Cadgwith’s Fishy Tales 2017
A Real Community Event
For The Photo Gallery Please click here
Introduction from Cascade Theatre Co.
Liane Jose, Cadgwith Thespians, has a close working relationship with Cascade Theatre, a professional Educational and Community Theatre company based near Truro.
Cascade, with Liane has, since its inception in 1995, created many successful community projects which have involved people of all ages and led to greater cohesion within the communities. These projects normally involve children as young as 5, people as old as 95 and all ages in between.
Cadgwith’s Fishy Tales started, as all great things do, with a conversation over a pasty. With Cadgwith Thespians co-operation Cascade raised funding from the Grade Ruan Community Trust to start the project by running a series of reminiscence sessions with older people in Cadgwith and Ruan. Over the months, dozens of living history stories were gathered and volunteers from the community were recruited to put these stories into dramatic form. In the autumn of 2016 more fun began and weekly drama workshops were run by Kit Maher, the Artistic Director of Cascade, Liane and Carol Brooking the Executive Director.
Months went by and more and more volunteers joined the drama. Members of Ruan Revellers joined after their show finished and, very importantly, people who had never dreamt of performing found the weekly workshops so entertaining and enjoyable they brought along yet more friends. A mum who ‘just drove her son there’ found herself playing many parts. A young pregnant mum who offered to just ‘make tea’ and another resident who wanted just to ‘make things’ ended up leading some scenes and those who came along merely to add a dance delighted in taking major roles. Older people who had thought they were just providing stories played leading parts and interspersed the scenes as local characters.
The play was carefully crafted to depict as many of the older people’s memories as possible and the ‘players’, with Cascade’s guidance, devised the show. With additional speeches and songs written by Cascade, the cast created the characters, the lines and the scenes.
A small but very keen and dedicated group of children met weekly and formed the basis of the play as evacuees who needed to protect the memories of the villages from some wicked sea witches. These talented children became a vital part of the whole drama.
The final event in June 2017 brought in more people from the community to work with Cascade’s professional artists and costumiers. A massive ‘Fish Cinema’, designed by Clare, a Cascade Community Artist, was made with children at the local school and other adult volunteers; giant puppets were made in the Gig Shed loft by Chris, another Cascade Artist, with the help of volunteers and passers-by, and nigh on 100 costumes were designed by Cascade’s resident costume designer, Hilary and were made in the Chapel in Ruan with Misty, also from Cascade, and many local people.
Final rehearsals with the school children took place in the school and the playground, with the adults rehearsing in the Chapel, the Church, the Recreation Ground and the beach. It all culminated in a magical spectacle, accompanied by local musicians and played out in 3 locations in Ruan before the grand finale, following a parade to the cove, with appearances by the Cadgwith Singers and members of the gig club, all of this performed on two glorious summer evenings in June 2017.
Carol Booking and Kit Maher Cascade Theatre Co.
Fishy Tale Comments from people involved in the project:
“As a new family in the village I have found that this has given me the opportunity to meet people and make friends and create support networks. I have also tried many different things that I never have been brave enough to try before. My daughter has also grown in confidence taking part in the children’s activities and it’s something we have been able to do as Mother and Daughter which we don’t always get a chance to do. Just the two of us due to her Dad working away from home.”
“Having never done anything like this ever. I am so surprised at just how much I have enjoyed this experience!!! Really didn’t know what to expect the first time. I asked my friend if she would like to join me and pop along to the school on a Wednesday evening! Everyone at Cascade have been so welcoming and enthusiastic that I have had so much fun, I have had so much fun! Couldn’t ask for more, just love it.”
“As I am doing costume making at uni, I thought it would be a good idea to go along to see what experience I could gain. I have really enjoyed helping out and playing a part in the local community. Cascade have been so welcoming to everyone and their ideas for the show have been inspiring. They have talents behind every department for the creation on Fishy Tales and I’m really looking forward to what their hard work and work of the community has produced.”
“Brilliant Experience and lots of fun! I really didn’t want it to end! But I really loved it, so much fun. Carol, Kit and Liane are great as well, as are the wardrobe team and all the rest of Cascade Theatre Company! They are a brilliant team. Lots of fun.”
“I’m the naughty boy who only did one rehearsal and missed the dress. So, thanks team for seeing me through the little bits I do.”
“It is a very good experience. Thank you Cascade.”
“Confidence has grown, can do anything now if I put my mind to it, Thank you x Fab team all of you.”
“Fantastic thing to do. I’ve enjoyed it so much. My confidence is growing! Amazing team. Thank you.”
“What a ride! Working from the inside out….. It’s been amazing, wonderful, scary and fun! Ive found my inner witch and I love her.”
“What a brilliant community experience/ production and a bit of jolly good fun! It has been a brilliant how it brought so many locals together to get involved in somrthing that they many not normally participate in. I must say a massive well done and thank you to Kit, Carol, Liane and team. The logistical undertaking to get me at rehearsals was hard enough, let alone the whole cast! Great fun! Loved it!”
“Unforgettable experience. Thank you all.”
“Back to Cadgwith – I shall never recover!”
“Thank you so much it’s been an experience!! learnt loads and met some lovely people!”
“You really have taught this old dog some new tricks! Thank you all so much.”
“Liane, you are an inspiration! When ever I spoke to you, you always made eye contact, listened and gave coherent instruction. I enjoyed our warm ups! Great fun! Was lovely working with Mailli and Tamlyn as well xx”
“I’ve found a whole new lease of life and I just don’t want to go back to normal.”
“I just wanted to thank you both , and Liane of course, for all your great efforts for the Fishy Tale extravaganza in Cadgwith. I know it was not without many real life hidden (or not..)dramas but by all accounts it was an overall triumph!”
“I am quite sure you were all utterly exhausted by the end but I hope you felt that it was worth it!”
“Personally,as a reluctant actor!!, I had a lot of fun.”
“The opportunity to be a puppeteer in the production was brilliant and I was quite surprised to find myself( well luckily not myself but ‘Joe’ ! up on top of the todden infront of such a big crowd!
But I guess that’s the point. We all found ourselves doing surprising things, had much fun together, made new friends and felt a sense of belonging to the place we live in.
And that was down to your admirable skills, kindness and fortitude!”
“We are fairly new to the area (4 years) and have been happy to be involved. As a retired speech and language therapist I was a bit sceptical about the methods and group work. However as the project has progressed I have seen that the group’s work has consolidated into a positive cohesive community experience. Even pre-show people who normally are a bit shy have come forward. As an individual I have felt that I have grown personally. After each session I feel more positive and I think this has rubbed off on others too. It is almost a piece of alchemy or magic. Of course I know that this is all about the learning process in a group setting. Well done to all. Observing the elders in our community I think they have all enjoyed the experience too. Good that all the participants have been given the opportunity to perform regardless of experience / age. The most important thing for me was the chance for the children of the village to be involved. I think Fishy Tales will become legend.”
“Its really exciting what you are doing. There is a real excitement. Its bringing people together who don’t know each other, and who have never done this sort of thing before. It’s really equal and there are no stars.”
Gallery of Photo’s of Fishy Tales
Photo credits: CHRIS HUNT
