After Eardley

Partners:

Heroica Theatre Company

Stellar Quines Theatre Company

Creative Scotland and Arts Council England – Funding

Lucy Schofield – Artist

Jan Bee Brown – Curator and workshop developer

A series of artistic workshops developed during rehearsals to complement a site-specific touring theatre show enabling the company to build audience and add value to the rural communities it visited.

Getting inspired by rehearsals
Getting inspired by rehearsals

From our point of view, ‘Joan Eardley: A Private View’ was a triumph. It was hugely well received across a wide spectrum of geographies, interest groups and age groups. It inspired – either curiosity to learn more about Joan Eardley or, in a number of cases, a drive in people to become painters themselves. It touched hearts: both those who had previously known of Joan and her work and those who had never heard of her before. It affected people who experienced it amongst authentic Eardleys and those who were helped along only by our copies. We crossed a lot of territory and we managed a wide range of venue-types: from galleries to halls to auction rooms to banqueting suites…

The workshops were well attended
The workshops were well attended

At every performance it was evident to all observers what an extraordinary group collaboration this was. Before them – in addition to three actors, nine characters and a script – were music and sound, design, stagecraft, movement, voice and management; it had been created by close rehearsal and preparations; behind it were elegantly handled PR and liaison and a never-ceasing marketing outreach. And to complement it all, in eight of the venues, were skilled practitioners working closely with participants in Eardley drawing workshops and constructing a further beautiful dimension to the work.

Angela Cairns – Heroica Theatre Company

New artists getting inspired
New artists getting inspired
Hanging gallery of new work
Images made were used in the show – photo credit Lucy Schofield