whole Post Secret thing is mind blowing and humbling and gorgeous

But I was inspired by one of the secrets in his book published in 2007 where the writes of the post card basically said they used to write secrets for post secret but not send them whereas now they tell their secrets to friends and family

Kewl... I wanted to do a user friendly performance that could allow but not require the opportunity for people to tell their secrets.
Additionally, I have been doing manicures in performance since 1995 and it seemed like a kewl way to bring these things together...


So, here's a little of what has come up so far, and they are already up and on display at the theatre and soon to be on www.aworldofsecrets.com though they will be better presented on the there...

: - ) TH

After 13yrs as a performer I'm too scared to ever perform again.

*

I'm scared I won't make a difference

*

I have NO idea what anybody thinks of me. This scares the shit out of me!

*

I was once a stayer...

Now I'm the minute man...

I fear this could be forever.

*

I jerk off at least four times per day at work just to cope with the stress

*

I hate my job and I am not a people person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*

Prostitution paid for my HECS fees

Thanks boys!

*

I text and drive and hate the thought of other drivers doing that

*

when i was 8 i stole a watch from a boy in my class

the next day after everyone had looked everywhere

i was rewarded for having found the watch

this i have never told till now

*

I love leather even though I look like the cow that lost it in the first place

*

if my father-in-law asked me to f..k him

I would in a heartbeat

*

Is it bad I think all the secrets are about me!!!

*

Thanks perth for having the guts to have a go at getting it off your chest!! TH> xoxox

Mum, Check The Paper Page Fifteen

Do we ever stop seeking approval, really?

It's a group shot about the entire 25 Summer Nights Festival in the state rag and frankly it could have been better

It does however serve to spur me on because if I'm gonna really do this thing then I have to show up and really do this thing

Not sure really where the Manic Cures Project is going but I have to say that I am enjoying doing this project differently than others I have done in the past

It wasn't produced as a finished entitiy and as such it is roughly some type of dialogue regarding the evolution of ideas and reaction to changing circumstances.

There were traffic flow problems last night in the Parlour space.

The audience who knew what to look for where fine but the passers by were kinda bemused

Not everyone could get their heads around the concept

Almost no one read the fine print but that's kewl coz it's early days...

Still and all (love that phrasal conjunction) stuff is being done

photoshoot on the way

website upgrade on the way

re jig of the space at Blueroom, done

other gigs, in discussion

kewl