Radical Reading Group Film Night 25th October, 7.30pm
Following our discussion of George Orwell's seminal book, we'll meet online to watch the 1984 film together, followed by a discussion. Contact us to book your place and for a free copy of the film (places limited).
29th October, 2pm - 4pm
These workshops are about creating a storytelling project with Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council (PDREC) called ‘This Is My Life’ as a response to what’s currently happening in Plymouth, the UK and around the world, where people are in lockdown and isolated from each other, as well as our past and how it all links together, as we are seeing in the US with protests for human rights. Come along and join the WonderZoo artists!
We want to give people the chance to break through stereotyping, profiling and dismissal and have their voices and their humanity heard by a wide audience in a time when this is becoming increasingly difficult.
The stories that have been collected so far are about how people feel under isolation and the hope they find in these times and the love and peace they find in one another through writing, art and talking. You can join in or just listen to the stories of others and even dance or sing or use drawing - it’s up to you, just don’t feel alone in these times.
We will be running storytelling workshops through Zoom (online video conferencing) until the situation changes. Then workshops will be run at the REC office on Western Approach and the Barbican Theatre. Beyond lockdown, we will continue this project to encourage as many people as possible to share their lives and show the diversity and humanity of Plymouth.
We’re looking for people from all racial backgrounds, levels of ability, sexual orientations, nationality, genders, and ages to come together using different media to tell their own personal stories and everyone is welcome.
Originally, this project was inspired by work done by Pete Davey in the award winning 100 Homes Project where he co-ordinated the collection of hundreds of oral history stories over four years. The Plymouth Respect Festival (due in 2021) will be working with WonderZoo and creating its theme around the idea of telling the forgotten stories of individuals from minority backgrounds in Plymouth, such as Plymouth’s first black Mayor, Bernard Claude Miller MBE and the first mixed-race rugby player to play for England, James Peters, who also played for Plymouth and Bristol.
The storytelling workshops and other related projects will be incorporated into the Respect Festival and presented through WonderZoo. WonderZoo is an arts platform run by Peter Davey and Gabi Marcellus-Temple, which aims to be the most diverse and progressive performance arts platform in Plymouth. It is a partner organisation of the Respect Festival and supporter of the Racial Equality Council. The workshops take place on Zoom from 2pm - 4pm on the last Thursday of every month.
Contact us to book your free place!
WonderZoo Hallowe'en Special 29th October 7.30pm
This month, WonderZoo’s getting spooky, hosting an online performance event live from the Old Morgue in Stonehouse, with additional performers zooming in for live performance, poetry and music! The evening will also feature a one-off performance from the WonderZoo crew and live tarot readings, all in a reputedly haunted building where bodies were stored...
The show will be on Zoom and Facebook Live, with the Zoom link being posted on our Facebook page one hour before the event.
Headliner - Liv Torc - brilliant, funny and poignant spoken word artist from Somerset
Hannah Linden - widely published poet based near Totnes
Merris Longstaff - renowned poet with a unique performance style, from Plymouth
Clare Peartree - a new writer to the scene, based in Cheshire
Raven Rose - innovative and talented punk poet from Cornwall
Dean Fucking Hutchinson - popular folk-punk singer/songwriter from Plymouth
Adelaide Lane Mural
As part of the WonderZoo events which were part of Plymouth Art Weekender, artist and poet Chi Bennett has created a unique mural featuring her poetry at the back of a house overlooking Adelaide Park in Stonehouse.
WONDERQUEUE: CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO RECORDINGS FROM OUR PROJECT IN COLLABORATION WITH NUDGE COMMUNITY BUILDERS!
WonderQueue is a project where people queueing on Union Street can listen to recordings by WonderZoo poets, writers and singers by scanning QR codes on the pavements.
