Less than a week to go until Festival week at The LOST Theatre.

My three performances will all have their second chance in the world as part of the 3rd Face to Face Festival of Solo Performance starting 6th October 2014: on 6th October as part of Claire Dowie’s company in “Adult Child/Dead Child”; on 8th October I present my first dance creation – created as part of Hugh Wyld’s HIV awareness project “A Time to Speak”; and on 10th October my personal piece “Connie”.  It feels great and much less stressful to be performing these pieces again. I first performed them in June and July this year, all very different to each other, they are each my precious babies as well as being part of something far greater than I am.

It’s been asked of me recently whether developing as a solo performer is moving me away from being able to work with others, is it going to affect my ability to work in a play with other cast members? I think that there is nothing more interactive and bonding than solo performance. To be on the stage alone is exposing and vulnerable. I have to connect directly to the audience otherwise I am just talking to myself, which is the complete opposite of the experience I am trying to create. I want the audience to come with me. Solo performance work is giving me more sensitivity, more confidence to work with others, even though I am, as far as the stage is concerned, on my own.

Theatre critic James Waygood (a.k.a the Grumpy Gay Critic) has been following my director Colin Watkeys and the Face to Face Festival since its birth in 2012. He came by The LOST Theatre during my recent rehearsals and interviewed me about my solo theatre experiences. Very happy to share that interview with you here:

Not long to go until @FTFFestival – the best of solo theatre @LOSTTheatre kicks off on 6th Oct 2014. Join us! http://t.co/AVITMZqIft

— Ayesha (@ACaselyHayford) September 23, 2014