104621/Z/14/Z: Cowgirl Parlour

Project Summary:This proposal is for the creation of a spoken monologue accompanied by an original vocal/instrumental score, exploring challenges in contemporary dairy practice, the genetics of milk production and the ongoing story of the relationship between cows and humans. The work will be performed alongside a mobile installation housed in a redesigned ice cream van. This performance installation will function in two ways: For live performance of the sung and spoken piece, the van itself will act as a f ocal point, with the familiar ice cream loudspeaker calls being reinvented as part of the soundscape. When there is no live performance in progress, a recorded soundscape will play inside the van, which will have room for several people at a time to enter. This interior soundscape will be researched and developed alongside the live performance text, will contain elements of it and also extend the narrative, weaving in voices of vets, dairyworkers, historians and others recorded in the field . The text for performance will be researched and written by writer-performer Christine Watkins and the music score composed by Sianed Jones, with both artists collaborating with dairy researcher Kate Johnson from The Royal Veterinary College. This proposal is for a pilot, to research, write, compose and create the performance and installation and trial the work over the ten days of at Ledbury Poetry Festival in July 2015.

Grant Holder:Ms Christine Watkins

Organisation:The Centre for Performance Research

Financial Year:2013/2014