Over a weekend in August 2011, we worked with Kent authors Rosa Ainley, Neil Baker, Sonia Overall, Clare Proctor and Peggy Riley to create a set of innovative new performances for the Herne Bay Festival.
After getting to know each other over dinner on Friday night, we spent Saturday focusing on warming up, generating ideas and working out what authors could learn from the performing arts – without becoming ‘actors’ themselves.
On Sunday, the writers explored their performance locations and honed their ideas into five excellent performances that merge audience participation, installation and sound recordings with the author reading.
On Saturday 27th August, The Reauthoring Project hit the Herne Bay Festival, offering a day of immersive, thought-provoking and downright entertaining literary performance.
Despite the rather menacing weather, we clocked up around 200 audience members, some of whom came along just to see us (thanks!) and many others who simply got curious as they were passing.
Our five authors put on a great show, and we’re now thinking hard about what happens next.
Thanks to everyone for an amazing day – to KCC for funding us, and for the Herne Bay Festival for taking such good care of us.
