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EDINBURGH COMMUNITY PROJECTS
In collaboration with WHALE community arts organization, Theatre du Pif produced four community theatre productions that were performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a few years.
Each production involved a different group from the community Waltzer Mathilda (Children), Having a good time (woman), Multiple Division (teenagers) and Tall Tales (adults from varied cultural backgrounds) and were devised using material from the lives of the participants as well as stories and fables.
Tall Tales is based on the real life experiences of a diverse group of people mostly from Wester Hailes. Early in rehearsals, we asked people what the best and worst moments in their lives had been and what they want most in their lives now. Most of the feedback focused on the theme of family as people talked about the joy of having children and further on, the hurt and pain that came with the breakup of relationships and its negative effects on their children. One participant told us about a major health scare in his life while another recalled the happy nights when he told his young sons bed-time stories. The response to 'What do you want in your life?' ranged from "a holiday!" to "being able to trust and love someone again".
Slowly, Tall Tales began to take shape merging all these everyday life events with the heroic tale of Galahad and his journey to slay the dragon.
Having a Good Time
"Poignant, funny, swift of pace and down to earth. Having a Good Time is an excellent piece of community theatre testifying to the resourcefulness of the female spirit in times of adversity. It is further testimony to the excellent work of WHALE (Wester Hailes Arts Leisure and Education) and Hong Kong theatre company Theatre du Pif."
Leila Ford, The Scotsman, 10 Aug 1997
Tall Tales
"This play drives home how easily peace and hope can be destroyed by fear and anger and how simple it would be to make a better life for everyone. All it takes is for someone to stand up and say: Enough!..."
Diane Dubois, The Scotsman, 9 Aug 2003
"Absorbed throughout, the audience went wild at the triumphant end."
The Scotsman, Aug 2003