(click here to watch this intro as a video : https://player.vimeo.com/video/223878513 )
I believe in the power of telling stories, and I’d like to tell you a story right now of how you can help me reach the widest theatre audience in my career.
We've been invited to take our show What If I Told You to Edinburgh Festival FringeWe are beyond delighted to have the chance to go to the Fringe in its 70th year and we are being supported by West Yorkshire Playhouse to get there.
We’re in the Northern Stage at Summerhall programme, in a new venue and venture for them, which is staffed by the army.
This show, right now, is the most important thing in my career. It is a way for me to be able to talk about what it meansto be human with audiences and find ways to connect with people, something I believe is really needed in our current geopolitical climate.
It’s taken 2 years to get here. It’s taken an amazing team of humans, in development with West Yorkshire Playhouse, and touring around the UK recently in previews (which had an amazing reaction from critics and audiences alike), to reach this time, and the time is now.
The Edinburgh performances have already been picked out as a highlight by Lyn Gardner in The Guardian and named by Time Out magazine as one of the 14 shows they are most looking forward to at both the Fringe and International festivals - not bad out of the 3,500 shows that are being performed!
We’re programmed and supported through our basic fringe entry and costs, and we’re surrounded by awesome people to help us get noticed.
But we need to feed and house ourselves while we are working! We are looking to fundraise four and a half grand to pay for accommodation, travel, food, and fees.
So I need to ask you for your help. One quid or three hundred, and anywhere in between, we’re beside ourselves with gratitude you’re already watching this part of the story.
They say it takes a village to support an artist, so I’m asking for my beautiful brilliant village to help me at this time.
We promise to work our socks off. We promise to do you proud. Thank you so much, and see you very soon!!
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Here’s our project copy with times and dates, plus websites and the rest :
The Mayers Ensemble with West Yorkshire PlayhouseLet’s spend an hour playing together. As members of The Mayers Ensemble we’ll explore boundaries, personal histories, gender and skin colour.
Throughout her life, choreographer Pauline has defied assumptions made about her based on gender, background and skin colour. Now we are invited into this skilful blend of theatre and dance as she tells her story and the history that has informed it.
The story of James Sims, self-ascribed “father of modern gynaecology” who operated on slaves without anaesthetic, weaves through Pauline’s own. After a 10 min interval, part two, Koan: What if You told Us, takes the conversation further with an opportunity to share thoughts and ideas
What If I Told You is written and performed by Pauline Mayers and directed by Chris Goode. It was developed at West Yorkshire Playhouse and is a co-production by The Mayers Ensemble and West Yorkshire Playhouse.https://festival17.summerhall.co.uk/event/what-if-i-told-you/ _ Dates: 11-26 Aug (not 14, 21)
_ Time: 17.00
_ Duration: 110 mins
_ Venue: Army @ the Fringe
_ Age Suitability: 14+
http://armyatthefringe.org/