Fool Return
Where have I been?
Long story short: In April 2019 I took a year out to study Compassionate Inquiry with Dr Gabor Mate, which prompted an extensive and deep study into the roots, effects and healing of Trauma, both its wounds and its gifts. It seems to me, and has done for as long as I can remember, that before we can address all the things that no longer serve our world, we first have to address the collective trauma that we all suffer from (or try to escape suffering). I have practiced with my own individual traumas, and with those who ask for my facilitation with theirs.
At the time I also pledged to explore Myth, with mythologist Martin Shaw, however as the first module with Gabor began with; “The story you are telling may or may not be true, and it is probably not”, so the first part of my journey was about identifying and letting go of the stories I had been telling myself and had been told, in order to get into the body and feelings (not unlike the fool process) and find the true stories that live there. I deferred studying archetypal Myth, as I could see that I had quite a journey to go into awareness of and transforming my personal mythology and the coping strategies I had created, that were designed to protect my wounded child, at the same time celebrating those skills and talents I developed in order to survive. Committing to “connecting” to the essence of who I am and why I am here. As I write this my heart sings with the blessings I have gained along this journey out of hiding…. As the psychologist D.W. Winnicott said “It is a joy to be hidden and disaster not to be found”
Long story short: my hunger for knowledge and wisdom, information and process has been immense, I feel so greedy, it would be easy for me to stay in endless learning and training right now, psychology, neurobiology, philosophy, somatics, all of what makes us tick inside, all of what can free our selves from the prison or exile of unacceptance, unwanted, unvalued, un cared for, that the culture of thousands of years has created – as cultural creative, I believe it is our job to co-create a new healthier culture in which we can all thrive.
After completing Gabor’s training, I was ready to bring the mythological and story telling onto my stage. Mythology deals with the group or cultural story, the archetypal journey we are all participating in, told in a way that speaks to our collective soul. As it happened that coincided with Martins Shaw’s last workshop before the lock-down hit us. I had just read his book Scatterlings, which spoke of us all lacking roots, so it was wonderful that we were all able to “root down” and become familiar with our own home, garden, family and locality. It was a wonderful time here in Cornwall, quiet, sunny, and connected to the people here who normally get lost among the invasion of visitors.
This was April 2020. Some facilitating old fools (old = some having worked with me since the 1980’s) transformed a planned workshop in Cornwall project, into an online ongoing regular event. The intention was to investigate The Hero’s/Fool’s Journey ~ developing a Fools Healing Theatre through transitioning from solo to group work. Those who, pre-pandemic, had stepped forwards to initiate this project, have and are still meeting regularly online, (as our first in person meeting was postponed) which I believe served the project better than trying to gather international fools together in a few relatively short meetings. This group, became the “Foci” group, which means ‘different focuses'.
Again long story short; the Dutch residing Foci members, have managed to meet and play in person quite a few times, and Lorenzo from Italy came and spent the summer working/playing with us in Cornwall. We researched as a trio and played as a duet a (the smallest group) exploring group dynamics (along with Ray) both connection and disconnection, which seems to be the prominent theme, when in any relationship. Trauma or Drama, is about disconnection, primarily disconnection from self and consequently from others. This was very challenging work, traveling into many dark places, I was grateful that our ‘group’ was small, as I fear managing such dramas in a larger group could have put me off group play for ever! Anyway the result of our explorations resulted in a public show, which was beautifully filmed by Joe Driver, a retired BBC film-maker, see link at the bottom of this mail. Our show MUNUS, is based on a story by Asa Sandberg, which, when I read it years ago I knew I wanted to produce it as a fools group show, Lorenzo’s visit made that possible. We are working on a tour and workshop combination, for people interested in building new, healthy aware communities, hopefully in the new year.
Meanwhile my new solo show “Sleeping Fool” (working title) is in process, and my skills to work with the dynamics of groups of fools are developing and growing…
Autumn is arriving with a new set of unknowns that our improvising skills have prepared us well for. We continue to hold a space for ‘research and play’ here in Cornwall, although in the current climate and our advancing ages, that too is an unknown future waiting for inspiration.
At the moment, in this time of unprecedented change, I cannot make plans, all I can do is follow my heart and gut feelings, as we transition out of an old way of being and doing, into a more wholesome and connected future. Transformation is by its very nature chaotic, as creation seeks to rebirth itself, as the life force seeks to heal ~ to become whole and integrated.
Theatre of the Fool Presents: MUNUS
Played by Franki and Lorenzo
An exploration into the nature of community through a story about free will, authority and what happens when someone decides to make the rules... and enforce them...
Using theatre as a forum for discussion, sharing stories and experiences to be a space to come together and get to know one another as a community.
Lorenzo (Italy) and Franki (Cornwall) are players, they will hold the theatrical space. Conversational participation will be welcome after the show.
Follow up workshop to come.
Link to film of the premier of our show MUNUS ~
August 2022