In May the Theatre of 7 Directions and director Laura Pasetti put on two extraordinary performances in the Hinterland. Laura’s charity has been working in partnership with Findhorn Hinterland Trust over the past couple of years, using the arts to bring the wonders and uniqueness of the land to a greater audience.
Inspired by the Alice in Wonderland story, this year’s outdoor promenade performance had a cast of 15 amateur actors ranging in age from teens to 70, who took on the characters of real hinterland animals. It had two Alices who have fallen asleep to the world beneath their feet – they embark on a journey inside and outside themselves, visiting seven stations throughout the dunes where they encountered and were changed by the inhabitants of this fragile kingdom.
In the audience was Christopher Caddy, the eldest son of two of the founders of what is now called the Park Ecovillage Findhorn, who spent his childhood connected to this land and happened to be visiting at the time of these special performances. These are his impressions of the performance.
“Alice in Hinterland performance was immersive theatre at its very best, and very enjoyable. Whilst growing up in the community, the dunes and the hinterland provided our adjacent playground where we were able to let our imaginations run wild and enjoy full freedom of the outdoors. With the benefit of hindsight and retrospection I now appreciate what a gift this time and place afforded us.
“Education is derived from the Latin verb educere meaning “to lead out”. This Outdoor Promenade Performance had something for everyone, young and old, from every background, providing a very personal journey for each participant who engaged and fully participated. My reflections are personal to me and entirely my own.
“At the beginning I had the reality check of being asked to leave my phone in the basket marked “dump me”! My initial reaction was “how very dare they :-(” I wished to record the whole event both for my memory and for posterity. Next I was asked to “drink me”, a little bottle with “imagination” written on its accompanying label. Thus began our journey “up” through the Hallway of Missed Opportunities.
“The Promenade Performance slowly led us out, through and on to the Dunes, stopping at several stations. At each stage there was much to experience and learn from. The biggest impact for me was the environment and how it made me feel and how it encouraged me to use all my senses. I felt totally present with the heady aroma of gorse in full bloom, the yellow and green of the vegetation, the undulations of the ground beneath my feet, the exhilaration felt with every inhale of salty sea air and the sharp reminder of how gorse protects itself with thorns if I inadvertently brushed its form. With each step I asked myself, “Can I walk here as if the land matters?” With each step I appreciated who I AM, where I AM and my intimacy with interlinking ecosystems and place in our Universe.
“With this background each scene had multiple experiences – the lettuce cookies that allowed me to see with new eyes. The “Not-My-Problem” (unevolved Homo sapiens) staring aimlessly at her phone with headphones made me appreciate why I benefited from the “dump me” – I was now focusing on what was happening around me. A dog digging in the sand – immediate reaction: stop it – you are damaging the dunes. Why? Dogs must be dogs to enjoy their lives. As we walked over the dune that had been scraped bare, I mused on the impact we were having, but without judgement.
“The whole journey was like peeling off multiple layers of an onion. Every layer I learnt something about myself – a personal journey of reflection and transformation.
“Thank you FHT for being the custodian of our childhood playground and for the Theatre of 7 Directions bringing alive such a connection with the land in such an imaginative way. It really did help me to realise that “all is very well” :-)”
Christopher Caddy
FHT Member with a long connection with the community and land
Images courtesy of Kate Bewick