Feb 2012.

Dearest bloggers.

We haven't written anything since last June, can you believe it? We've been working so hard on all our projects that blogging about our work has sadly fallen to the bottom of the list :(.

2011 was a good year though wasn't it? It saw FAF go through the mill a little, deciding on its future wasn't an easy decision, with arts funding so bleak and the economy the way it is (yawn) it made me nearly want to down tools for good, but then I went to an incredible festival in Amsterdam. The ADM Festival. Renowned for its industrial art and home-grown performances, (intelligent art for soul foods sake) and of course a raucous party. It was within this world of Mad Max's harbour, whilst experiencing some of the most amazing art I had ever seen, that I was emancipated for a moment from the confines of the depressive nature of (yawn) the economy. I received the spark of passion that I needed to carry on. But still, as any founder of any company will tell you, it is a lot of f*ffin hard work and last year I had so many moments of turning back it was un-real. It really has been a long old road getting to where we are now, but I am pleased to say that all the favours pulled in from friends, all the coffee's, question and answer sessions with the pro's, all the 18 hour long days, all the blood, sweat, toil and tears weren't in vain. Our hard work has begun to pay off. The end of the year saw us launch our first online home (http://www.fafarts.com/), with many thanks to my friend and web designer Bridget Tan (http://www.bridgetdesigns.co.uk/).

Things could go tits up tomorrow, the economy (yawn) could squeeze us all until we burst, but it gives me a warm glow to think we run a business that is all about making people genuinely smile. (Plus we get the tax man to say FAFARTS which sounds childishly like 'farts' on the telephone).

Over and out for now, if you haven't yet, then please check out our website on http://www.fafarts.com/ and please let us know what you think!

Kerri X

The Bee's Knee's

Im pretty excited to announce a NEW show that we are creating for this summer, it was originally commissioned by Secret Garden Party after I wrote in with a bizarre idea for their theme : Origins and Frontiers, but is now becoming an act we are developing for future festivals and events, and dare I say it maybe even a little corporate sponsorship. (but only from an eco worthy company or issue based charity!).

The ecological importance of the bee, and its threat of extinction is something which has played on my mind for a while now, and I am really happy that my creative self has started to make a piece about it, I also, like most of us out there feel pretty outraged at the ever blatant cheek of bankers raises and the lack of corporate tax, feeling pretty small in a world overrun by bureaucratic rules and regulations this is my one of my protests.

This is my inner punk smashing all the bank windows and scrawling 'bankers are wankers' all over the walls. Which really never achieves anything does it? except bad press and a feeling of tempoary elation.

True to our manifesto this piece overthrows the status quo, mocking capitalist ideals and shines a light on a very real issue affecting all of us in todays society, (the death of the bee would be a very big one indeed).

So let me introduce you to The Bee's Knees (which is a shit name so if anyone has any better ideas please send them over, i'd be glad to hear them! )

Drum roll purleease.........

The Bee’s Knees.

Once upon a time, when land was man’s and skyscrapers ruled the kingdom , a rare little bee buzzed his way into the office of an evil business man. On the desk of the evil business man sat an evil jar of plastic flowers, (his wife had bought them from the local Poundland store the day before). The little bee was buzzing himself on one of the plastic stems when the evil business man stamped his hand on the desk in a fit of rage! “Dam stock market” he bellowed. Little bee got so scared and tried to sting the man, but the man reached inside his top drawer and released his .... EVIL CAN OF FLY SPRAY.......

Will YOU defy evil and help the bee sting the can of fly spray in the ass?

Look out for a suit, a giant can of fly spray and a bumble bee, add us (Faf Arts) as a friend on facebook and follow the adventure all the way to the garden.

Comedy. Surreal. Spectacle. Walkabout.

Telegram from Greta!

Dear all,

The Gutter Glamour Girls have been very busy on their street in Margate this past two months with a project called "Margate's Memories", where by we have been sipping tea with the wise and exchanging faux pas with the daft. Everyone involved (aged between 75 and 100!) have been absolutely amazing and have shared some truly magical stories with us, we believe what we have now is a very raw (and funny) portrail of life in Margate circa 1955, where supplies were short but morale and standards were high!

Please do find attached a poster and a press pack for Fridays event and please forward on to your contacts, I bid you all a farewell and a very hot and merry May!

Hope to see some of you there on Friday.

Kind regards

Kerri Layton, Artistic Director.

Well now, here's a to do! Over at FAF HQ we have been inundated with calls from lots of lovely people wanting to see our latest production "This, That n' T'other" showing at the Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate, this Friday.With only 20 tickets left, the girls and I shall be quite rushed off our feet- lucky we'v been saving up our tea and sugar rations to provide all you lucky souls with a hearty brew and healthy dose of street gossip! However, I'm a bit worried that some of our FAF-friends might miss out, so if you do wish to join us for tea then get the telephone operator to put you through to: 07411301960 and we'll keep a seat warm for you. Along with our company we shall be joined by local storyteller Frankie Jordan and we'll round up with a smashing singsong from Betty Lloyd and her Frontline Follies! Oh what a corker it promises to be! So I do hope to see you all there, ears scrubbed and collars starched for this one night only evening of entertainment. And one last thing- Dont forget your teacups and saucers!
xxx
Greta Garbage

AKA Natalie Bowers, GGG tour manager/performer
--

You are cordially invited to Betty's Parlour...

Well, it's all very exciting today up at FAF HQ where preparations for tommorow's latest spectacular are well underway! Yes, for those of you who don't know, I am pleased to announce that the Gutter Glamour Girls shall be holding court from their very own sitting room as such in Margate's Old Town Bazaar! So do pop along between 10-3 and see us having a pot of tea, a spot of cleaning advice and everything the neighbours didn't tell you!

If that weren't enough reason to visit, we'll also be selling tickets for FAF's upcoming one night performance, "This, That n T'other" showing at the Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate next Friday 13th May! Promising to an event you'll never forget, let us take you back to the 1950's when hoovers were cool and Mr.Muscle not yet a mere twinkle in his daddy's eye!

Ta Ta for now loves!

xxx

Greta Garbage

Aims of the show!

‘This, that n ’t’other’.

Margate.

Aims

· TTo enrich the dialogue of the Gutter Glamour Girls walkabout act and to experiment developing a site specific script that could hold a unique selling point for community arts festivals.

· To create a ‘pool’ of performers that is rehearsed for the summer season in order to perform at the festivals already booked.

· To develop new ways of rehearsing a piece of street theatre.

· To present the work in an immersive, intimate environment where the outcome of the research can be

· Raise the profile of the company.

Objectives

· Choose a site i.e. Margate and research community factors that would have affected our characters life’s at this time.

· By interviewing the elderly we aim to‘re-live’ their lives through the creation of a unique script built up directly from the findings of our research.

· Find new performers for the summer that have a vested interest in the project and a shared passion for street performance.

· Via online methods and alternative rehearsals, i.e. surveys and street marketing, (natural theatre rehearsal).

· Considering the venue (Tom Thumb Theatre) using the whole space and the street outside.

· Press relations are nurtured locally, regionally and nationally with a Radio 6 interview and local press features.

A rice cracker with jam

Hmm yum, a nice moment out with a rice cracker and jam, the only problem is that it doesn't last more than 2 seconds and I find myself looking down at the plate to see it I put half of it down, but no. I just have a big gob...must get another one...ah, yum.

Its been an exciting day at the Faf headquarters (or my living room as it were!). To finally be in the position of hiring someone is a momentous occasion, (although just separating the jobs in my head and giving them a title in itself, is a momentous occasion.) Not only that however, but also is the act of separation, the act of handing over complete responsibility to an integral part of your baby's life: the umbilical cord is now officially cut! Whomever this "child" grows up to be is no longer under my own influence, and may, like any child's life, it be inspired and it be a life of great inspiration to others, being fed and watered with love (as it is!) from all who come near.

This is an event worth celebrating, and celebrating I am, all be it modestly with a rice cracker and jam (or 4). It's hedonism central in this part of town you see, look out all you village folk, I may even open the Jacobs cream crackers next time there's a celebration!

So, i'd better get stuck back in for a few more hours of chipping away at the old proverbial block of stone, but soon we shall see what delights lay beneath. "Here be exciting times" it may say, or perhaps "Do some of your 'efffin degree woman, before its too late!" either way, im sure its going to be a beautiful thing.

Lots of love to Jamie and Natalie our new press officer and tour manager, and also to everyone else who is involved with FaF right now, be it voluntarily, engaged or profit shared, the future of FaF lies in your wonderful hands!

x

The blog of a homeless/office-less Street Theatre Company

02/03/11

The second meeting today with team FAF, were lucky to be using Vicky’s house/studio, which I haven’t seen yet, currently I’m, sat in cafe Boho’s typing out the notes and the creative leads for today’s session. Normally I would do this at home, but I had a massage from Stef at ten, then met Kathryn at 12 for a tea. Now I’m sat in the window, sipping green tea (I’m detoxing for life at the moment) watching the world go by, trying to cut out the background noises and think of umbrellas.

Today is a windy day actually, the wind is an incredibly unforgiving, invisible enemy when you’re on your bike, and it took me 20 mins to ride what would normally take me ten this morning. I really dislike it, but it’s good fun if your agenda is kite flying.

Today my agenda is unfortunalty not kite flying! The winter has reared her ugly head again forcefully threatening spring and summer into submission. Looking out of the window now I can see she is out playing with her best friend, the wind: Tawihiri, she is violently bellowing at a man who is struggling to keep his hat on, “do not forget me” she reminded my scarf and hat this morning, who were temporarily resting in the pocket of my curtain. Dam this cold, I really dislike the wind.