Cast-Off Drama - new address from Feb 2006: 133, Leas Avenue, Holmfirth, HD9 3EW. Tel: 01484 685948.

Current Information and Latest News...

Cast-Off Drama - A Theatre Company of Life-Models, Street-Performers and Itinerant Artists.

About us...
From October 2007. Registered office: Cast-Off Drama, Unit F5, The Media Centre,
7 Northumberland Street, Huddersfield, HD1 1RL. Tel: 07800 861393. Fax: 0870 990 5100
E-mail: castoffdrama@gmail.com
Artistic Director: Nina Kane

Formed in 2002 Cast-Off Drama is the recognised pioneer of 'life-modelling theatre' offering new roles to life-models as perfomers and to artists as 'notators' and audience members. In addition to life-modelling theatre, we work with street theatre and community theatre, creating powerful, people-centred productions.

Based in Huddersfield, England, under the artistic direction of Nina Kane, Cast-Off is a theatre company of life-models, artists and street-performers working with itinerant and community art in galleries, studio theatres, community centres and outdoor locations. We recognise life-modelling and life-drawing as interdependent art forms involving both model and artist in dynamic creative exchange. We see life-modelling as a theatre-based art form, and the life-drawing space as a space for theatre.

About 'Life-Modelling Theatre'...
Centrally, our work develops the performance potential of the life-model offering high-quality theatre productions, workshops and events for a life-drawing and street-theatre audience.

Drawing on fine art, old stories, music, literature and circus history, we explore the drama of the body in art through physical theatre, mask-work, singing and storytelling. We explore everyday clothing, masks, costume, nudity and non-nudity, working closely with artist-notators who act as 'mirror' and 'outside eye' to the process, but also through 'model-only' rehearsals and workshops. Concurrently, we investigate conventions of stillness, silence, nudity and heightened spectacle occuring in the life-drawing space. Using integrated theatre processes we seek emotionally-literate negotiation of such conventions to generate a theatre of the body which plays to the strengths of the individual model-performer. At heart is a desire to understand and engage practically with moments of spontaneity, instinct and ritual occuring in the life-modelling/life-drawing exchange. See below for details of our production method.

Community Work... In addition to the life-modelling theatre, Cast-Off develops exciting and challenging workshops and projects in conventional theatre using physical theatre and mask. We offer an opportunity for community groups of all ages and backgrounds to investigate 'the theatre of the body' using props, costume and percussion in addition to role-play, narrative and song.

Like all small arts companies in the UK at the moment, we have been badly hit by the sharp withdrawal of public arts and lottery funding occasioned by the 2012 Olympics. This has affected our direct applications for public funds for productions, and our indirect sources of income through workshops and partner-working (ie. commissions by other publicly funded venues, groups, festivals, etc). In the autumn of 2006, therefore, we decided to take an 'in-breath' and focus our energies on performance writing and new script development building on our processes of life-modelling theatre techniques, audience dialogue, installation and site-specific engagement. Our current scripts - 'Poisson d'Argent', 'Between Stars' and 'Striped Dress' are coming along superbly and we hope to find hosts for these in 2008. (That, and continue to practise our synchronised swimming skills should the great Olympic talent scouts ever find their way to deepest Huddersfield and want to offer gainful employment to a group of pensionless mid 30-somethings)!

Other changes:
Cast-Off Drama has developed and incorporated two organisations under its wing in recent years - WILMA: Women Into Life-Modelling Arts and Ocarina Nina Street-Theatre. For a whole range of logisitical (and very positive) reasons, we have decided that these should operate separately and in the Summer of 2006, we took the decision that Ocarina Nina and WILMA should act as separate entities from Cast-Off Drama and continue to flourish and prosper in their own spheres. We wish them well on their journeys and will update Cast-Off blogwatchers on their progress.

For archive details of these and more on Cast-Off Drama's company's ethos and repertoire, scroll down to the bottom of the blog or click on earlier posts in the Archive section. In the meantime, please enjoy reading about Cast-Off Drama's latest and upcoming work...!

REPERTOIRE:
For full details of our repetoire and works-in-progress, please click on the side heading that says Repertoire of Audience Works. Repertoire pieces include:

The Striped Dress (2008 -)
Pull My Daisy (2007 -)
Between Stars (2006 -)
Poisson D'Argent (2006 -)
Beads (2003 - 2006)
Proscenium Memorial (2004-5)
Chime Chimera (2003)
The Bath (2002)
Will you, Won't You...Join the Dance?! (2002)


LATEST NEWS / UPDATES 2008

We experienced some technical difficulties with the blog and as a result many of our entries between 2006 - 2007 were frozen and were unable to be accessed. Thankfully this is now rectified and we publish below a synthesis of those postings.

Spring 2008:

'Minotaur'

You are invited to come and do some life-drawing and / or writing at Leeds
City Art Gallery Education Workshop this Friday 7th March, 10am-4pm. The
event is a 'drop-in', free of charge, all materials provided.

'Minotaur' is an experimental life-modelling piece performed by Nina Kane of
Cast-Off Drama to 'Stengam' by Cor Fuhler. The work explores writing and
storytelling through the body using mask, physical theatre and sustained,
nude, posing. It offers fantastic opportunity for making drawings,
paintings, 3-D work and creative writing. We will be working with both
electric light and candlelight. Come as and when you can, stay for half an
hour or all day! All welcome. Please bring a thread with you!

'Minotaur' forms part of ongoing work for a module on Collaborative Writing
that Nina is completing as part of an MA in Writing for Performance at
University of Huddersfield.For any questions on the event please contact
castoffdrama@btinternet.com or ring 07800 861351 / 01484 685948.

We are currently developing a script about the model-artist relationship between Kathleen Newton and James Jacques Jospeh Tissot. The working title is: 'Striped Dress'. Watch this space for updates.

Work on the other scripts is going well. See our repetoire section for details.

Check out Kimbal Bumstead's work with life-modelling at: www.kimbalbumstead.com and www.tapedduck.com . Kimbal did a wonderful performance at arts@trinity exploring touch and the life-model as object. (His website will explain this better so have a look!) It is great to see other artists working performatively with this field and we expect more performances to come from him and other model-performers in the Leeds area in the not-too-distant future! Well worth a visit!

New developments!! We are delighted to be teaming up with Parita - a company delivering training to local government departments and small CVS organisations on Equalities issues. We will be using our theatre of the body, also Forum Theatre and other political theatre methods to explore good working practice and provide education and consciousness-raising activities on a range of Equalities issues.

Embodying the Other: Pedagogic and Performative Strategies Used in the Art of the Life-Model 2002 - 2007 by Nina Kane is now available as a reference document at Leeds College of Art & Design Libraries and Leeds City Art Gallery Education Dept.

Cast-Off's Artistic Director Nina Kane will be presenting the current findings of her research into contemporary life-modelling studies at The Leeds College of Art & Design, Wednesday 30th January. More details to follow.

News from elsewhere:

WILMA -Having successfully completed an exciting autumn programme, we are writing up our interim report for The Scarman Trust and look forward to receiving our second installment of funds to run more workshops this Spring. We also hope to establish the WILMA facebook and get models contributing! Thanks to a successful male model launch on Nov 16th at The Media Centre (formerly Host) in Leeds, MILMA (Men Into Life-Modelling Arts) is now up and running. Contact Paul Armitage via the WILMA e-mail for further details.

The Art of the Life-Model - Was in danger of being replaced by a straight life-drawing class last term but was reinstated after students protested and said they wanted it kept just as it was! Hurray! We promise to run even more exciting, experimental, model-led and community-centred workshops this term in our 10-week 'Drama-into-Drawing' module! And yes, we have stolen this phrase from Cast-Off Drama but isn't it a good one?! Sessions are back to being held at weekends, and will run from Saturday 12th January - Saturday 15th March 2008 inclusive (no half-term), 1-4pm, Education Room, Leeds City Art Gallery.

Students on The Art of the Life-Model are planning an exhibition showing works made in response to the course's workshop sessions and life-modelling experiments over the years. If you would like to be involved in organising this please contact Christine Smith (details to follow).

Autumn 2007:

From October 2007, Cast-Off Drama is renting an office in The Media Centre, Huddersfield. Our address for correspondance until the Summer of 2008 will be:
Cast-Off Drama, Unit F5, The Media Centre, 7 Northumberland Street, Huddersfield, HD1 1RL. Fax: 0870 990 5100.

Modelworks...a programme of model-led life-drawing workshops will run from Nov 8th - Dec 13th, every Thursday, 9.30 - 3.30pm, in the Circle / Corner rooms at The Media Centre, Huddersfield. Cost: £12 / £8 concessions. We are sorry these are not free, but haven't you noticed there's an Olympics on?! All money goes directly to pay the model.

Work is going well on the scripts, but an opportunity to participate in the University of Leeds Jack Keroauc 50th Anniversary 'On the Road' conference is lost as the conference is cancelled due to a fire in the planning office! Our commiserations to the Conference organisers.

Artistic Director Nina Kane has completed a paper for the Leeds College of Art & Design on her performance research into contemporary life-modelling studies - Embodying the Other: Performative and Pedagogic Strategies Used in The Art of the Life-Model, 2002 - 2007 ((C) Nina Kane, 2007). The paper references the work of Cast-Off Drama in contributing to teaching and studies in this field. The research will be presented to the public in January 2008.

News from our friends..

WILMA - Thanks to the Community Champions Award from Cando, The Scarman Trust we are proud to launch a programme of free workshops for female models in community venues across Leeds, Huddersfield and Barnsley. We will also be launching a start-up workshop for male models on Nov 16th. Creche provided at some venues. Visit www.wilmawomenlifemodels.blogspot.com for further info.

The Art of the Life-Model returns to Leeds City Art Gallery (Education Workshop) this term with a 10-week module 'Performance Art & the Model'. Sessions are on Tuesday evenings from 5-8pm. Contact Neil Hedges at Leeds College of Art & Design
(0113 202 8165) for enrolment details.

Spring / Summer 2007:

Cast-Off Drama is in negotiation with Spacemaker Storage, Leeds to provide an installation venue for 'Between Stars. We have met with Hayden Productions with the prospect of some exciting video collaboration on the piece. Looks promising! Watch this space for further details.

Artistic Director Nina Kane visits Helensburgh, Glasgow and Edinburgh searching out locations and site-specific inspiration for 'Poisson d'Argent'. Useful research done for play script. Further research visits planned.

We have received a grant from the Leeds Philosophical & Literary Society towards the costs of writing 'Between Stars'. The work focuses on the lives of Maria Callas and Dorothy Squires. Thank you very much to the society for their assistance.

We begin work on 'Pull My Daisy'- a work for male models based on writing by Leonard Cohen, Jack Keroauc and Neal Cassidy.

Our administration folder of draft funding applications and research ideas is lost on a train between Leeds and Newcastle. Most of it handwritten. It is never seen again! Is this a sign? We desperately need an office!

News from Elsewhere:

Community Champions!!!! WILMA has received a Community Champions Award for £2,000 to run a series of free life-modelling workshops for women interested in trying life-modelling or currently working as life-models. A big thank you to John Parkes at Roundhay Rd Resource Centre, Leeds and The Scarman Trust for their advice on this!
The news is dampened by the report that we are likely to be one of the last groups to receive this as the Government has withdrawn the Small Grants programme and will be closing the Community Champions scheme from February 2008. It will not replaced with anything else. We urge everyone who cares about grassroots, voluntary,small-scale community projects to write to their MP c/o the House of Commons to oppose this.

The Art of the Life-Model: has moved from a 'drop-in' to a 10-week modular system. It is still being run at Leeds College of Art & Design as we await the refurbishment at Leeds City Art Gallery. It is now running on Thursdays, 6-9pm at Jacob Kramer buildings, Blenheim Walk. Contact Neil Hedges on 0113 202 8000 for more details.

Ocarina Nina: The Singing Secretary and Fiona Folk are very excited to be appearing at the Sunrise Festival in Glastonbury this June. We intend to focus on the larger festivals in forthcoming years and move further afield to other areas of Europe.

Summer / Autumn 2006:

Cast-Off Drama, WILMA and Ocarina Nina Street-Theatre & Singing go their different ways. This is a decision taken as a mark of success - we have all outgrown each others' remits and are strong enough to fly off in our different directions. Visit Ocarina Nina's blog at: ocarinanina@blogspot.com

Work begins on the script of 'Poisson d'Argent' - a Gallery work for life-models on the 1857 Madeleine Smith story.

News from elsewhere:

The Art of the Life-Model is temporarily at Bracken Edge Primary School / Space@ art room, Chapeltown, Leeds. Monday evenings, 6-9pm while Leeds City Art Gallery has its long-awaited makeover! The artspace at Bracken Edge is fantastic! We also have a new Community Education manager Marianne Springham - welcome to her and a big thanks to Garry Barker for his support over the years! We look forward to new innovations!


Latest News... Spring 2006

Moving Bodies – A Cast-Off Drama workshop, Leeds City Art Gallery

Friday 2nd June, 10am-4pm - Free workshop. Part of the Frank Brangwyn exhibition programme (6th April - 18th June 2006).
Moving Bodies explores the journeying aspects of Frank Brangwyn’s work through drama, storytelling, figure-drawing, mask-making, textiles and discussion. We focus on his images of itinerant workers, notably his depictions of sailors, spinners and Travellers, and investigate the development of the vardo as an art influence on Brangwyn’s frames and motifs. The workshop offers an opportunity to experiment with a range of art materials and drama practices in relation to the exhibition. The workshop is free, all materials provided.
Moving Bodies is put on in connection with Cast-Off Drama’s forthcoming production ‘Beads’ (23rd/25th June).
Research funded by Leeds Philosophical & Literary Society
For booking contact Nina Kane, 01484 685 948
E-mail: castoffdrama@btinternet.com

Beads ('I took the beads of her necklace...') 23rd - 25th June - POSTPONED due to underfunding and cast injury. Despite a strong community input for resources, funds to rehearse with a cast were unforthcoming, and cast injury has prevented us from doing it voluntarily - as such we took the difficult decision to postpone this event. We are continuing to make the work and will relaunch the project when circumstances improve. Meanwhile, we would like to say a big thank you to Inner North West Area Committee Neighbourhood & Housing (Leeds City Council) for the offer of creche funding, Councillor Penny Ewens for MICE money, Swarthmore Centre, Leeds College of Art & Design and Leeds City Art Gallery for resources, venue and materials support, Bracken Edge Primary School for studio space and Women Into Community Health Network, Wade's Charity and Leeds Philosophical & Literary Society for research funds.

'Beads', A two and a half day continuous production for artists, sculptors and makers - Friday 23rd June 10am- 4pm and 6 - 8.30pm; Saturday 24th June 10am - 4pm, and Sunday 25th June 10am - 12pm; Swarthmore Education Centre, Main Hall - 'drop-in' performance. Free creche. Cast-Off offers audiences a unique opportunity to experience a story told in two ways. On the Friday evening come and watch a play. On the Saturday the story will be retold through tableaux images - drop-in, make drawings and paintings - bring loose beads with you to tell your own tales.

Beads is a horror story of greed, wounding and obsession. It tells the story of Ella and the vampiric Mrs de Plein. Ella collects beads. She finds, cleans and polishes them, listens to their stories and threads them into necklaces to sell. Mrs de Plein is a grande dame with large purse and a huge magnifying glass. She loves to get her teeth into something. An amateur anthropologist, explorer and bead enthusiast, she is determined to acquire 'all things Ella' at any cost. As her obsession grows, the audience is sucked into a chilling tale of evasion and pursuit which moves through Elzabethan England, the C19th and the Holocaust. Part clown show / part pantomime, grotesque and compelling, Beads is an enticing and challenging piece of physical theatre.

Two and a half years in the making, 'Beads' tackles the issue of C19th 'Gypsylorism' head-on through a physical theatre investigation of image, text, film and music. Eschewing the vampiric and reductive images of the past, we build new stories, tableaux and soundscapes inspired by the work of contemporary Traveller artists - Cor Fuhler, Hester Hedges, Tony Gatlif, Bob Lovell, Papusza - as well as non-Traveller sources.

'Beads' is Cast-Off's first major all-cast production since 'Chime Chimera' (2003) (though as many of you know, there has been some solo performances and workshops since). We are proud to be returning to the Swarthmore Centre, a fully-accessible community venue, and one of our initial supporters.

Also....Cast-Off recommends that you check out 'Second Site' - an exhibition of four Traveller Artists to be held at the West Park Centre, Leeds 5th - 28th May. For full details contact Dianne Greenhow at Travellers Education Service on 0113 274 8050 or Peter Saunders - Peter.saunders@educationleeds.co.uk . Artists exhibiting are: Daniel Baker, Ferdinand Koci, Damian LeBas, Delaine LeBas. Also, for those of you working in schools, the Traveller Education Service is running a Traveller Storytelling project. Contact Dianne or Peter for further information.

The Singing Secretary will be launching her 3rd Summer Season at Holmfirth Folk Festival on Saturday 6th May. She will be appearing at Garforth Arts Festival in Leeds on Saturday 8th July, and at Banstead Community Festival, Leeds on Saturday 22nd July. More dates to follow. For details of the Banstaed Park Festival, contact Peter Turner on 0113 240 6486, and check out Pete's website at www.peanut-the-clown.com

Cast-Off recommends...that you check out The Naked Shed. - www.thenakedshed.blogspot.com Naked Shed has developed from work at Dartington College Devon with Jerry Holloway and Emma Leeming and explores life-modelling in sheds at three sites in Devon and at the Roundhouse, Hebden Bridge on 18th June. In 2004 Cast-Off collaborated with Jerry in a Leeds-Devon Exchange. Hosted by WILMA / Cast-Off in Leeds, and the 'Out of Context' Symposium at Dartington, Nina and Jerry explored life-modelling theatre, clowning, gender and movement with life-drawers from Devon and Leeds. The work was inspirational to all involved and we are excited by developments at Dartington since this time. Emma is an experienced life-model and artist and has recently curated a project about sheds. Following the Roundhouse event she will exhibit the finished life-drawings in a local park. Well worth checking out!

We have moved!! Cast-Off Drama is now located in the beautiful Netherthong area of Holmfirth. We are very excited about this move and the potential it offers to broaden our work. We will still keep our links with Leeds, but look forward to working with artists and performers in the wider region. Our new contact details are as follows:
Cast-Off Drama, 133 Leas Avenue, Holmfirth, HD9 3EW. Tel: 01484 685948. E-mail: castoffdrama@btinternet.com

Studio space... We are grateful to Bracken Edge Primary School, Leeds and the Head Chris Walton for once again providing us with much-needed studio space at the school. We will be resident until the June break making a selection of masks for children's theatre. We are still engaged in making Serafina's Yard in the space (see below under 'recent projects') and are happy to report the Jinny's Car Scrap box is being filled with a wonderful array of old toy cars, trains and diggers! Work on the scrap yard will begin after Easter.

'Off the Wall!' An exhibition of Cast-Off Drama's work is now on the walls of the cafe exhibition space at Swarthmore Education Centre, Leeds and very fabulous it looks too! The work has prompted lively conversation and admiration - it will run from from 8th January - 4th February 2006. The exhibition is primarily of work from the two Venus Interventions projects, but also includes masks and photos from other projects and work-in-progress from 'Serafina's Yard' and 'There are no pockets in shrouds (Le Grand Depart)'. Thank you to Swarthmore for their help in getting this up.

'Raaz Ki Baat II' Cast-Off are delighted to be returning to Nasha to work on their young peoples' project. Nasha have teamed up Project 7, a youth project in the Chapeltown area of Leeds for the production. We will be working with youths from both projects on 'Raaz ki Baat' a production about drugs-taking in the South Asian community. Raaz Ki Baat was devised by youths on the Nasha project with Cast-Off and premiered at the Pakistani Centre, Leeds in May 2005. It is performed in a mixture of Urdu, Mirpury and English. The next production will be performed in the Space@ facility in Hillcrest Primary School, Chapeltown, Leeds on Friday 7th April, 6pm.

A New Wardrobe! Cast-Off Drama has 'inherited' the costume collection from the former Ascot School of Ballet. As such we have a magnificent children's wardrobe of frocks, hats and props for our youth work. We are immensly grateful to the family of Pat Hall (formerly Ascot) - Lydia, Mark and Tina- for passing these onto us. Given the sheer volume of dance wear, we have been sharing our good fortune and have passed sets of beautiful costumes and leotards on to Tanya Cusan's Salsa Theatre school for their Children's Salsa Productions. For details of Children's Salsa workshops please contact Tanya Cusan at www.tanyacusanespinosa.co.uk Thank you very much again to Tina, Mark & Lydia.

Staff Challenge Day: Cast-Off successfully ran a 'challenge' day workshop for employees of Thompson Design in Leeds on 21st January 2006. The staff attending the day were 100% committed to the activities and gave freely of energy, creativity and enthusiasm! The workshop was well-received and we look forward to future dealings with the company.

The Art of the Life-Model 'drop-in' sessions held at Leeds City Art Gallery will start again on 7th May, 1-4pm. (see below for details of this). This term's dates are:

Sunday 7th May 1-4pm
Sunday 14th May 1-4pm
Sunday 21st May 1-4pm
Sunday 28th May 1-4pm
Sunday 4th June 1-4pm
Half-term
Thursday 15th June 10am-1pm
Thursday 29th June 10am-1pm
Thursday 6th July 10am-1pm
Thursday 13th July 10am - 1pm
Thursday 20th July 10am-1pm

(Joint partnership between Leeds College of Art & Design and Leeds City Art Gallery. Sessions devised and run by Nina Kane - Tel: 0113 202 8166 / 247 8254. Please note that due to refurbishment work at Leeds City Art Gallery from Autumn 2006, the course is likely to be run through a community venue for the next academic year, offering us a fantastic opportunity to develop the experimental aspects of the life-modelling and life-drawing work. We look forward to returning to the Gallery after its re-opening in Summer 2007.)

About Ocarina NIna and WILMA (Spring 2006):

Street-Theatre... Under the auspices of Ocarina Nina Street-Theatre, Cast-Off offers festival goers a fantastic set of walkabout characters. Acapella singing is a central specialism of our street-theatre performance with all charcters using a wide repertoire of songs. Our main figure is The Singing Secretary - a poshPA with golden phone who invites you to 'choose a button from the box' before singing a song - jazz, blues, folk, pop, opera, showbiz musicals...the range is eclectic and varied. For Christmas events we have Christmas Carol - a singing lady Santa who gives you a 'bauble and a warble' with a repertoire of tunes from Bing to Bethlehem! For promotional events (leafleting flyers and brochures etc) we have Shopping Molly who peeks at your purchases whilst promoting the event...ring her till and she'll give you a trill of whatever Supermarket music happens to be in her Chanel-adorned head!

New from late Summer 2006 and ideal for Folk and Blues Festivals is Fiona Folk - a bustle-wearing, basket-carrying Belle of the Woods who will offer you a sprig of lavender whilst crooning a folky tune. Ballads, bells and smells Fiona Folk croons an impressive repertoire from Dylan to Dairymaids! Ideal for folk, country, blues and world-music audiences.

On a more lyrical note, Milady Milarkey is an original Shakespearian clown reciting songs and odes from the works of the Bard. Available for all arts festivals, also for figurative drawing sessions.

Incorporating...
Cast-Off incorporates 'Ocarina Nina Street-Theatre' and 'WILMA - Women Into Life-Modelling Arts' and works with local communities and small organisations to explore 'the theatre of the body' in meaningful, people-centred projects.

Recent Projects:

Recent Projects:

Ocarina Nina Street Theatre - New Acts for Christmas 2005!

'Christmas Carol'

A warble and a bauble! 'Christmas Carol' is a singing lady Santa carrying a big sack of Christmas 'baubles' (ie. sweets, chocolate coins, little Christmas trinkets, bells, etc). People choose 'a bauble from the bag' and she sings them a Christmas song from a repertoire of carols and Christmas pop songs. Ideal for Christmas fetes, parties, shopping arcades, long queues, department stores.

*** Christmas Carol will be appearing at Bracken Edge School Christmas Disco in Leeds on Wednesday 14th December. She will be out and about in York from Saturday 17th December! ************

'The Singing Secretary Christmas Special'
The much-loved Singing Secretary dons her winter woolies for her very own Christmas Special! The posh PA, complete with hairbrush mike, travel bag and golden phone will sing to you from a Christmas repertoire of carols and pop songs when you 'choose a button from her box'! Ideal for pantomimes, long queues, festivals, parties and any outdoor and indoor events.

Whitcliffe Mount School, Cleckheaton :
Whitcliffe Mount is setting up regular weekly life-drawing classes for 16-18 year olds. Cast-Off is proud to be modelling for these. A big well done and thank you to staff Lee Graham and Mark Murphy for their hard work in getting the classes up and running.

The Big Draw - Venus Interventions II: 164+ visitedThe Big Draw event over the weekend! Some wonderful drawings were produced and a fantastic time was had by all! Here are some of the comments:

"Fun. Met some nice people. Opened my eye to different medium"

"An interesting and exhausting day. Thanks."

"Absolutely super! We've had a lovely time. Thank you."

"Fun and very interesting."

"Excellent. Great atmosphere. - unsure about the introduction but it worked! Broke the ice! Learned a lot. I wouldn't normally work with the colours I did and would have given up on it long ago, but being forced to keep working at it has been a great learning experience as the picture came through!"

"Useful, thanks."

"Very refreshing to try different things and interact with the other life-drawers and model."

"Excellent! Thoroughly enjoyed myself. I'll have to learn to share!"

"My daughter thought it was a very good idea (Annabel age 7) and had great fun. I should have joined in as well (dad) but did not have the courage. Maybe next time. Thanks."

"My son and daughter liked it very much. They were at it right from the start. You can keep in touch with us (them) at... (address supplied)"

"Very good project. Wished I had brought my grandson."

"Very good idea"

"Hannah enjoyed this experience." (mother's comment)

" Good fun. More white paper and black ink needed!"

"Eye-opener!"

"Very good. First time I've been." (child's comment).

"First time. Very good." (child)

"It was fun, filled with zillions of art and I loved drawing cartoon characters." (child)

" Very stimulating and FUN!"
"A wonderfully focused atmosphere - creative, lively participants. Great fun."

Venus Interventions II - The Big Draw weekend
Saturday 15th October - 10am - 4pm
Sunday 16th October 1pm - 4pm
Ziff Gallery, Leeds City Art Gallery

A rerun of last March's 'Venus Interventions' workshop on the Saturday plus an opportunity to make work on a fresco or make individual drawing from the model on the Sunday.

Experience collective art-making whilst developing your own skills! Venus Interventions offers a unique opportunity to make shared art!

Working in groups of 3, you will develop life-drawings and paintings from the model, posed in a reconstruction of Antonio Canova’s ‘Venus’. You will rotate your drawings with your group, working into each other’s pictures using a variety of materials, media and techniques. Finished work will be exhibited at a community venue in the near future, after which participants can choose which picture to take home.
A fantastic opportunity for beginners and advanced drawers alike. The workshop will be model-led and will involve intensive sustained drawing from a nude model over a 4-hour period. Please note that you will not be able to take the finished work home until a later date.

Pre-booking required and it is preferable if participants can commit for the day if possible on the Saturday.. All materials provided.

Sunday's - Drop-in session: Still working with the Venus, a chance to work on narrative frescos in groups or to make individual drawings from a costumed model (all ages welcome).

All events have been organised in partnership with Leeds City Art Gallery and The Big Draw.

Wilma: WILMA (Women Into Life-Modelling Arts) will be running the 'Will You, Won't You...?' pilot project for female life-models at Space@Bracken Edge, Leeds on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September. The project works to a format pioneered by WILMA at Leeds City Art Gallery in July 2002, offering female life-models the opportunity to explore life-modelling as a profession and to network with other models in their area. The workshop runs from 10am-4pm each day, is free of charge and is open to women who have never modelled but would like to have a go as well as those already working in the profession. There will be an opportunity to model for a life-drawing group on the afternon of Sunday 25th. A big thank you to Wade's Charity who have funded the workshop, also Voluntary Action Leeds and Space@Bracken Edge for their support. For further details and to book, ring: 0113 262 0608 or e-mail: julesnina@ntlworld.com

STOP PRESS...Listen to the Bob Walmsley show on Radio Leeds 92.4FM from
3.30 - 4.00pm on Thursday 18th August for an interview on the WILMA project!

Ocarina Nina Singing Club: Ocarina Nina Street-Theatre will be running a weekly Singing Club for Key Stage 2 pupils, teachers and parents at Bracken Edge Primary School, Leeds every Monday lunchtime, 12.00 - 12.45pm (term-time only). We'll be singing Jazz, Blues, Soul, Pop and all the latest chart hits acapella! Bring your favourite song and we'll sing it together!

Ocarina Nina Street-Theatre: 'The Singing Secretary'- Having wowed the general public at the Doncaster Hot House Festival this February, The Singing Secretary will be appearing at the following events:
11th June: Little London Community Day, Leeds
18th June: 'Celebrating Harehills', Banstead Park Community Festival, Leeds
7th July: Garforth Main Street, Leeds
9th July: Garforth Community Street Festival, Leeds
10th July: Hebden Bridge Arts Festival
5th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
6th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
7th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
8th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
9th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
10th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
11th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
12th August: Broadstairs Folk Week, Kent
28th August: Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, Colne, Lancashire
29th August: Leeds West Indian Carnival, Chapeltown, Leeds - appearing with 'International Office Boy'!
3rd September: Chapel Allerton Arts Festival, Leeds - with International Office Boy!
4th September: Haworth Arts Festival
1st October: Ingleton Folk Festival
30th October: Mosaic Arts Market Launch, Host Media Centre, Leeds
12th November: Unity Festival, City Art Gallery, Manchester - with International Office Boy!
14th December: Bracken Edge Primary School Christmas Disco - Christmas Carol
17th - 23rd December: Christmas Carol - out and about in York and Leeds
Other dates are being firmed up as we speak and we are BOOKING NOW for all 2006 gigs!!!!!

Studio, also Cars, Trains 'n Boats 'n Planes Cast-Off Drama has 'making space' courtesy of Bracken Edge Primary School in Leeds for the autumn term 2005/6. We have a fantastic portacabin in the playground in which to make masks, sculptures and costumes, shared with Costume Designer and Artist Pam Burrett. Nina Kane is currently working on the installation Serafina's Yard in the space. A big thank you to the Head Chris Walton and to Pam.

As part of 'Serafina's Yard' and in preparation for the Cars, Trains 'n Boats 'n Planes project, Cast-Off is inviting children to post all their broken old toy cars, trains, boats and planes in a postbox in the school's reception area, and write something about their toy before sending it on its way! The collected vehicles will form part of the 'Serafina's Yard' installation.

'Papa Don't Preach' Drama Teens Project, Richmond Hill, Leeds
We will be assisting with workshops and rehearsals for 'Papa Don't Preach' - a youth production about teenage pregnancy in the Richmond Hill area of Leeds. Performances:
Tuesday 1st November
Wednesday 2nd November
6.30 - 8.00pm
Newfounds Methodist Church Hall, Richmond Hill, Leeds

Apprentice Studio Project (ASP):
During the Autumn, Cast-Off will be running a series of workshops exploring the working experiences of artists and models in late Medieval and early Renaissance studios. The workshops will practically investigate studio practices of antique, copying and shared arts-making within a hierarchial construct with the sessions being model-led. It will explore the various roles and duties practised by artists within the schools and studios of the 'old masters', with the model occupying the position of 'patron'. The workshops aim to reveal the dynamics of competition, flattery, and patronage operating within the Renaissance schools. 'Apprentice' is part of ongoing experimentation by the company into collaboratively-produced figurative art which challenges the one-artist-one-model paradigm of C19th life-drawing traditions. One of the events will be put on for The Big Draw. For further details, watch this space.

Shopping Molly. 'It ain't over 'till the fat bailiff rings...!' Living Sculpture meets Haute Couture. For a bit of Yorkshire urban cheek, watch out for Shopping Molly this autumn as she tinkles her till and gets you to flash your tat! From Boho Bazaar to Bargain Basement Bonanzas, if you've shopped till you've dropped Shopping Molly will be peeking at your purchases and swapping top trading tips! New for this autumn!

The Art of the Life-Model - Autumn 2005 dates
Thursday 6th October 10am - 1pm
Sunday 9th October 1pm -4pm
Thursday 20th October 10am - 1pm
Sunday 23rd October 1pm - 4pm
Thursday 3rd November 10am - 1pm
Thursday 10th November 10am-1pm
Sunday 20th November 1pm - 4pm
Thursday 24th November 10am - 1pm
Thursday 1st December 10am - 1pm
Thursday 8th December 10am - 1pm
The Art of the Life-Model is run in joint partnership between Leeds College of

In the News...
The work of The Art of Life-Model, Cast-Off Drama and WILMA recently received coverage in the Yorkshire Evening Post (21st May 2005) and on BBC Radio Leeds ('The Breakfast Show' 27th May 2005, Bob Walmsley Show 18th August 2005 and bulletins on Citizens Week, October 2005); 'The Singing Secretary' appeared in the Yorkshire Evening Post (20th June 2005) Asian Express (July 2005) and Colne Times (September 2005). Cast-Off Drama articles about life-modelling have also appeared in Artscene (February 2004) and The Hub website (May 2004).

Summer Workshop - 'Encountering the Other - performing the work of Jacob Kramer'
A practical workshop on the artist
Jacob Kramer
Saturday 2^nd July<
10am-4pm
Education Workshop, Leeds City Art Gallery
· Painting and drawing from a life-model
· Looking at Kramer’s work in the collection
· Making puppets & 3-d objects
· Portraiture, mask and disappearance!
The workshop is free – all materials provided!
Book Now on 0113 262 0608 to reserve your place!

Cast-Off Drama returns to Leeds City Art Gallery on Saturday 2nd July to do a day-workshop on the artist Jacob Kramer. This involves drawing from the model 'in performance', discussion and drawing from Kramer's pictures in the collection, group work with masks, life-drawing/making 3d objects from the model and exploring Kramer's mixed art influences. The workshop posits Kramer as a multi-cultural artist with reference to his mixed Ukranian-Jewish/Leeds British heritage and explores his curatorial interest in acquiring African and South Asian masks and artefacts. The performance will reflect on his status and experiences as a refugee artist within early C20th Leeds, and Kramer's own unique relationship to portraits, masks and disappearance. It will be performed in front of Kramer's works to the music of Naftule Brandwein.

Community Happenings...
The 18th June is a busy day for Cast-Off as we will be supporting two fantastic community events:
1. Refugee Week, West Yorkshire Playhouse:
In the morning of the 18th June, we will be one of a number of community theatre workers hosting drama workshops as part of the Refugee Council's Refugee Week in Leeds. Cast-Off will be working with refugees in various workshops throughout the Autumn as part of 'My World, Your World'. General info : www.refugeecouncil.org.uk

2. 'Celebrating Harehills' Community Festival in Banstead Park, Harehills, Leeds:
In the afternoon of the 18th June 'The Singing Secretary' will be appearing in support of the Banstead Park Community Festival in Harehills, Leeds. For further details of the event, e-mail: Peanutfrsa@Aol.com

Cast-Off Drama - A 'Theatre of the Body' project
***'Raaz Ki Baat' was attended by an audience of over 300! A great time was had by all and a big thank you and well done to Nasha and Leeds Health Focus!***

Raaz Ki Baat - 'Secrets'
May 14th 2005, Pakistani Centre, Harehills Lane, Leeds. 1-4pm, free entry - food included! There will also be a bazaar with henna painting, make-up demonstrations and jewellery stalls as well.

Cast-Off has been commissioned by Leeds Health Focus to work with NASHA - a community drugs project focused on highlighting the issues and experiences of drug use in the South Asian community, and offering support to families and individuals experiencing the effects of drug misuse. The project serves the Chapeltown, Harehills, Burley Lodge and Hyde Park areas of Leeds and particularly targets the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities in the city.

Cast-Off is working with a group of South Asian youths to develop a play which explores the reaction of two families to the knowledge that their teenage children are involved in drug-taking, and the experiences of the youths taking them. The finished work - entitled 'Raaz Ki Baat', performed in a mixture of Urdu, Mirpury and English, will be toured to local community centres, schools and Health Promotion events! For details of the NASHA project ring Leeds Health Focus on: 0113 248 8866.

'Negotiating Us, Here and Now' - Artist House, Situation Leeds Festival -
**Raphael's work will be exhibited at Leeds City Art Galley until 10th July. She is a fantastic artist! Thank you Raphaelle!***
Nina Kane and Raphaelle de Groot will be collaborating on Raphaelle's latest piece of Performance Art at Leeds City Art Gallery on Saturday 7th May, 10am-4pm and Sunday 8th April 1-4pm as part of the Situation Leeds Festival and The Art of the Life-Model. Using the Gallery's collection and the public space of the Ziff Gallery, the pair will negotiate the balance between theatre and performance art in the role of the model. The aim of the session is to further develop and explore the movement and 'mask-working' aspects of Raphaelle's performance, exploring seeing and non-seeing, negotiation of space, audience and 'risk', the 'mirror' of memory and the body as 'object' and performative subject. Nina will take a facilitative role in the collaboration, as a 'guide', a mask director, and 'sounding board', offering challenges and observations on aspects of the Performance Artist's use of the body through physical theatre intervention and persepective, and negotiating differing boundaries of risk. Raphaelle will perform the second stage of her work as part of The Art of the Life-Model to a class of life-drawers who will be invited to submit one of their drawings to Raphaelle for inclusion in a later installation work by her to be exhibited at the Gallery as part of Situation Leeds.

'Negotiating Us, Here and Now' is hosted by Artist House and Leeds City Art Gallery, with Cittadellarte Pistoletto, Italy Exhibition, 14th May - 10th July 2005, part of the Situation Leeds Festival 16th-29th May 2005. www.artistshouse.com

Spring Drawing
(in partnership with Leeds City Art Gallery)

'Proscenium Memorial' and 'Venus Interventions'
A double-bill of Life-Drawing at
Leeds City Art Gallery

Proscenium Memorial
Saturday 12th February
10am – 4pm
Silver Gallery
Leeds City Art Gallery
Model-Performer Nina Kane performs a pre-rehearsed series of narratives in response to Susan Hiller’s ‘Monument’ in the Silver Gallery. The life-drawing audience is invited to make short drawings and paintings from the model, then negotiate a sustained pose for a two-hour drawing based on the performance. The work combines nudity and draped work offering a fantastic opportunity for gestural and sustained (still) life-drawing. Some materials provided but also bring your own. There will be a 30-minute lunch break. Performed to selected pieces from 'Corkestra' by Cor Fuhler.
No booking necessary - just turn up and come and go as you wish. Free event, but donations welcome in aid of the Tsunami Appeal.

After a successful premiere of the above, 'Proscenium Memorial' is now available for booking and will tour to gallery spaces throughout 2005. Contact the company for booking details. See audience feedback in our main 'Responses' section

Venus Interventions
Saturday 12th March
10am - 4pm
Ziff Gallery
Leeds City Art Gallery
Experience collective art-making whilst developing your own skills! Venus Interventions offers a unique opportunity to make shared art!

Working in groups of 3, you will develop life-drawings and paintings from the model, posed in a reconstruction of Antonio Canova’s ‘Venus’. You will rotate your drawings with your group, working into each other’s pictures using a variety of materials, media and techniques. Finished work will be exhibited at a community venue in the near future, after which participants can choose which picture to take home.
A fantastic opportunity for beginners and advanced drawers alike. The workshop will be model-led and will involve intensive sustained drawing from a nude model over a 4-hour period. Please note that you will not be able to take the finished work home until a later date.

Pre-booking required and it is important that participants commit to the whole day. All materials provided. Free event, but donations welcome towards the Tsunami Appeal.

For Booking and details ring: 0113 262 0608
Free Events: Any donations to the Tsunami Appeal.

Cast-Off intend to repeat this event on a larger scale for this year's 'Drawing Power'. We will also be holding a collective drawing day and auction for the Tsunami soon. Watch this space!

Our "Venus Interventions" collective drawing day was fantastic fun! A huge thank you to all the artists who attended and to the Gallery for all their help! We're now looking for a community venue to host the exhibition of work so watch this space....! Spring Drawing raised £65.42 for the Tsunami so thank you all!

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Art of the Life-Model Summer Term:

center;">Sunday 24th April 1-4pm
Wed 27th April 4.30 - 7.30pm
Sunday 8th May 1-4pm
Sunday 15th May 1-4pm
Saturday 21st May 1-4pm*
Sunday 22nd May 1-4pm*
Sunday 5th June 1-4pm
Sunday 12th June 1-4pm
Sunday 19th June 1-4pm
Venue:
Education Room,
Leeds City Art Gallery
(Leeds College of Art & Design Community Education & Leeds City Art Gallery Education).

Contact: Nina Kane via:
0113 247 8254 - gallery/202 8054 - college of art

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OTHER CURRENT, ONGOING and UPCOMING.... Spring/Summer 2005
Brief guide to current projects and repertoire - see below for fuller details of our work and watch this space for updates:

Cast-Off Production work: 'I took the Beads of her Necklace...' Weekend performance. Research funded by Leeds Philosophical & Literary Society and Women Into Community Health Network. Watch this space...!

WILMA: is developing a Mental Health arts project looking at the potential benefits of life-modelling for women suffering with depression, ME, eating disorders, self-harm and low self-esteem, also the therapeutic benefits of life-drawing within art therapy contexts. We are looking for female models to talk to us confidentially about any experiences of these issues, also in general about their reasons for going into life-modelling. We are also looking to hear from art therapists and other health professionals who may be interested in the research.

Trains 'n Boats 'n Planes... What are the boundaries between public and private? What stories do our possessions hold for us? What is the journey of objects? What do we create from inhabiting the same locality or space? What is the value of the 'cast-off'? What is our relationship to shared spaces and community/clan/family? What do we carry with us as we 'pass through'? Following personal artistic investiagtion into these themes in Le Grand Depart ('There are no pockets in shrouds') last Summer (2004) Cast-Off is running a spin-off storytelling and 'making' project called 'Trains 'n Boats 'n Planes' in the Chapeltown area of Leeds. Participants will be invited to explore their relationship to treasured and long-held possessions within the context of their local environment. If you live or work in the Chapeltown area and would like to be involved please contact Cast-Off on 0113 262 0608.

Also progressing from 'Le Grand Depart', Cast-Off will be running a series of creative sessions in the garage of a private house, exploring questions of intimacy and boundaries when making arts work in the home. For further details contact Nina Kane - 0113 262 0608.

>

Repertoire of Works and Audience Response

Repertoire

2006 - 2008:
At present we are concentrating on new performance writing. Scripts currently in development include -

'Striped Dress' - for 3 performers. A performance work based on Kathleen Newton and James Jacques Jospeh Tissot (from Jan 2008)

'Pull My Daisy' - A Gallery work for 3 male models exploring the male body, spirituality and images of masculinity in the work of Leonard Cohen, Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady. (2007)

'Between Stars'- A site-specific work for 2 female singers set in a storage unit. Based on the lives of Maria Callas and Dorothy Squires. (2006 - 8)

'Poisson d'Argent'- A Gallery work for three female life-models on the trial of Madelaine Smith, her reinvention as model and artist in William Morris' workshop and her final disappearance into the celluloid world of 1950s Hollywood. (2006 - 8)

Now complete:

'Beads'- a work for two female performers - could be performed by 1 playing two parts if wanted.
Beads is a horror story of greed, wounding and obsession. It tells the story of Ella and the vampiric Mrs de Plein. Ella collects beads. She finds, cleans and polishes them, listens to their stories and threads them into necklaces to sell. Mrs de Plein is a grande dame with large purse and a huge magnifying glass. She loves to get her teeth into something. An amateur anthropologist, explorer and bead enthusiast, she is determined to acquire 'all things Ella' at any cost. As her obsession grows, the audience is sucked into a chilling tale of evasion and pursuit which moves through Elzabethan England, the C19th and the Holocaust. Part clown show / part pantomime, grotesque and compelling, Beads is an enticing and challenging piece of physical theatre.


Currently Devising...'I Took the Beads of her Necklace' - 2 performers (Clothed/Costumed)(see above 'Beads' for complete script notes)
This multi-lingual work explores the experience of women working in casual, transient and itinerant occupations. It involve two models (costumed) and draws on writing by Truman Capote, Hester Hedges, Djura Makhotin, Grace Paley, Derek Jarman; art by Georgia O'Keefe, Anne Brigman and Imogen Cunningham, contemporary improvisatory jazz by 2nd Outlet and filmwork by Luc andJean-Pierre Dardenne. Songs informing the production represent a range of cultures and languages. (Research funded by the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society). Contact the company on 0113 262 0608 for further information.

Touring:
Proscenium Memorial - 1 performer
(previously entitled 'Memorial for the Model Who Was There-Not-There') (Draped/Costumed/Nude)
A young boy shoots a bird with his catapult, a flamenco dancer's claps are lost, a man becomes petrified by molten sugar and hisses his anger through the veil. Elsewhere a woman hugs herself on a stone floor, a doctor prepares himself to die, a stewardess on a sinking ship apologises to her fiancee... Inspired by Susan Hiller's Monument and Arvo Part's Tabula Rasa the work channels the unheard voices of those who died saving the lives of others and gives silent shape to those who were left to mourn. An eerie performance at which 'death' is the only clown. Performed to extracts from 'Corkestra' by Cor Fuhler. 2004 ( supported by Leeds City Art Gallery).

Chime Chimera - 3 performers
(Nude /Mask - Drape)
Devised by a cast of six, Chime Chimera is a work for 3 female life-models fusing spontaneous mask-working, percussive performance and movement with pre-set sustained poses. Three masks - Spider King, Water Queen and Fruitface - swing between conflict, complicity and harmony, negotiating jealousy, desire, revenge, birthing, separation and nurturing in their shared need to survive. Visually-striking, emotionally-compelling, the work grew out of research by the cast into Paula Rego's Dog Women, Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson and The Passion According to GH by Clarice Lispector (c) heirs of Clarice Lispector. Premiered March 2003. Funded by Arts Council -Yorkshire, supported by Leeds City Art Gallery and Leeds College of Art & Design.

The Bath - 2 performers
(Nude)
In the South of France, 2 women in their forties share an exchange as one leaves her bath and the other prepares for one. The afternoon is hot, the smell of lavender streams through an open window, the floor is terracotta, a mirror is in the centre...that is all. What do we know of these women? What is their relationship, and the reality of their everyday lives? What does each artist in the audience see as they draw? Devised by a cast of three, The Bath was inspired by images of women bathing, notably in the art of Picasso, Degas, Bonnard and Suzanne Valadon. Devised for The Big Draw, October 2002 by WILMA, supported by Leeds College of Art & Design and Leeds City Art Gallery.

Will You, Won't You...Join the Dance?! - 3 performers
(Nude and draped)
Blood-ties, recognition, rage, separation, dignity, forgiveness...a mother and teenage daughter open their hands to a stranger at an annual harvest dance. As the stranger accepts, the mother recognises it to be her estranged daughter. The moon is full, the waves lap gently as the women dance in silence. And then they begin to talk... Originally devised by WILMA for the pilot project (July 2002) in response to Paula Rego's work 'The Dance' and Gabrielle Roth's 'Luna', this has been adapted by Cast-Off Drama for performance.

Year-long Research Project:

Le Grand Depart (There Are No Pockets in Shrouds) / Serafina's Yard:
Touring installation comprising large sculpture (mixed media), photography and live performance - Booking Now for Autumn 2005! Initial stages of research assisted by grant from the Women Into Community Health Network.

For a week in July 2004, theatre artist Nina Kane invited people in Leeds to rummage in her garage taking away anything they wanted from a pile of discarded possessions for free. The possessions included: books, records, CDs, clothes, jewellery, household crockery/linen, posters, love letters, old CVs and job applications, files, cosmetics, school books and many other personal everyday items. The items had travelled with her for years but no longer had a place in her heart or home. Visitors were invited to write their responses in a visitor's book. On July 31st, the remaining items were made into a fire-sculpture and burnt. From August 1st - September 1st 2004, the artist travelled to places from her past carrying a suitcase full of ash from which she made 'invisible ink'. When in places associated with the possessions she wrote letters in the ink 'to the memories', placed them in envelopes, and burnt them in discreet bonfires before leaving the places behind, laying memories both good and bad to rest.

In the year following the 'depart', the artist has been creating a large-scale installation work: 'Serafina's Yard' working from the leftover materials, memories and 'visions' arising from the journey. An installation /exhibition of sculptures, images, writing and storytelling on the project will be available from 1st August 2005 for residency in galleries and other appropriate spaces and will involve the artist in continuous 'presence/performance' as part of the installation. Contact Cast-Off Drama on 0113 262 0608 for details.

Coming soon...Trains 'n boats n' planes..a project into spaces around the Chapeltown area of Leeds. Contact the company for more details.

Community Theatre and 'Theatre of the Body' Projects:
Raaz Ki Baat for Nasha, Leeds Health Focus - see above

OCARINA NINA STREET-THEATRE...

The Singing Secretary... a posh PA complete with suit, travel bag and hairbrush microphone! Choose a button from her box and she'll sing you a song - all styles: jazz, blues, pop, musical, folk, opera! Who knows what'll come out of her mouth! This musical lady will entertain and astound you with her vocal range. Acoustic Street-Singing at its best!

Milady Malarkey in 'Baubo's Fardel'... a Shakespearean clown, Milady Malarkey weaves stories and carnival magic from the works of the bard shaping songs and speeches into mesmeric physical theatre for life-drawing audiences. Her latest offering, 'Baubo's Fardel' takes The Winter's Tale to places it has never been before offering opportunity for a fantastic day's drawing. Available for indoor and outdoor events, in parks, galleries, common ground or beaches...tides and weather permitting.

Shopping Molly... 'It ain't over 'till the fat bailiff rings...!' Living Sculpture meets Haute Couture. For a bit of Yorkshire urban cheek, watch out for Shopping Molly this autumn as she tinkles her till and gets you to flash your tat! From Boho Bazaar to Bargain Basement Bonanzas, if you've shopped till you've dropped Shopping Molly will be peeking at your purchases and swapping top trading tips! New for this autumn 2005! Let us push your promotion or sell your sale! Ideal for High Street promotions, supermarket and Shopping Arcade events! Book now on 0113 262 0608.

Christmas acts:

'Christmas Carol'

A warble and a bauble! 'Christmas Carol' is a singing lady Santa (with beard!) carrying a big sack of Christmas 'baubles' (ie. sweets, chocolate coins, little Christmas trinkets, bells, etc). People choose 'a bauble from the bag' and she sings them a Christmas song from a repertoire of carols and Christmas pop songs. Ideal for Christmas fetes, parties, pantomimes, long queues, shopping arcades, department stores. £175/gig.

'The Singing Secretary Christmas Special'
The much-loved Singing Secretary dons her winter woolies for her very own Christmas Special! The posh PA, complete with hairbrush mike, travel bag and golden phone will sing to you from a Christmas repertoire of carols and pop songs when you 'choose a button from her box'! Ideal for pantomimes, long queues, festivals, parties and any outdoor and indoor events. £150/gig.

Responses to Our Work...

"I thought it was very interesting and thought-provoking. I've never done anything like this before and it was a refreshing change from conventional life-drawing."

"Fantastic models. Very beautiful, especially when moving. Hard to do them any justice. The element of theatre and the movement involved makes life-drawing come alive. Thanks."

"Shared interaction gave a sense of value to all."

"Great fun – lots of ideas, inspirations & nice drawings."

"HARD WORK but inspiring, keen to see more of this kind of thing."

"Brilliant! Lovely to see the gallery come alive in this way. Keep up the good work."

"The performance was wonderful, the range of movements & emotions & descriptions made the Susan Hiller piece come alive. There were so many great poses, lovely drawing practice. Just been in another national gallery this week, but they don’t have anything as exciting as this going on".

"Always inspiring to draw."

“Absolutely brilliant. Thank you. Nina and all the ‘students’ in the workshop worked hard. Some great results and so generous.”

“Challenging but fun – very well organised.”

“Extremely enjoyable. Much better than I expected. I learnt a lot!!”

“Huge fun. I thought I would feel overawed but I didn’t. The day passed really quickly and results were great. I would like to come again.”

“Very interesting to work with other artists.”

“Really enjoyed the day. Was a great opportunity to work alongside people with different
styles and ideas. Thank you!”

“Very interesting – very similar to a previous event you staged last year in that groups moved from piece to piece. It was also interesting how each group’s paintings had close similarities and to see how paintings evolved through the various stages.”

“A fascinating way to work – thank you very much – very stimulating & inspiring & thought-provoking.”

“Lovely atmosphere, exciting and friendly. Made me think about my own ‘style’ and others. I think maybe I and others should have held back a little as some lovely things were changed too much. Nice conversations about the work. Thought-provoking. Thank you for a lovely day.”

“Unorthodox as usual, but well worth it! Very interesting/rewarding – hope the efforts are greeted with respect when they’re finally nailed up.”

“Really interesting process. Brilliant results. Extremely well-organised. Very enjoyable.”

"A very enjoyable day – it was a very supportive environment in which to try life-drawing. Thank you very much!”

“An excellent day with a fascinating holistic approach.”

"Very inspiring session particularly if you haven’t done any life-drawing for years like me. Thank you very much".

"As always a very splendid time – new ideas about drawing –

well living."

Found the performance stirred up lots of images – very inspiring, a really good day. Thank you!

"A refreshing change to normal life-modelling because it was model-led and I felt this enabled everyone to gain a greater insight into the art discussed including myself as a model."

"You created a really warm environment. I had a fab day! Thanks."

"Excellent. I hope there will be many more of these events. Inspiring and very educational. Wonderful atmosphere."

"Very useful to hear about other models' experiences, views and attitudes."

"Interesting - good idea to combine performance / modelling. Will definitely come again."

"Lovely day. Went on a lot of travelling in my mind, opening up. The performance was a treat to try and capture on paper. Lots to take away, think about, use in other work."

"Really good day. Made me look again...at art, the world and where I fit. Thanks."

"I found it stimulating and fun, educational and thought-provoking...I was certainly able to take part in things that I would never have even considered. I am glad that I did."

"I very very much enjoyed your event - got me back in touch with art again and got me drawing - forgot how good it was! Thank you!"

<

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Cast-Off Drama - A Theatre Company of Life-Models, Street-Performers and Itinerant Artists

incorporating WILMA - Women Into Life-Modelling Arts and Ocarina Nina Street-Theatre
Artistic Director: Nina Kane
Contact Details: Cast-Off Drama, 55 St Martin's Rd, Leeds, West Yorkshire,
LS7 3LU, United Kingdom.
Tel: UK 0113 262 0608
E-mail: julesnina@ntlworld.com

Formed in 2002 Cast-Off Drama is the recognised pioneer of 'life-modelling theatre' offering new roles to life-models as perfomers and to artists as 'notators' and audience members.
Based in Leeds, England, Cast-Off is a theatre company of life-models, artists and street-performers and works with itinerant and community artists in gallery or community settings.

Our work explores the performance potential of the life-model and offers high-quality theatre productions, workshops and events for a life-drawing and street-theatre audience. Drawing on fine art, old stories, music, literature and circus history, our work explores the drama of the body in art through physical theatre, mask-work, singing and storytelling. We explore everyday clothing, masks, costume, nudity and non-nudity to generate a theatre of the body which plays to the strengths of the individual model-performer.

We believe that figurative art is best achieved through an active creative exchange between life-model and artist. Led by Nina Kane, a practising life-model, actress and singer, models and artists join together to create work that is dynamically still and emotionally-charged.

Our performances take place as a day-long event, over a weekend or couple of evenings. Valuing uses of presence, instinct and story-telling in performance we present rehearsed material to our audience who make drawings, paintings, masks and models of the work. New stories emerge from their creations and are shared by participants in informal discussion with the cast. Negotiation is an integral part of the performance and audiences are invited to choose a tableau from which they make sustained drawings for the remainder of the performance. By the end of the event substantial fine art and drama have been created by all present.

Repertoire: (see above for descriptions of the work)

Currently Devising...'I Took the Beads of her Necklace' - 4 performers (Clothed/Costumed): Autumn 2005

Proscenium Memorial (previously Memorial for the Model Who Was There-Not-There) - 1 performer (Draped/Costumed/Nude): 2004/2005

Chime Chimera - 3 performers (Nude /Mask - Drape): 2003

The Bath - 2 performers (Nude): 2002

Will You, Won't You...Join the Dance?! - 3 performers (Nude and draped): 2002

Cast-Off Drama Research Project:

Le Grand Depart (There Are No Pockets in Shrouds)/Serafina's Yard (2004-5)

Theatre of the Body Projects:

'Raaz Ki Baat' for Nasha & Leeds Health Focus

OCARINA NINA STREET-THEATRE...

The street-theatre section of the company, Ocarina Nina, explores the fairground and circus tradition of the 'poses plastiques'. Challenging the silence of conventional 'Living Sculpture' our street-theatre characters create high-impact, humourous and warm exchanges with the public through singing, speeches and stories. In line with our development of the theatre of the body, we work acoustically (ie. no amps or mikes!) and are skilled in a range of musical and vocal styles.

The Singing Secretary
The Singing Secretary wowed audiences last Summer at Unity Festival Manchester, Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, Chapel Allerton Arts and the Swaledale Festival to name a few and has launched the 2005 season in style at the Doncaster Hothouse Festival. At £150 a gig, this is too good to miss. Taking Bookings Now for 2005 on 0113 262 0608.
Garforth Community Festival, Leeds - Sat 9th July
Broadstairs Folk Week - Fri 5th - Fri 12th August (daily)

Milady Malarkey in 'Baubo's Fardel'... Available for indoor and outdoor events, in parks, galleries, common ground or beaches...tides and weather permitting. Book now on 0113 262 0608.

Shopping Molly. New for this autumn 2005! Let us push your promotion or sell your sale! Ideal for High Street promotions, supermarket and Shopping Arcade events! Book now on 0113 262 0608.


WILMA - Women Into Life-Modelling Arts
Our research organization WILMA - Women Into Life-Modelling Arts creates space for female life-models to explore life-modelling as a creative form. It also offers the opportunity for women interested in life-modelling to have a go and we offer a start-up project designed to develop life-modelling networks in your area.

We aim to explore the conventions of Western life-modelling through practical work and to widen discussion and practice of ethics of image-making and image-taking from/of the body. Part of this involves exploring the use of the body in non-Western art forms and workshops allow each woman as an individual to develop a code of practice in relation to her own image-making activity whether as an artist, model or both. WILMA is dedicated to developing life-modelling as a profession and providing space for female life-models to develop their creativity whilst exploring varying gendered and cultural perceptions of the role of the body in art. We recognise the importance of a woman-only space for this.

WILMA is a free informal advocacy and network service for life-models offering a forum for discussion, advice to new models and support in setting up model-led projects. It is not an agency. We work to extend access through identifying appropriate venues, working appropriately within differing cultural contexts (with regard to methods of image-making, use of nudity and hygiene/cleaning rituals) and providing free childcare.

WILMA has developed and run a number of free community projects including:

• The Will You, Won't You...? pilot project at Leeds City Art Gallery and the Swarthmore Centre, Leeds, July 2002. Attended by women aged 18-67 years.
• Bi-monthly programme of activities led by individual models including sessions on: Black Women's Poetry, Puberty and the Body, Digital Art and Projection Work, Counselling and Gestalt, Clowning and Life-Modelling, Body-Painting. Workshops led by models: Tamsin Spain, Sharon Williams, Ann McGuire, Deborah Sanderson, Nina Kane.
  
• Event for The Big Draw
• Currently devising a professional development course for female life-models. The course uses drama for models to explore their own personal ethics/practice whilst developing assertive and co-operative communication with artists in one-to-one and group situations. It also gives space for models to test out and share their own creative posing ideas and develop practical techniques.
• Currently researching a Mental Health arts project looking at the potential benefits of life-modelling for women coping with ME, self harm, depression, low self-esteem and eating disorders.
  

The Will You, Won't You pilot proved successful at developing life-drawing and modelling networks in the area, and is offered as a start-up weekend package for £150. Please ring 0113 262 0608 for further information.

Other Education Work

Cast-Off Drama has a successful track record of community education and research partnerships. Like our general drama workshops, these are model-tutored and include:

• Workshops at Leeds City Art Gallery including 'Venus Interventions' - a collective drawing day, workshops on Jacob Kramer (coming soon) and workshops on the 'Lady of Shallott' (Tennyson/Waterhouse) and 'Three Wives Sat Up In the Lighthouse Tower' (Kingsley/Webb-Robinson)
  
• The Art of the Life-Model, a free adult education 'drop-in' at Leeds City Art Gallery (joint with Leeds College of Art & Design and Leeds City Art Gallery Education Department) - 2002 - ongoing. See below for this term's details.
• Kirklees Local Government Arts Education Service - teacher training workshops in working with a life-model for Art Teachers (Secondary-level). Schools' workshops - 2004/5
• Dartington College, Devon. Exchange with Arts Management student Jeremy Holloway (a professional life-model and clown) and participation in the Out of Context Symposium - 2004.
• Tall Tales. Storytelling work from objects by single model in your regular local life-drawing session (pay us at your normal hourly rate)
• Thompson Design Ltd Leeds - Staff 'Challenge' day - creative workshop for design staff members, Leeds City Art Gallery, (2006)