Far away in a coffee shop rather close by, sat a young woman deciding her fate. Crouched in the shadows with a devilish look, his eye on her progress, existed the processing crook.
The young woman sat at her table sipping cappuccino and cursing the crook for the riot his presence unleashes.
There is a past to digest and a future to plan but the present is always in danger. Every moment slowly chips away until the crook holds all necessary fragments of her broken now.
Finding herself at the bottom of her class and the top of her misery she looks out the window connecting the shadows of the world, noting the unchecked space of the processing crooks realm.
His hand is in everything. My life is not worth the trouble of his unknown, she moans deep inside. I am not maverick, mother or monster. A more bitter taste there never was.
I am nothing, forgotten. A shell of a me that never will be. Her wordless thoughts coil then wrap around the shallow judgment of her depths.
“It’s time to play chess hisses the crook. We have a dance to continue. He reaches out quick as lightening, grabbing a bit of her mind. “This piece is for me,” he laughs. “Now what can you make with the rest?”
“I can jump to the left and come back with a right but you have taken my center and I am loosing this fight.”
Every patron looks on as she mumbles her words. The nonsense escapes, her efforts absurd. She thinks and she thinks unable to stop. Continually turning the problem of her.
With one last effort she thinks and she tries, coming up with a notion and finally sighs. “I’ll marry you crook, if you can loosen your grasp. I’ll be bound for eternity with no questions asked.”
“You’ll marry me?” His eyes widen with greed. “I will no longer steel if you will give to me free. We’ll have a big party and make all the vows. We’ll announce to the public and then make our bows.”
So she marries the crook and they live openly somehow. He becomes her sweet side kick showing her all the wonders he holds and often times how.
She cleans his house and launders his clothes. Often stopping to observe her fragments he keeps on his shelf.
They shimmer and gleam with worries gone by. The pieces all there with nothing to hide. Stacked in an order that still doesn’t make sense she looks and she looks but forbidden to touch.
The crook turns away one sunny bright day, finding few shadows but determined to play. The worlds finally changing, a true beginning – a new day. He looks back at her once and then at his shelf, then smiles through to his eyes that reflect the world all around.
“If you promise to wait I will show you my method of making sense of your thoughts that I keep on my shelf.”
Eager and curious the woman agrees looking out at the shadows cast from all me’s. No longer so young with the years that went by, finally content without asking why.
“They’re no use to me now. What need do I have? These things you have stacked are neither good or bad. I want you to know I’m carrying your child. I have found happiness with that and it is enough. You have taken from me what will never return, but I’ll wait as you say ready to learn.”
His smile gets wider as he thinks of her days roaming free from her worries, judgments and old ways. He walks back inside knowing she is ready to discover, all the wonders of her that were passed from her grandmother.
“You’re ready at last, your life will begin. Just watch what will happen when released from world’s sin.”
The crook reaches the shelf, the fragments all there. A lifetime of learning but very little wear. He sweeps them with one great swipe of his hands, they fall to the ground shattering to sand. Their flicker goes out their existence no more.
“Now look at your world don’t notice the floor. See if you notice the spark deep inside calling into existence that which the world wanted to hide. They knew not what to do with your creative soul so they taught you their methods and created that hole. The center that lives in you is there even now. You hid it away because they didn’t know how to teach and push you to your very best. But now you can achieve, like all the rest.”
The woman looks on with awe in her mind. The crook that she loathed was really quite kind. If she focused on her strengths and forgot all the rest, her focus would explode, she is really quite blessed.
“They told me to stay when I should have walked by. They told me my failures till I wanted to cry. The world did not know our ways and our methods. The fragments were theirs this whole time. You stole the bits that would never make sense then reconstructed the pieces of my past tense. You have shown me how to look at the problems in sight without all the nonsense, I will turn out all right.”
The crook now looked at her with a boyish type grin. “I have shown you the answers and have treated you right. You needed only to give up the meaningless fight. It wasn’t my doing that made your life that way. The others were responsible for the way things lay.
They pushed and they hollered and presented all wrong the keys to your life, but look at you now, you’re stronger by far. With your mind as intended creative and sure.
I was born with great influence from the very start. There are more of us out there waiting to be part. Their tune is truly brilliant if given a chance. We’ll set out and find them and make this alright, until the world see’s our purpose and it can take flight.”
The woman held tight to the thought of her infant’s coming years. “I can learn all I need you’ve shown me how, thank you for blessings that I can see now. I will pass it all on to our child so she will have nothing to hide. I will open my potential and be more than just mom. I will march in your army singing our song.”
Kellee Farr
Dyslexicwhisper
Maverick, Mother or Monster was rewritten as a play and preformed at the DYSPLA Festival at the Camden Peoples Theatre London, England.
Directed by the amazing
Caglar Kimyoncu (Director, Maverick, Mother, or Monster) is a digital and video artist as well as curator and arts consultant. In the past fifteen years, he has collaborated with artists in a variety of media, including film and video production, website design, theatre sceneography, video and photo documentary, and script development. His practice includes collaborating with and mentoring artists, consulting with international arts organisations and film festivals, and curating digital arts.
His continuing interest is in alternative representations of excluded voices, voices perceived as “other”, whether they be from a sexual, gender, disability or ethnic perspective.
Caglar recently completed COnscription, his first solo exhibition in East London, at the Old Truman Brewery, in May 2013. The project was based on factual research and aimed to promote awareness and discussion around the issues faced by people (including LGBTQ people, disabled people and conscientious objectors) in Turkey and, tangentially, in other countries with conscription. As part of the exhibition, he created a four-channel film using my ‘no-script’ approach with the actors, and exploring collaborative improvisational techniques from start to finish with the whole team.
COnscription was funded by Arts Council England and produced by Filmpro, in partnership with War Resisters International.
Caglar is also the Founder and Artistic Director of Filmpro ltd, a disabled-led film and digital art agency. Filmpro’s mission is to extend the ways of making and experiencing film and digital art, and the diversity and openness of the arts sector. Follow @_caglark
The talented Rachel Waring preforming the play version of Maverick, Mother or Monster. Photo courtesy of the DYSPLA Facebook page.
Rachel Waring (Actress, Monsters, Mavericks, Mothers) is a stage and screen actress who studied at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Early in this year, Rachel played The Artful Dodger in the European tour of Oliver Twist. This summer, she has been playing Anne Page from The Merry Wives of Windsor with The Oxford Shakespeare Company. Additionally, this summer, not only was her short filmLong Walk Home by Sameer Patel included in the official selection at Rain Dance, but also she celebrated her debut in the feature film, 2012 Fright Fest Headliner The Seasoning House by Paul Hyett.
DYSPLA 2013 TEAM
Lennie Varvarides (Founder/Festival Producer) cannot follow rules, she breaks them like cheap plastic cutlery that will not bend. ‘No’ is a word that sits uncomfortably on her tongue and when she gets an idea in her head, it is impossible to slow her down. She makes things happen fast and often with no resources because she believes that anything is possible. There is fire in her belly and you know what that means–it’s burning! Follow @msft_production
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Kazimir Bielecki (Multimedia Arts Director) is a visual storyteller who enjoys looking at things and replicating dreams. The Creative Director of successful production agency bielecki&bielecka, Kazimir is continuing to explore all aspects visual storymaking. Follow @bielandbiel
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Amy Schulz (Website Guru) is happily married, living in Florida, and pet-mama to four “furkids” named Olive, Cassie, Millie, and Baby. She designs and develops websites for a living, and is also an actress and Master Acting Class Graduate of The Burt Reynolds Institute For Film & Theatre (BRIFT). Check out her websites at amyhoerler.com and amyschulz.com to learn more. Follow @amyhoerler
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Rachel Creeger (Production Manager) is a writer/director from the Orthodox Jewish Community, and to her knowledge, the only writer from her background creating mainstream theatre in London. Her production company Time2Shine helps community groups to devise original work from concept to performance. Personal credits include An Insomniac’s Guide To Ambulances (The Gatehouse), ESTHER! The Musical(Artsdepot), Staffroom and Paying Attention (Tristan Bates Theatre), plus many commissioned plays for children. She regularly directs new writing for MSFT and production manages the DYSPLA Festival. She was also part of the team behind the highly acclaimed Othello at the Bussey Building. She hosts comedy nights and writes for and performs with vocal harmony group Kol Sheva. Rachel is currently on an arts secondment at the LJCC, focusing on projects including the Hampstead & Highgate Literary Festival, Poetry In The Park, and The FUSION Children’s Programme. Follow @Time2Shineprods
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Eleanor Wdowski (Set Designer) is a theatre based set and costume designer. She has delivered designs for past productions including Hansel and Gretel (Clonter Opera, 2012), Story of a Mother (Battersea Arts Centre, 2010) and Cosi Fan Tutte (Clonter Opera, 2010). Set design credits also include A Dream Across The Ocean (Hackney Empire, 2013). For the Galleon Theatre Company at Greenwich Playhouse she has designed costumes for Hamlet (2011), A Woman of No Importance (2011), and The Cherry Orchard (2010). Her design for Hansel and Gretel was nominated for Best Design at Manchester Theatre Awards earlier this year.
Eleanor studied at Wimbledon School of Art where she attained a First Class Degree in Theatre ‘Design for Performance’ along with winning the Vice Chancellors prize 2008. As part of theatre duo ‘Hellcat Productions’ on graduating, she co-devised ‘Guts for Garters’ (The Rest is Noise, 2009), ‘La Prima Donna’ (Latitude Festival, 2009) and ‘Lift and Separate’ (V&A Museum, 2008).
Eleanor is delighted to be a part of the DYSPLA Festival this year.
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Camille Lesaffre (Theatre Tech)
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Alexia Morris (MUA) is a professional makeup artist with a degree in Media Studies at the London College of Fashion and University of Arts.
She specialized in makeup & hair for TV, film, theatre, catwalk, photography and body painting where she loved being able to escape into the world of art and challege her creativity.
When she finished her studies, she joined Rachel’s School of Theatre running make-up workshops for children; where she had volunteered as a drama tutor; inspiring young students on how to apply make up, encourage and incorporate it into theatre. In addition to teaching she worked with make up , costume and hair at the Brixton theatre where she developed. She also made a student film for Cannes Festival working as a make-up assistant and BT Christmas Carol concert at the Royal Albert Hall as a make-up designer. She decided it was time for a change of scenery and moved around the country to work at the BBC in Cardiff (Wales) and the BBC Pebble Mill (Birmingham) as a costume & make-up designer.
Her professional experience includes working as a make up and costume designer and her work is exclusively created for professionals within the beauty and wellness industries. She can be contacted on alexiamorris@icloud.com
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Sam Barclay (Printed DYSPLA Festival Flyer Designer)
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Anna-Maria Georgiades (Office Manager) was born and raised in Australia. At the age of 12, she and her family moved to Cyprus, where she discovered her passion for acting. She studied acting for three years at Vladimiros Kafkarides Drama School. In 2007, she moved to London to pursue further training and work. She attended the Giles Foreman Centre for Acting (formerly Caravanserai) for three years and the PEM (Perdekamp Emotional Method) training workshops. She has appeared on TV and stage in Cyprus, most recently on stage at Theatro Technis in Grey Foam. During the summer, she played three parts in Nuclear Winter, which was part of the Camden Fringe Festival. In December, she will be appearing in Federico Garcia Lorca’s Yerma at The Lord Stanley. Follow @_ahmg_
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Paul Anthony Drury (PR Consultant) Action at the intersection of art and advertising. Paul builds brand love and connects content with audiences by using skills across journalism, PR, social media, marketing and cross-platform production.
Paul trained as a journalist and spent four-years in newspapers in the North of England before moving to London in 2007 to work for arts communications specialists Idea Generation – delivering campaigns for The Royal Shakespeare Company, Channel 4, Stella Artois and working form the Edinburgh Fringe for four consecutive summers.
After leaving Idea Generation, Paul worked on projects for the British Council, spent almost a year at film and entertainment specialists Premier and is now working for intergrated communications agency Unity – on creative projects for clients including Hyundai, Baileys and Lucozade. Follow @thisisjukebox
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Hatty Evans (PR Assistant) works in marketing in the world of advertising. With a profound passion for theatre she participated in plays from the age of 5–18 at the Bristol Old Vic, and then went on to pursue drama at University in London, writing, acting and composing music. After being diagnosed as dyslexic at a young age, she has always had a deep interest in how this affects creative practice and can be used in creative methods. She is very excited to be part of the DYSPLA Festival.
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Amanda Hickey studies Public Relations and Theatre at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She has been studying abroad in London since August and has recently taken on an internship with MSFT. She really enjoys writing and performing, and is loving her London experience thus far. Follow @manderzz24
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Cameron Tagge is a Film and Theatre University student from Los Angeles. He is currently studying abroad in London and working an internship position with MSFT, DYSPLA, Lennie, and the whole crew until late December. Meeting new friends, future coworkers, and experiencing an entirely different culture has been a golden opportunity too good to be true. It’s truly a home away from home. Follow @CamTagMe
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Program Designed by Sam Barkley
DYSPLA 2013
If you missed Dyspla 2013, have a look at some highlights below…
“…a very intense experience” – LondonTheatre1
“Dyspla Arts festival: All the right letters…” – BBCOuch
“DYSPLA has returned with vigor and triumphant to the West End” – femalearts
“an explosion of light, colour and sound…” – views from the gods
“…experience some truly cutting-edge performance.” – Disability Arts Online
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An encapsulating reformation of dyslexia with debate and performances by dyslexic artists and educators.
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A stylized two-hander loosely based on the story of Yvonne Ridley who was captured by the Taliban in 2001.
Click for more. |
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A maze-like structure in the basement of the Camden Peoples’ Theatre for the audience to explore intimate, immediate, and inspiring dyslexic performers.
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| “Dyspla changes lives. Whether significantly or subconsciously, it finds its way into audiences’ thoughts and hearts. Dyslexia won’t ever be thought of the same way again.”
“Dyspla is the forefront for dyslexic theatre and dyslexic artists, creators, thinkers, and believers. It will continue to shape minds – young and old – and morph the definition of dyslexia from difficulty to specialty.”
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| “Y&P is undoubtedly an unusual theatre experience that pushes the boundaries. It makes you uncomfortable yet makes you think, touches your heart but sends chills down your spine. Theatre is supposed to move you—show you something you’ll never forget. Y&Pdoes just that.”
Full Story Coming Soon.
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Twitter link: 
dyslexicwhisper 