The Blue Bag Project – Blended Families
Photo by @charlieswin_photos
Theatre Porto are delighted to be supporting The Blue Bag Project, a new idea from artist Emily Howlett, in collaboration with theatre maker Laura Goulden.
Theatre Porto’s inclusive venue in Ellesmere Port will be a home for Emily and Laura for a short, intensive R&D block in June, enabling them to explore and develop thinking around a new idea for a theatre show centred on what it means to be part of a blended family.
The project aims to shine a light on, and celebrate, families that come in all shapes and sizes, exploring family dynamics from a child-centred point of view.
Blended Families – what do we know?
Currently, over one million young people live in blended families (families with step or half relatives, or across households). Traditional storytelling often depicts complex family set-ups as troublesome, or step-parents as abusive. We need new, and more nuanced, narratives which help us understand what ‘family’ means in our current reality.
In addition, there is often an emotional impact for children and young people when family units change and they suddenly need to navigate living with new people, in multiple houses—sometimes with different boundaries, behaviours or cultural references.
About the Artists
Emily Howlett is a deaf artist, writer and theatre maker, based in Nottingham and part of Graeae Theatre’s artist development Beyond programme.
Laura Goulden is a BSL interpreter and theatre maker, and co-founder of Handprint Theatre, based in the Midlands.
The Blue Bag Project will be collaboratively led by both artists, based on a process of co-creation which mines the experiences, insights and creativity of children and young people. It will culminate in professional new writing, which is an authentic reflection of modern-day blended family life, centred on the experiences of children.
About Theatre Porto
Theatre Porto is the only specialist theatre company and venue for children and young people in Cheshire and on Merseyside and provides space for artist development, through artistic enquiry and conversation.
As part of this phase, the artists will be supported by Theatre Porto to run workshops with groups of children and young people, working in both BSL and spoken English for both deaf/non-hearing and hearing participants.
Invitation to a Conversation
At the end of the R&D block, we would like to invite interested others to take part in a conversation about the work, as a way of pulling forward insights and learning.
If you are interested in joining us for a relaxed and informal coffee (or tea) morning with Emily and Laura, you are welcome to come to the Theatre Porto café on Friday 6th June, 11am – 12.30pm, where Emily and Laura will share some of their findings with Theatre Porto Artistic Director Nina Hajiyianni.
RSVP – info@TheatrePorto.org
