The completion of my end of residency video marks a new milestone in my journey the Last Blues Song of a Lost Afronaut. The video encapsulates the idea's development from idea to a reality.

To briefly recap, the Last Blues Song of a Lost Afroanut (LBSLA) is my idea for an immersive theatre idea in which a space traveller travels from a future 'Black' planet explores the galaxy in search of life on other planets. What she discovers explodes all that she knows about her world.

During the residency, myself and a number of collaborators explored the ways in which we could make this story come to life on stage. I focussed on a live trailer as a way to test the technology, the narrative, the cohesion between the various story elements and to gauge audience responses to all of the above.

The live trailer event was held at the former Jacob's Wells Dance Studio now managed by Arts Space Life Space on the 31st January 2017. The trailer was followed by a Q & A. As capacity was limited I delivered a follow up discussion at the Pervasive Media Studio.

The 'live trailer' performance of the Last Blues Song was in my view a resounding success. Thankfully I am not alone in this view. The feedback from both talks was resoundingly positive with strong suggestions for moving the show forward. In fact the interest in the project from its inception to my last studio talk has been consistent.

In consultation with my collaborators, and the Studio Producers I am currently putting together a proposition to realise an ambitious vision for the show. I am looking to enhance the immersive technology used in the trailer - 3D sound, digital projection, animation, and shadow capture. I would also look to increase the public participation in the show through the delivery of dance, music art workshops, and online story campaign. Members of the public will work with a dance company and become part of the opening sequence of the show.  

Alongside working on the application I am continuing to research ideas for the show. In fact I suspect I have become something of a LBSLA bore- I'm spotting ideas and concepts everywhere. However more less annoyingly I am focusing other projects towards exploring ideas for the Last Blues Song in particular The Afrometropolis.

Afrometropolis is a Afrofuturist take over of the Arnolfini involving a cross art series of happenings in various spaces. It is my response to an invitation by the Arnolfini to curate the first of its Late night sessions. The event takes place on the 26th May 6.00-12.00am.  

In the context of the Last Blues Song the Afrometropolis is the city that became the blue print for what was later a colony from which the protagonist departs.  We hope to suggest the energy and aesthetic of this alternative city during the evening. The ideas, themes, and content will feed into the Last Blues Song and I'm sure will strengthen the proposition. For more details and tickets here

Afrometropolis is one of the ways that I will continue to explore the themes and ideas in the Last Blues Song. Others will emerge. To find our more, and to share ideas please see the Facebook page.

Reflections

Looking back on the months since I first came to the Studio, I realise that it could not have come at a more perfect moment in my life. A convocation of events since 2014 had changed my view of my role within the arts. Through my private engagement work and through my part time role at Trinity Community Arts I had become much closer to cutting edge theatre makers via acclaimed festivals In Between Time, Mayfest and Bristol's Festival of Circus what I needed was an opportunity to integrate these approaches into my work, what I also needed to ensure that engagement did not subsume my personal vocation.

While the opportunity came at the right time in my development, I could not have found a more nurturing environment. 'Techies' 'geeks' words I have heard used externally to describe the Studio community – offer less than a third of the story. I have rarely laughed so hard as in my time in the Studio, nor experienced such a fluid relationship between the personal and professional. The Studio is a fantastic 'play' 'cum 'work' environment. I have been overwhelmed by the advice and interest in my project, and have likewise been inspired by the work of fellow residents.

In the Studio the local and global overlap, like a revolving door of time and space residents whizz off to Nigeria, Cuba, China to teach, work, and test. The Studio has raised the bar on my practice, and accelerated my self development at a perfect time in my career.