Pre-Persuasion Arts

 Double Act (2003 - 2011)

Tam was a senior member of Bournemouth based Double Act Theatre company for nine years.  Double Act was the umbrella organisation for two theatre groups: Disabled Actors’ Theatre Company (DATco), for adults with physical/sensory impairments, and TOPS, for learning-disabled adults. The sister companies ran drama workshops for disabled people and toured educational plays and workshops around disability issues and well-known stories to Arts Centres (including Lighthouse, Poole) and schools in the Dorset area. For many years Double Act worked in partnership with State of Play Arts (formerly Bournemouth Theatre in Education.)

As well as Acting, planning and co-leading workshops Tam was an active Steering group member and was also on the marketing team. She was heavily involved with running with the day-to-day ractivities of the company, organising and marketing tours and workshops and fund-raising.  

Double Act Productions which feature Tam (DATco) include:

• January-July 2011: Various, Can I be Frank With You?, a modern take on Frankenstein, involving film, and cabaret style monologues, songs and dance (written by the cast and Directed By Jamie Beddard).
  
• November 2009 – June 2010: Various, Whirling Dogs Cabaret, a series of sketches, monologues, dances, songs and poetry. (Devised by Double Act, directed by Tony Horitz (State Of Play). Tam also worked with Mat Fraser on comedy, and on writing a monologue – Wedding Unvite.
• November 2008 – January 2009:  Sophie Strudel, Beauty & The Beast Cabaret (adapted and directed by Tony Horitz (BTiE).
• November 2007 – January 2008: Alice, Alice In Wonderland, (adapted and directed by Tony Horitz (BTiE).
• November 2006 – January 2007: Various, Aladdin (adapted and directed by Tony Horitz (BTiE).
• November 2005 – January 2006: Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz (adapted and directed by Tony Horitz (BtiE).
• June – July 2006: (DATco only) Various, What If It Were you?, a devised integrated play and workshop exploring the stereotyped attitudes to disability in a parallel-universe society where the able-bodied and disabled roles are reversed. (Written by DATco & Tony Horitz, directed by Tony Horitz, (BTiE).
• September 2004 – May 2006: (DATco only) Aqua, Fittings; The Last Freak Show (by Mike Kenny, directed by Jamie Beddard, Graeae Theatre Company).
•  November 2004 – January 2005: Various, A Christmas Carol (adapted and directed by Tony Horitz (BTiE).
• May – June 2003: (DATco only) Various, Angel, a devised piece taken from the short story ‘An Old Man with Enormous Wings’ by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez (directed by Tony Horitz (BTiE).

 Tam says:

"My time with Double Act has been hugely rewarding.  I have had the opportunity to grow not only as a facilitator/arts manager/administrator, but as a performer. It is exciting to think that the skills and confidence I have gained can now be passed on to others, and they will find out as I have, that disability is not a barrier to achieving your dreams. Drama and theatre are a great way of communicating what is important to you. Of course there are bound to be challenges along the way (as with anything in life!) but, with the right knowlege and guidence any hurdles can be overcome!"

Remix Youth Performance Company (2007 - 2011)

Activate Performing Arts

Background

From Remix’s birth in 2007 until Spring 2011, Tam was one of the three Remix Associate Artists, representing Double Act Theatre Company as a peer mentor to the young people, and training as facilitator under the guidance of Artistic Director Claire Hodgson (Diverse City).

The Remix is an integrated company of young people aged between 12-19 years from Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole. They meet once a month and for four day residencies in half term and holidays to create dance and theatre work which is showcased at festivals and events at Dorset venues such as Lighthouse Poole, and Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth.

The Remix work on a regular basis and provides residencies led by leading UK disabled and non-disabled practitioners and companies. Regular names include Jamie Beddard, David Toole, Graeae Theatre Company, CanddoCoo and STOPGAP dance companies.

Remix Performances that the Associate Artists’ were involved in include, Club Shambles, Days Of Our Lives, Ska Hamlet, From Here To Hollywood, The Royal Remix, Flashmob, Pass The Peas, and Spotlight among others.

The Associate Artists’ role on Remix

The Three Associate Artists’ received funding from the Arts Council’s Grants for the Arts and IMPACT programmes. Their duties included:

• Being role models for the young people, supporting during rehearsals
• Performing in dance pieces to support the young people
• On theatre pieces, working with Claire in their areas of discipline (Tam as Assistant Director, Paul Wilshaw as Technical/facilitator, and Shaine Singer as Writer in Residence)

Spotlight

On their last year of Remix, as their showcase production, the Associate Artists were given the opportunity to develop, write and direct a play. Spotlight was performed by a cast of 20 young people from Remix in the Ballroom at Bournemouth Pavilion.

As part of their training and development, Tam, Paul and Shaine:

• Project Managed and planned their training and rehearsals
• Worked on Story Development with Claire Hodgson (Remix/Diverse City)
• Underwent facilitation training with Tony Horitz (Double Act/State of Play)
• Shaine developed and wrote the script with Gill Horitz (State of Play)
• Planned and liaised on costumes and music
• worked on the production side and marketing with support from Project Manager Jenny Gordon (JAM)
• Went on intensive training/work placements with outside organisations to gain further experience (Tam spent a week at the Orpheus Centre in Surrey, Paul went to Mind the Gap Theatre Company in Bradford and Shaine visited Bristol’s Firebird Theatre Company.)
• Led a four day residency,  two subsequent rehearsals and Performance day (supported by Tony and Claire)

Audience feedback was very positive:

"The confidence of the young people is amazing"

"I think they’re magnificent"

"Fantastic"

"We think its a very worthwhile project"

"Roll on next time!"

"Inspiring -  puts your own life into perspective"

"It was very moving"

"You reached for the sky and you flew like a bird of pure beauty"

Tam says:

“My time on Remix has been very special. I have learned so much about working with young people,  and watching them grow in confidence creatively and socially over the years has been very exciting. I owe so much to Claire and the rest of the team for giving me this fantastic training opportunity. Remix has become a huge part of my life – long may my association with the company continue!”

Breathe (2012)

Diverse City

Tam worked as an Emerging Artist on Breathe in 2012.

Breathe was the result of a commission from the Arts Council and the British Council for Dorset company Diverse City to create a spectacular performance, which linked with the final day of events in Battle for the Winds, a unique three day theatrical event to mark the opening celebrations of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing events. Breathe was performed on Weymouth Beach on Saturday 28 July at 9pm, and told the story of the Olympian god of wind, Aeolis, the stealing of the wind by Doldrum and the recapture and releasing of the wind back to Weymouth to allow the sailing events to begin.

The integrated cast of 50 local cast members from Double Act Theatre Company and The Remix Youth Performance Company joined by 20 performers from APAE, Brazil, worked with leading professional disabled and non-disabled artists and companies on this 15 month project. The professionals involved included Jamie Beddard, Dave Toole, Alex Bulmer,  Jude Christian, Double Act Theatre Company, Remix Youth Performance Company, Diverse City, Cirque Bijou, Activate Performing Arts, Desperate Men, State of Emergency (Dance), State of Play (International Coordination) and JAM (event production). For more information about Breathe, check out www.diversecitylondon.org/current_projects.html.

Tam worked closely with mentors on areas of particular interest. On a mission to become a fully fledged theatre Director and a keen writer and co-ordinator, Tam was Company Manager and Marketing Assistant on Breathe. Working closely with director Jamie Beddard and alongside artists in the rehearsal room, her role was also to liaise with cast and parents, support the parents' funding committee, and assist with project management and marketing, including working on the project newsletters and press releases. During her time on the project, Tam said:

“I feel very lucky to be part of the Breathe team. The project is much larger than any I’ve worked on previously, and there is so much to see and learn. The fact that the artistic and management teams have given me so much responsibility is incredibly inspiring – I just hope  I won't let them, or the performers, down!"