Postmodern Liturgy at Grahamstown Festival SpiritFest 2008
February 13, 2008 at 12:22 pm | In emergent spirituality, festival, grahamstown festival, meditation, movement, worship | 11 CommentsWho might like to commit to imagining, travelling to and/or helping curate a liturgy in the Cathedral at the Grahamstown Festival?I think the theme will be up to us. We don’t necesarily have to commit right now to a title/theme, but if one comes up then all the better. Unlike set pieces (theatre/lectures) its a little tricky to know what might be appropriate 5 months ahead.
Joy Tandy, SpiritFest organiser, says Fri 27th June, Sat 28th June (from 6 pm) or Sat 5th July are available spots. Purely based on days of week and their place in the scheme of things, these are initial throughts:
I am quite happy to do this NOT on Sunday, that being an obvious “religious” day.
27th – 2nd day of festival, maybe festival goers will be thinking “theatre” not “church”.
28th – optimal spot, but if we could only have access at 6 pm that might make it too tight.
5th – might be seen as too late, but also might be a finale.
I’d see this as an opportunity to use any of meditation, story, singing, drumming, DJ music, movement, projected visuals, ritualistic objects, theatre pieces, poetry, installation, paintings. Peter Rollins Ikon services as in “How (not) to speak of God” are possible ways to go. I look to our “statements of tentative intent” on Cape Conversation as potential indicators of content, as well.
Please can you let me know your thoughts there by the start of next week. And please let others already in the ambit of our conversation know.
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You have given us a black canvas!!!!
Yippy yippy yey!!
Comment by Andrew — February 13, 2008 #
This little pig is in!!!!
Thinking Taize, thinking drums, maybe some songs on guitar BUT also
maybe thinking scripting something…
based on Everyman (a mystery miracle play – they used to do them in medieval times) Everyman is an allorgorical figure -representing all of us and he goes on this journey. I’ll have to read it again but I seem to remember it being quite cool. We coulds maybe have him arriving at various “installations” of other art pieces we put together as part of his “journey”. So live performance mixes with various media forms. MULTI MEDIA. I like it! I like it!!!
Comment by squarepig — February 13, 2008 #
sounds like a great opportunity! i’m not sure where in the world i’ll be then, but if i’m around i’m really keen. Time to get to the G-fest once in my life.
Comment by gareth beyers — February 13, 2008 #
Gathering the email conversation:
sounds fabulous. Will have to check course dates before I’ll know my availability for sure, but provisionally I’m in and very keen. That time should be free, but my courses aren’t yet finalised.
M
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Sounds quite appealing and could be involved and attend the festival too…
Will chat with you when I next see you…
Hilbilly
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Nic,
As mentioned before, our family would be most keen to come along. I wouldn’t mind the opportunity to exhibit, if there was space at the Cathedral.
I’m mainly concerned about accommodation, this is based on experience. We are possibly too late to find any decent cheap ( this is relative, as every thing goes through the roof) accommodation. The better places are booked up years in advance and to be totally honest, I don’t mind sleeping on the floor, but with wife and kids, the logistics of meals, bedding, etc… can become a nightmare. The other way to do it is the rent a house in Port Alfred (60km/30mins) and drive in every day.
PS: Never underestimate how cold it can be at Gfest.
However you can count us IN!!
Andrew
Comment by Nic Paton — February 15, 2008 #
I propose we do Friday 27th. My idea is this:
stage.alt(er)
“Stage dot alter”; a liturgy in which we explore how each and everyone is called to involvement in the sacred drama.
• What is in common between the alter call and the stage call?
• Are we satisfied being in the audience, living vicariously through the genius of the talented few?
• Are we satisfied being in a congregation, our faith mediated via spiritual professionals?
• What hinders us from engaging with life, and God, directly?
All the world is a stage, and we all play a part; all the world is an alter, and we are all invited to approach in worship.
In this theodrama we will use transformance art: music and song, projected visuals, movement and participation to address issues of service, vocation and creativity, and be given an opportunity to deepen our participation in the sacred play, through a creative engagement with one another and the spirit.
Comment by nic paton — February 20, 2008 #
In Short: I LIKE IT!!!
Comment by Andrew — February 20, 2008 #
Sheeez I think I might need the lay man’s version on Sunday Nic. Its friday and my intelligent self has clocked out…
Comment by squarepig — February 22, 2008 #
Wish I could be there
Hope we get to read about the results
Bosco
http://www.liturgy.co.nz
Comment by Bosco Peters — February 28, 2008 #
Here is Joy Tandys (SpiritFest organiser) response (16 March 2008)
Dear Nic,
The committee is enthusiastic.
Have taken note of your suggestions for advertising. Will pass our correspondence on to the person who will be handling media and other advertising.
I had to give some indications for the Festival website ( describe Spiritfest – eleven items in all – in 100 words ) and called your contribution “A Post Modern Liturgy – a participatory, multimedia theo-drama”
We have our own site,linked to the Fesival site,in which we give more detail. This will be done closer to the time.
Friday 27th would be good from our point of view and also from the overall flow of the Festival. Major events of The Main are scheduled for the latter part of the week – Wed 2nd through to Sat 5th, so we are planning most of Spiritfest for the earlier part. We don’t know what other fringe events will be on at the start of the Festival but there are bound to be clashes. We thouight you would prefer a time after dark so have scheduled you for 18:00 – 19:00. The noisier elements of the Festival, who are installed in Church Square will have packed up and gone home by then.
Can you give me some indication of how much setting up time you will require. Sadly we can’t offer you any equipment but let us know what you will be bringing and what your needs are for lighting, plugs etc. Would you need time on the previous day to get the feel of the Cathedral?
I have spoken to a family who are interested in Taize services, who might be interested in participating and who sometimes take in bed and breakfast Festinos at reasonable rates. They will come back to me on this. The Convent (Sisters of the Resurrection ) also have a bed and breakfast flat. Will give details later for people to contact them.
Regards
Joy
Comment by Nic Paton — March 18, 2008 #
I get the feeling – things are hotting up !!
Comment by squarepig — April 1, 2008 #
all the best almal with the grahamstown fest happening – i’m sure whatever you bring will be well & heartily received.
greetings from deepest devon.
Russ.
Comment by Russ — May 12, 2008 #