 Hello. Welcome to the new year.
My name is Dave Brown and I’m a performance-maker with an insane curiosity for how we as humans function as creators.
As a theatre thinker and tinker, I offer a digest of insights and provocations designed to incite and inspire like-minded enthusiasts of creative practice.
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Two stonecutters were engaged in a similar activity.
Asked what they were doing, one answered,
“I’m squaring up this block of stone.”
The other replied,
“I’m building a cathedral!”
Clearly what counts is not so much what work we do …
but what we perceive we’re doing it for.
Willis Harman, Global Mind Change
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I’ve spent the last 20 years as Artistic Director of Patch Theatre Company creating professional theatre for 4-8 year olds. I can’t remember ever having taken a sick day. Surely I did! The point is, I've been incredibly privileged to “work” at something that is inherently joyful, challenging, absorbing and worthwhile! I loved every minute of it!!
The ideas and experience that I accumulated across my time at Patch Theatre has led me to my new venture called The PaperBoats, which I describe as an international partnership platform for theatre-makers, that investigates and pioneers new ways of connecting and creating.
photo: patch theatre production - emily loves to bounce
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 As part of this venture, I have articulated seven principles of performance-making which I’ve cobbled together across the years.
I am using these principles to encourage discussion around the devising processes we use to make theatrical performances.
I believe we’re on the cusp of some trail-blazing possibilities in the way we “collaborate to create”, prompted by new technologies and the open-source, co-creation movement.
“Trail-blazing?” “Pioneering?”
Forgive my enthusiasm. This is my new passion!
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the paperboats projects are underpinned by these 7 principles
principle 1 - the germinal idea
principle 2 - limiting the palette
principle 3 - whimsy and logic
principle 4 - slow brewing
principle 5 - collaboration, co-creation, participation
principle 6 - modularity
principle 7 - artistry
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 I’ve conceived the parameters of a five-year performance project called The Tutu Shows, arising from a germinating idea entitled Tw2o of a Kind.
This project will pioneer the possibilities of The PaperBoats platform and its 7 performance-making principles.
It will begin as a partnership between Adelaide artists connecting with performance-makers in Austin, Texas. (Brant Pope/Megan Alrutz, University of Texas and Nat Miller, ZACH Theater).
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Dr Brant Pope and I will co-author a book that investigates and reflects upon the Tw2o of a Kind performance-making project as it unfolds.
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A precursor to this book will be my own reflections on creative processes, which will draw on the experiences of my 20 years with Patch Theatre Company.
In doing so, I will delve into the 7 performance-making principles and explore how they can serve the way we “connect and create”. I’ll deliver these as a monthly blog.
I invite you to receive an e-mail version, delivered fresh and newly-baked by filling in the subscription form.
I'm keen to develop a community of interest around the creative practices of devising theatre performances for children. Please share this blog with anyone you feel may be interested in engaging with The PaperBoats.
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the paperboats ASSOCIATES are a starting group of key artists and producers, who will share and develop their theatre-making practice and networks, alongside the evolution of the paperboats platform.
the paperboats ASSOCIATES include: dave brown, nat miller, luanne poh, stephen blackburn, katrina lazaroff, amanda jones, belinda macqueen, thom browning, sally chance, dan aubin, roz hervey and dr. brant pope.
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This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory group.
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