Black Box at Camden People's Theatre

Here's a few photos and some audience responses from the fantastic night we had at Camden People's Theatre on Friday 20th March. Hopefully, the first of many!

“I remember copying someone and singing a song. I loved interacting with people. This event was wonderful - it ended too fast.”

“I really liked the written story we had as a starting point to the game - the ghostly, mad house vibe. I think it’s very healthy, a way for people to get out of their heads and just be mad for an hour. It was also really interesting to be able to watch as well as participate in the whole process.”

“I remember the random way performers found a rhythm with the music - and the fun we had! It was great for non-actors like me.”

“People not caring about what others think of them is freeing and special.”

“Something I remember - my fear, and strong people.”

“I remember sitting at the desk and speaking quietly as the narrator and feeling myself in a world where everything around was really in my head. I was attempting to speak about myself as the narrator but feeling like I was talking to voices in my head. I’m stark, raving mad but don’t realise it. I think everyone else is also mad.”

“I loved the moment when someone at the table said to someone else, they promised them something, lots of things, then the other person started singing. I remember the screams. I would have changed the instructions about the cards. Did we stick to the same task? Were we allowed to pick up another?”

“I remember a dance, a particular dance that was performed in front of someone in very close proximity, which I cant quite describe. I loved taking the microphone to tell us a story about life - ‘Can you hear those bats?’ - when everything was quiet. I wanted it to be longer, I wanted more cards. I felt I wanted to speak, but didn't want to disobey the card, and the cards apparently didn't want me to speak.”

“I’d suggest keeping the cards in some way more focused on the ‘narrative world’, to see if the performance may end up with a more cohesive theme to diff on. e.g. superstition vs modern. I know this sounds over controlling, but…”

“It was interesting to see different interpretations of the same theme. I enjoyed the opt out aspect - that there was no pressure. This meant that there was a freedom to explore / join in. I enjoyed that fact that the subject was very dark, but the atmosphere didn't seem so.”

“Thank you for an eye opening piece of theatre - because people interacted and gave themselves to ‘the game’, the game became real - we all connected with each other for brief seconds. It was a very surreal experience and shouldn't perhaps be repeated too many times in case it loses it vitality - but I loved being involved in it.”

“It was very intensive - could you do something with communication? Trying to explore how we talk with each other - perhaps the game could be how you send messages around the audience… with audience as messages - just an idea! Thanks you for an original show!”

“I remember singing amid the seeming chaos - watching someone else sing and be mirrored - this made me laugh. Being a pig and feeling uncomfortable, but affecting someone else. Hugging a perfect stranger who had their eyes shut and being surprised that she didn't flinch, but stayed still with me.”

“I remember talking to my dead grandfather about my sick mother and whether he was proud of me or not. I would change the pre-show contract in some way - I had no idea there was work I could have done before.”

“I remember being embarrassed to draw attention to myself. I liked changing the space. I would have liked to have had some text to work with.”

“I remember spontaneous outbursts of song. I loved the slowness against the speaking, following and walking / mirroring. I’d love to develop the walks through the woods at night combined with screaming.”

“The energy of others. The atmosphere. Love scene with Kate. Peace symbols being drawn onto my hands - like buddhist monks/“