Comments on: The Balham Ladies Amateur Astronomy Club http://filmcafe.co.uk/photos/the-balham-ladies-amateur-astronomy-club/ a multi-media design company Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:35:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: The Balham Ladies Amateur Astronomy Club :: Kindle Theatre http://filmcafe.co.uk/photos/the-balham-ladies-amateur-astronomy-club/comment-page-1/#comment-118 The Balham Ladies Amateur Astronomy Club :: Kindle Theatre Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:35:16 +0000 http://filmcafe.co.uk/?p=210#comment-118 [...] www.filmcafe.co.uk to watch a showreel of the event, and let us know if you’d like Balham to come to [...] [...] http://www.filmcafe.co.uk to watch a showreel of the event, and let us know if you’d like Balham to come to [...]

]]> By: The Jesus Brothers http://filmcafe.co.uk/photos/the-balham-ladies-amateur-astronomy-club/comment-page-1/#comment-81 The Jesus Brothers Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:53:04 +0000 http://filmcafe.co.uk/?p=210#comment-81 I wasn't at the performance but I'm vaguely familiar with the work of Kindle and of Tony Appleby. I read the notes about Balham Ladies before I watched the video and sympathise with Steve about this fourth wall thing. From what I saw in the video, the combination of theatre and video complemented each other. The stage performance breathing life to the video and vice versa. Impressive work for almost three days of rehearsal. Congratulations and keep it up! I wasn’t at the performance but I’m vaguely familiar with the work of Kindle and of Tony Appleby. I read the notes about Balham Ladies before I watched the video and sympathise with Steve about this fourth wall thing. From what I saw in the video, the combination of theatre and video complemented each other. The stage performance breathing life to the video and vice versa. Impressive work for almost three days of rehearsal.
Congratulations and keep it up!

]]> By: Michelle Knight http://filmcafe.co.uk/photos/the-balham-ladies-amateur-astronomy-club/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Michelle Knight Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:38:59 +0000 http://filmcafe.co.uk/?p=210#comment-72 I thoroughly enjoyed, as ever with Kindle performances, the sense of event, of occasion and of a complete experience; the show began the moment we all began accumulating at the bottom of the elevator, long before we arrived in the Planetarium. What I took away with me from the event was certainly a sense of the potential that space offers and the potential impact the interplay of those two media - film and theatre - might offer an audience in that space. In the spirit of honest feedback to practitioners I respect and admire, I suppose I would have to say that I'm not sure that the experience was as immersive and as experiential (and as experimental) as I think it might have been - given the technological potential and the creative potential of those involved. What really took my breath away was the selection of images we were shown at the end of the performance - images of bridges, lighthouses, even trapeze artists swinging from a circus top, all projected onto the dome of the planetarium. As I gazed up at those images - especially the trapeze artist - I definitely felt that yes, I am really immersed in this image. (Whereas, for example, the projection of a night sky didn't actually feel so immersive, partly because it's what you expect to see projected on a dome in a planetarium, and partly because it's the view you usually have of the night sky anyway.) What I wanted - don't ask me how! - was for more of this imagery to be actively used by the actors as their set, their scenery - I wanted to see the actors somehow in these images, not just on a stage on the ground floor in front of them. With money no object (!, yes, I know!), I wanted them suspended in the images, or performing above me along some sort of whispering gallery around the dome, so that they and the images were part of the same view, rather than a separate view in front of or beneath them. OTT? Possibly, but I think there's more potential for the space to be really played with, rather than used as a filmic / imagistic backdrop to a piece of theatre. But the intimacy of the venue certainly struck a chord and suited Kindle's quirky, personal performance style brilliantly - there was a good fit with the dimly lit atmosphere of the astrology club, and a great sense of occasion - and gloriously comfy seats with leg room! So yes, enjoyable, potential, but more more more...(!) I thoroughly enjoyed, as ever with Kindle performances, the sense of event, of occasion and of a complete experience; the show began the moment we all began accumulating at the bottom of the elevator, long before we arrived in the Planetarium. What I took away with me from the event was certainly a sense of the potential that space offers and the potential impact the interplay of those two media – film and theatre – might offer an audience in that space. In the spirit of honest feedback to practitioners I respect and admire, I suppose I would have to say that I’m not sure that the experience was as immersive and as experiential (and as experimental) as I think it might have been – given the technological potential and the creative potential of those involved. What really took my breath away was the selection of images we were shown at the end of the performance – images of bridges, lighthouses, even trapeze artists swinging from a circus top, all projected onto the dome of the planetarium. As I gazed up at those images – especially the trapeze artist – I definitely felt that yes, I am really immersed in this image. (Whereas, for example, the projection of a night sky didn’t actually feel so immersive, partly because it’s what you expect to see projected on a dome in a planetarium, and partly because it’s the view you usually have of the night sky anyway.) What I wanted – don’t ask me how! – was for more of this imagery to be actively used by the actors as their set, their scenery – I wanted to see the actors somehow in these images, not just on a stage on the ground floor in front of them. With money no object (!, yes, I know!), I wanted them suspended in the images, or performing above me along some sort of whispering gallery around the dome, so that they and the images were part of the same view, rather than a separate view in front of or beneath them. OTT? Possibly, but I think there’s more potential for the space to be really played with, rather than used as a filmic / imagistic backdrop to a piece of theatre. But the intimacy of the venue certainly struck a chord and suited Kindle’s quirky, personal performance style brilliantly – there was a good fit with the dimly lit atmosphere of the astrology club, and a great sense of occasion – and gloriously comfy seats with leg room! So yes, enjoyable, potential, but more more more…(!)

]]> By: Iris http://filmcafe.co.uk/photos/the-balham-ladies-amateur-astronomy-club/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Iris Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:02:23 +0000 http://filmcafe.co.uk/?p=210#comment-71 The whole idea of staging the event in the planetarium was really special, an interesting link between old and new. I also particularily like the style of the Kindles, of being taken up into the planetarium by people in character. I hope you can extend and revisit the Balham Project, and more people can be made aware of the planetarium and of course Kindle &Filmcafe. The whole idea of staging the event in the planetarium was really special, an interesting link between old and new. I also particularily like the style of the Kindles, of being taken up into the planetarium by people in character. I hope you can extend and revisit the Balham Project, and more people can be made aware of the planetarium and of course Kindle &Filmcafe.

]]> By: Graeme Rose http://filmcafe.co.uk/photos/the-balham-ladies-amateur-astronomy-club/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Graeme Rose Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:50:02 +0000 http://filmcafe.co.uk/?p=210#comment-63 Well, as one who couldn't be there.... I would definitely love to see more. The visuals look stunning - thanks also to the impressively edited showreel. From what I know and have seen of Kindle's theatre, the planetarium staging well support's their demonstrative style and I feel like the scale and quality of the visuals helps to lift their performances. That's the screen-mediated viewpoint anyway. Best of luck with the further stages of development. Well, as one who couldn’t be there…. I would definitely love to see more. The visuals look stunning – thanks also to the impressively edited showreel.
From what I know and have seen of Kindle’s theatre, the planetarium staging well support’s their demonstrative style and I feel like the scale and quality of the visuals helps to lift their performances. That’s the screen-mediated viewpoint anyway. Best of luck with the further stages of development.

]]> By: Daf http://filmcafe.co.uk/photos/the-balham-ladies-amateur-astronomy-club/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Daf Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:23:29 +0000 http://filmcafe.co.uk/?p=210#comment-62 I think it's a great achievement to create a lasting atmosphere. Anyone can create drama, but a tangiable flavour of your own is much more radiant and perenial, like the stars themselves. Loved the lady clapping at the end as well. I think it’s a great achievement to create a lasting atmosphere. Anyone can create drama, but a tangiable flavour of your own is much more radiant and perenial, like the stars themselves.

Loved the lady clapping at the end as well.

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