Accidental Collective offers you the opportunity to take a little break, and step into a bubble of calm and relaxation. As an individual, or in pairs, you will be able to enjoy a soothing experience – just for you – that will leave you renewed, re-balanced and ready to face the world. Pause; offers you a wide menu of performative treatments – take your pick. This life-affirming and intimate experience will help you rid yourself of any nagging doubts or worries, refresh your perspective, or simply escape from the everyday hustle and bustle… and all in only five minutes. We look forward to treating you!
Outside the gazebo two performers in white bathrobes carry signs that say ‘Pause;’. They create a visual impact and draw attention to the piece. They interact with passers-by, welcome people and book appointments for them to have their ‘pause’. The full experience of the show is only gained by booking such an appointment and stepping into the gazebo. However, these two performers always attract plenty of attention, and the odd photograph too.
The white gazebo is divided into two separate spaces. In each of these sits a performer, clad in white. There are two chairs and a white shelving unit, which displays a number of old-fashioned sweet-jars. The space is calm, other-worldly and quietly beautiful. The jars hold the necessary materials for each of the treatments on offer, such as: ‘Complementary Treats’ (a delicious pun, this is incredibly touching when done with pairs/families), ‘Burden Loss’ (temporarily dispel some of those nagging doubts or worries - all in a completely confidential way), ‘Aromatic Associations’ (through the use of scents – grass, coffee – you are invited to journey into your memories). Each audience member leaves with a happy ending – a beautiful white ribbon tied around their wrist with a handwritten message.
Type of performance: street theatre, installation
Format of piece: outside - walkabout performance booking appointments, inside -short ‘pauses’ for one or two people at a time delivered concurrently in two private spaces within a gazebo
Running time: 7 minutes per appointment per space. This can run for up to six hours per day in slots of one or two hours.
Audience numbers per hour: between 12 (one person per appointment) and 24 (two people per appointment).
Performance space: 3,5m deep x 6.5m wide x 3.5m high
Set up time: 2 hours
Take down: 2 hours
FEEDBACK
A great addition to the arts world; a show that sits neatly on the edge of reality and fiction. Clever and charming, and no doubt life changing for some. (Bettina Linstrum, Co-Director ArtsAgenda, programmers of Derby Feste 2010)
Accidental Collective’s Pause; was a superb addition to the events programmed for the launch of the second Folkestone Triennial art festival. They skilfully combined light-hearted escape with a great sense of fun, whilst also maintaining a poignancy that made the audience feel they were fully integrated within the performance. This led to them being fully booked for the entire day which is a huge testament to the quality of their work. Pause; intrigues the audience, captures them and leads them into having their own unique experience, then sends them away with their own happy ending. Accidental Collective was a joy to work with and I cannot wait to welcome them back to Folkestone soon. (Lucy Johnson - Events Manager, Folkestone Triennial)
...you get the sense of stepping out of the world for a second, entering a bubble where time stands still... wonderfully simple, intimate and quite emotional... There should be a Pause; tent in every train station in the country at rush hour. A simple idea, excellently executed. A piece that highlights Accidental Collective’s ability to create experiences that can change the view of the world for a passer-by, even if only for five minutes. (Laura Dean, review for Exeunt)
FURTHER DETAILS:
- Ideal for urban spaces (town centres, pedestrian streets or squares, shopping centres).
- The performance can also be situated indoors (foyers etc), provided enough height to extend the gazebo (3.5 m).
- The piece requires an outside performance space of 3 metres by 6 metres, preferably with passing trade.
- A level, concrete or paved surface is preferred (we will provide the necessary weights for the gazebo). Noise pollution from other shows/stages can affect the experience of “Pause;”, but this is something we can work with.
- If presented over a number of days secure parking or storage space will be necessary.
- The support of the venue or festival’s technician is greatly appreciated, but not a requirement.
Wraparound activities:
Accidental Collective’s members have been working in education since the company's inception. Over the years they have cultivated a reputation for a thorough, rigorous and engaging delivery. By combining technical expertise with their own sense of playfulness, Accidental Collective can guarantee no workshop will be the same and will always be fully inclusive of varying abilities and performance styles. Moreover, the company’s practice is not only creatively and artistically focused, but also has an academic grounding.
The company's flexible approach means it can always enter into discussion with you to produce a workshop session, or sessions, which meets your specific requirements. To date Accidental Collective has delivered both curriculum-based and creatively-led programmes, to both students and teachers. Using their investigative process and unique approach to collaborative work, they aim to lead participants on a journey within each workshop, highlighting techniques and relevant practitioners as prompted by the relevant interests of the group.
For more information contact us by emailing info@accidentalcollective.co.uk
