Coming away from home can be inspiration. Here in Potsdam we have encountered some fantasy version of the @ A E Harris / Stan’s Cafe situation.

Soon after the wall comes down a group of dancers pile out of West Berlin into Potsdam, squat a venue and make dance pieces there. They change homes a few times over the years, their residence gradually growing more official. Their dance pieces become successful, tour internationally and win awards. They invite other people to make and present shows in their space. (more…)

Today Barefoot Theatre open their new show White Stock in most of the space, whilst Kindle Theatre rehearse their new show, Bull, which opens at Theatre in the Mill, Bradford on Friday. Meanwhile Stan’s Cafe have stripped a huge amount of kit out of the venue in order to perform The Cleansing of Constance Brown in Potsdam and as a result have resorted to buying yet more 13amp extensions to plug the gaps.

We are delighted to confirm that @ A E Harris will host a two day Open Space conference on 23rd and 24th June. The event is open to anyone working in the broad area of Theatre within the West Midlands. Open Space is a fun and highly efficient means of addressing issues of concern to individuals withing a community. Back in November 2009 the original version of this event galvanized a lot of discussion and even significant ACTION. It is anticipated this sequel will be at least as good. Details of the invitation can be downloaded as a PDF here.

This afternoon we had a major production meeting with members of the BE Festival team. The 2011 Festival sounds bigger and better than last year’s and it will be possible to get a taste of what is in store by attending their Launch Night, Thursday 9th June, 8pm at mac. The event includes live music and a performance by last year’s Best Performer Award Winner, Ivan Hansen.

For a long time it has been a Stan’s Cafe strategy to try and buy kit for shows that will be useful beyond the show. The latest example of this frugal approach can be found in the upgraded kitchen @ AE Harris where shelving units some may recognize from Tuning Out With Radio Z have been recycled. Onward and upward – in a more ordered fashion.

James

The venue hosted its first wedding celebration on 30th April. A team of visual artists descended briefly to decorate the space with bunting and paper flowers, which looked great. With a kid’s Birthday Party in on 26th April it has been a happy place to be.

For the next three weeks the venue is awash with Coventry University students working on a series of new shows. Currently they are attempting the ambitious project to become the first company to blackout Asia.