'DREAMING' Under the Southern Bough play script published in China

February saw the publication in China of the play script ’DREAMING Under the Southern Bough’ which I wrote with collegue Adam Strickson. the play underwent a number of revisions from its first outing in Leeds in mid 2016. By the time the show toured China in Autumn 2016 the script was starting to look and feel much more like the play I imagined. I still feel like the play is unfinished business and the UK script contains further notes and stage directions (should it ever get published). I'm considering an anthology of Chinese translations so maybe it really is unfinished business.

I also contributed to two academic articles about intercultural theatre and working on classical Chinese text that were published in February. Most unusual!

One Minute Plays: A Practical Guide to Tiny Theatre

One Minute Plays: A Practical Guide
by steve Ansell and Rose Burnett Bonczek

February was a big month for me with the release of my first book ‘One Minute Plays: A practical guide to tiny theatre’ which Rose Bonczek and I spent a good deal of 2016 writing, collating and editing. The book, which is published by Routledge is available directly form the publisher, all on line retailers and also bookshops. The UK price for the paperback edition is around £25.It’s a big book and along with our writing it also contains 200 One Minute plays by a diverse range of brilliant playwrights.

A new Dbow and my first Stomp Box

The 'Kitty' Dbow is now finished. Made for Mena my seven yr old daughter from a tin she donated. All little girls should have a diddley bow. 

 

The 'Big Muddy' Mississippi Stomp Box is the newest addition to the collection. It really sounds great and i'm working on a two foot two tone tapping style.

Looking forward to playing in France this Easter

Steve Ansell with special guest Mike Curd (star|man|crow)
Saturday April 2nd
4.00pm
The a l'Ouest
Crozon
France
(Salon de thé, épicerie fine, boutique et petite restauration gourmande.)

Really looking forward to playing this gig with Mike in Brittany this Easter. If you are in the area it would be great to see you. It's free entry leaving you with spare euros to buy cake..

If you find yourself in Brittany This Easter I will be playing at a lovely little cafe (superb cakes and coffee) with my good friend Mike Curd and the 'Good Earths' Jan Wilson. The gig is free so drop in if you are in the area. 

Dbow

Diddley Bow 'The French Connection Mk1'

My first Dbow (diddley bow) 

lovingly crafted from the finest broomhandled and biscuit tin. Augmented with three way pickup, precision tuner and floating bolt bridge! 

Sounds pretty both good clean and distorted. I'm currently working on the French connection Mk2 (a.k.a 'the Angus') when I have it finished I will post a video of the pair of them.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

stage@leeds, Leeds 
18 - 20 Feb
£10.00 (£7.50)
Box Office 0113 343 8730 
www.stage.leeds.ac.uk.

Directed by Steve Ansell and performed by the stage@leedscompany

The production was inspired by the work of sculptor ad Artist Mitzi Cunliffe whose 'Man Made Fibers' sculpture adorns the man made fibres building at the University of Leeds which celebrates it's 60th anniversary this year.

Photo by Victor Harris

National Brothers Week

I read today that its national brothers week so I thought I would post Luca (aka Mena's older brother) rocking out when he was five with his pops.