The Colour of Love
Over the past few years the Fortune group have steadily been increasing their performance skills, working alongside professional trainers, performers, writers, directors and musicians. In 2008 with a National Heritage Lottery Grant they created scenes around the stories of refugees and asylum seekers who came before them to England with research at the National Archive, Refugee Council and Museum of London. This performance 'Asylum Road' was extremely successful and may still be revived as an educational tool for raising awareness for the rights of refugees.
| As their performance skills have developed the group has expressed a desire to move away from the need to tackle refugee linked themes. After discussion they suggested basing a piece around the universal theme of Love, starting from love stories from their background cultures. The research and development period quickly transformed to stories and views from their own experiences, often traumatic. Lively debate within the group about Love as a Destructive force (does it drive you mad or is it a salvation?), gradually developed into a 45 minute performance promenade, leading the audience through stories and experiences of both sides of this emotion. It used English as well as the group's mother-tongue, songs, dances and image theatre, culminating in a trial scene. It was performed 12 times in the fantastic crypt of St Andrew's Holborn and in a marquee in Coram's Fields, and was featured on Radio 4's Today programme. |
"The audience can see that when someone comes to this country we are not useless. We want to make something of ourselves" -Fortune participant
"This project was a lifeline for our boys" - Case Worker for three Fortune members
The Fortune Group premiered their work-in-progress 'Taste of the Past' at the annual Rose Bruford Symposium, we are anticipating that funding will be secured this Summer to develop the work into a full length performance.