Night Visit – artist in residence at The Swedenborg Society

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 -1772) was a scientist, inventor, traveler, philosopher, theologian, visionary and mystic. The Swedenborg Society explore his ideas by hosting inspiring lectures, exhibitions, performances and screenings. They have a bookshop and library, and print diverse literature linked to Swedenborg.

My grandparents were interested in spiritualism, mysticism, and the ideas of Swedenborg. They passed on these ideas to me through stories. I am honored to be artist in residence at The Swedenborg Soicety over the next year and will give four performances. Three will be from my existing repertoire: two for children; and one for adults.

The fourth performance will be a new piece of work for adults. It has the working title  Night Visit. I will draw on the archives at the Society, as well as my grandparents tales, and World mythologies, to explore ideas about: ghosts and spirits; visions and dreams; journeys to other worlds; images of heaven and hell; the soul, death, and after-life.

This performance will investigate how spoken word, physical presence and narrative, can combine with sound and image, in a collaboration with composer, performer, and producer Panos Ghikas, and digital film-maker and multimedia developer Fotios Begklis. We are excited to work together to experiment with new ways of looking and listening to stories. The piece will be premiered at the Society during October 2012 as part of The Bloomsbury Festival. We are thrilled to have Arts Council Funding, and a grant from the King of Hearts Trust, to support this residency.

My first performance will be on Saturday December 10^th for children aged 6 and over. I will tell the snowy Scandinavian wonder tale ‘The White Bear King’ – details nearer the time.