During the last 6 weeks I’ve been busy creating the soundscape for a devised solo show that my partner, Clare at Clare’s Many Threads, has been working on since January.
Clare will be performing Can I be a butterfly at the local Duns Play Fest here in the Scottish Borders on 28th April at 6.15pm Duns Play Fest 2024
Can I be a butterfly? is a semi-autobiographical, part imagined, solo play about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and its possible message to a fast world.
Using movement, poetry, sound, song and text, Clare weaves her own story around the fairytale of Briar Rose accompanied by the voices of others who have experienced ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Creating the soundscape has been a collaborative project that has accompanied Clare’s devising process. We have been working with 4 very profound recorded interviews. Each of the interviewees gave us permission to use their voices as part of the play.
It has involved a lot of intense listening and a painstaking process of cutting and weaving together their stories and experiences – often similar and sometimes very different. Trying all the time to honour the uniqueness of what each person expressed when they spoke to Clare during the interview/conversations.
As well as the voices from the 4 interviewees, the collaboration has gone wider, incorporating into the soudscape recordings of the singing groups in Duns and Smailholm, performing a song Clare composed for the show.
A full run through this week at the local village hall went well, but was not without its fair share of technical glitches.
Some of the early sound editing work has not made its way into the final play. “Colour of Fatigue” is one such clip. We couldn’t find a place for it, despite the fact that it encapsulates the gravity and humour expressed in the interviews:
In the final stages of rehearsing and refining the play, we’d both like to acknowledge the collaboarative contributions of the 4 people who were interviewed (Gill, Lucy, Adrian and Eula), the poems Lucy recorded for the show and the singing groups in Duns and Smailholm.
If you are in the area on 28th April come along to Duns Play Fest to see the show. Duns Play Fest Tickets – Can I be a butterfly?
Clare’s Many Threads is the Artist name of Clare Watson. She is an interdisciplinary practitioner living in the Borders, who works with theatre practice, walking, creative writing, textiles and song.
The Artist in Studio Hundy 
What an achievement. so much dedicated time and energy! Good luck for the performance.
Warm wishes and love from Ken W.
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Thanks Ken, much appreciated
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