Day 1, Season 2016, Yate Library
Sunshine with spells of laughter and unexpected insights
Our sessions began with a re-appearance of the Hanham library’s performance ducks and we retrieved them as part of a book hunt around the library. We shared our favourites from the book hunt and stories inspired by them. In the morning we talked about the gorgeousness of colour, a woman’s history of the world, getting stem cells to repair a broken heart and magical realism. We took part in an impromptu meditation led by a participant and remembered how our natural state is one of love and joy. We wondered what a performance inspired by a mental library might look like: “over here - joy, over here - hurts/regrets/woes”. In the afternoon we spoke of flowers, alongside the dangers of slugs and invisible tigers of the mind. We talked of far away places, of Rome and India and the Sea.
From an assortment of objects we created short performances of our favourite places to read and relax. We added music and on occasion refinements until every participant had created a tiny delightful performative moment. There were pina coladas on far away beaches, cocoons filled with rainbow lights, stony gardens with cups of tea, grandchildren snuggling under covers, the scent of Madagascan vanilla, and the feel of arms massaged by sandalwood.
At the end of the sessions we felt rejuvenated, excited, sunny, brighter and amazed and in the afternoon: happier, warmer, amused, joyful, energised and contented.
As a parting thought, and with big smiles we created a list of things we would like to get away with in a library...
