Monday 7 June 2010

Lunch with a Unicorn

Last Sunday I was sitting having lunch and opposite was a unicorn...or to be more accurate, the head of a unicorn - another new figure for Widsith and Deor's storytelling shows, following hot on the heels of a ghoul's head and a severed hand. That evening I had supper with one of the inspirations and founder members behind the idea of the Collective, who was over from New Zealand (where she now lives). And as ever, her visits meant sorting out piles of stuff, running up and down stairs, selling things - this time at the boot sale - and generally an action-packed time, a whirlwind of movement, alternating with positive exchanges, an injection of adrenalin, followed by a sudden showering of gifts, as she decides promptly that this or that thing would be of more use or pleasure to you than to her. And then she is gone. Back for a few weeks, this was the fourth visit and the last...leaving one exhilarated, empowered, inspired...and yet also bereft. But to be saddened by knowing it will be a long time the chances are, before you see such a friend and colleague again, would be to renege against the inspiration she's given you. Knowing that, you throw yourself into the admin. you need to catch up on, as I did, filling in forms for the coming festivals like the Buddhafield and the Beautiful Days, replying to queries from the likes of the Porlock Arts Festival, contacting the rest of the Collective to get vehicle registrations, lengths, times of arrival and all the other details needed for promoters...
And gaze on the new seat, the giant shell of many colours, and other things, washed up by the storm and found at the floor of the rainbow.......

Things might be really tough for Spoken/Written (it may have to close if more subscribers don't pay soon!) and things are looking dark on some fronts, but there are some things that are just too good not to be happy about. Ever in the darkening sky comes a single shaft of piercing Sun.

No comments:

Post a Comment