With tonight the last night of the festival, I thought it worth posting a few of the weekend’s highlights. Bear in mind that this is limited to what technology will allow (see Thursday’s post detailing my elaborate camera storage facilities and you’ll understand what you’re dealing working with here).
The Venus Labyrinth has been getting some amazing reviews – in the Herald and The Scotsman – but also from the public who have been posting their comments on the Facebook event. What I like about it most is that it has been a huge undertaking for all involved, and yet the intimate nature of the women’s performances isn’t lost. As soon as you enter her room, you are, mentally, a million miles away from anything and anyone else, and a step closer to your own thoughts. Very powerful.
The Conflux Maximus parade also went really well, and I was genuinely elated with the number of people who followed it right to the Arches and stayed for the Highlights event.
After listening back to a few video clips I finally found one where you can hear the performers rather than a 14-year-old girl, apparently called April, gleefully shouting a mouthful of expletives behind them. It turned out fine – what April didn’t seem to realise is that, after appearing in public dressed as a kind of transvestite Roman emporer with a 5 o’clock shadow in a pair of bright red crocs (surely the most embarrassing part?), some mild abuse from a 14-year-old is not going to phase anyone. These guys can give as good as they get, believe me. A proper Roman theatrical showdown if you ever saw one.
The huge crowd of kids seemed to love the gladiator battle (which ended when Innocence – a woman dressed as a baby – had her dummy victoriously knocked out of her mouth by a caveman-esque Brawn) and didn’t even seem too perturbed by the arrival of three perfomers from The Tide Machine – the performance-installation at Broomielaw Quay by Oceanallover. In fact, the only person who seems slightly perturbed is the guy in the background in the yellow t-shirt.
It had the beautiful effect of reminding me that the Arches, as a venue, means something very different for a lot of people, and if events like this can open it up as something even more eclectic and prolific then that can only be a good thing. As I was walking away I heard a man say to his two young sons, ‘Did you like that? Wasn’t that fun!’ They didn’t answer him, but continued staring back at the entrance to the Arches, their faces shadowed by the hulk of the Heileman’s Umbrella, their small worlds having clearly grown that little bit larger.
It’s the last chance to see Red Bastard and experience the Cabaret Club nights tonight, so I hope you make it down if you haven’t already.
Rosie x
