Phrased & Confused

Phrased & Confused 2011 Review

Tom — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:21:06 +0000

Well we’ve said goodbye to 2011, and what a fantastic year it was for Phrased & Confused.

The year started with us commissioning four artists to create a piece of new work, centred around the theme of protest. Laura Dockrill, Shane Solanki, Yusra Warsama and Ben Mellor were charged with responding to the following brief…

This year we want to commission four new pieces of work that take as their starting point the theme of protest and at the same time explore the fertile ground between music, lyrics and poetry. We hope these commissions will give you the chance to create new work that plays with the connections – and differences – between poetry and lyrics, and the conventions attached to their presentation.

We’re also looking for material that will ‘speak’ to music fans, hopefully opening up a new audience to spoken word along the way. And we want to commission work which will look at home in an independent festival environment, but which will also have the potential to tour the country, or feel equally at ease in another festival contexts too.

With the help of Creative Mentor for the project, Stuart Silver, the four commissioned artists set about writing their new pieces of work in preparation for Summer Sundae, and with the help of work shop days with Stuart and P&C Director Matthew Linley.

The Summer Sundae Weekender came around quickly, and the P&C team set off from all corners of the country to Leicester for the weekend of the 12th – 14th of August to once again spread wordy wonderment and musical magic across the festival site. Alongside our four commissioned artists and their performances we programmed a full three days of poetry, music and spoken word performances across three stages of the festival as well as readings, intimate performances and word games at our base the ‘Shhh Library Tent.’ You can view our full line up from the festival here, and the 8-page fanzine we produced for weekend can still be viewed online.

P&C Director Julia Payne introduces her highlight from the weekend…

We also produced podcasts everyday at the festival which included highlights, interviews and snippets from each of our four commissioned artists’ performances…

P&C at Summer Sunder Podcast – Day 1

P&C at Summer Sunder Podcast – Day 2

P&C at Summer Sunder Podcast – Day 3

P&C at Summer Sunder Podcast – Day 4

So with Summer Sundae done and dusted, we looked forward to the Interrogate! Festival at Dartington in September, the first ever festival of social justice. Brand new and unique in the UK, the Interrogate festival took a fresh approach to looking at income inequality, its impact and what we can all do about it. Through performance, debate, comedy, film, music, workshops, podcasts and ideas, Interrogate was about inspiring people – and P&C were delighted to be right there in the mix!

We were very excited to take three of our four commissioned artists to Interrogate! as well as a new take on our ‘Insulting Cabaret’.

Ben Mellor, Shane Solanki and Yusra Warsama combined their new pieces of work for a special one off show entitled ‘Phrased, Confused & Angry’ including some special guests especially for Interrogate! Ben Mellor was again be joined by the wonderful, Leonie Higgins and Dan Steele for his performance of ‘This Poem Is On Strike’ and Yusra welcomed International DJ, Beatboxer, Experimental percussionist, Composer and Visual Artist Jason Singh to perform ‘Street Prophets’ with soundscapes provided by DJ Gazzhands , and Shane Solanki was reunited with the wonderful Ben & Alfie for his piece ‘Bipolar.’

Interrogate! Cabaret based on our infamous ‘Insulting Cabaret’ brought a special evening of late night word play, vocal trickery, comic truths and some good old fashioned fun to Interrogate. Hosted by BAFTA Nominated and Perrier Award Winning Stuart Silver, the line up included…

Natural Causes (house band) and Stuart Silver (MC)

Sieze The Day

Inua Ellams – Resident Poet at Interrogate Festival

Finally 2011 saw us look to answer the question, what does it take to get poets and musicians cross? On the 23rd of November at Contact in Manchester we found out with the full UK premiere of our Phrased, Confused and Angry! Show, featuring all four of our commissioned artists; Laura Dockrill, Shane Solanki and Manchester’s own Ben Mellor and Yusra Warsama.

Taking as a starting point the work they created for Summer Sundae, the show featured four very personal takes on the theme of protest, from a girl’s battles with her male alter-ego ‘Sebastian’ to a poem that goes on strike! Collaborating musicians included international beatboxer Jason Singh, with DJ Gazz Hands providing soundscapes and protest playlists on the night.

Check out our photo gallery from the night below… courtesy of Ian Taylor.

Phrased & Confused in 2012…

Keep your eyes peeled for news of our exciting plans for this year. Stay in touch via our social networks…

Facebook | Twitter

Phrased & Confused – The first five years

Tom — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:56:19 +0000

Over the course of the Summer Sundae Weekender this year, our creative mentor Stuart Silver produced a film, documenting the first five years of Phrased & Confused….

Phrased, Confused & Angry! – Teaser Trailer

Tom — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:32:04 +0000

Phrased, Confused & Angry!

Wed 23rd November – Contact, Manchester

Watch the video below for a bit of a taster…

Creative Mentor – Stuart Silver.

TICKETS £8 FULL // £5 CONC. - BUY ONLINE NOW

Ben Mellor Interview with Noise Generation

Tom — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:13:47 +0000

In preparation for ‘Phrased, Confused & Angry!’ at Contact in Manchester this November, Ben Mellor, one of our commissioned artists, spoke to ‘Noise Generation’ Contact’s monthly radio show on All FM about Phrased & Confused and the up and coming show.

You can listen again now, simply click below…

Phrased & Confused Presents…

Phrased, Confused & Angry!

Wed 23rd November – Contact, Manchester

What does it take to get poets and musicians cross? On the 23rd of November at Contact in Manchester, we are going to find out with the UK premiere of our Phrased, Confused and Angry! Show, featuring our four commissioned artists: Laura Dockrill, Shane Solanki and Manchester’s own Ben Mellor and Yusra Warsama. Taking as a starting point the work they created for Summer Sundae, the show features four very personal takes on the theme of protest, from a four-year old refusing to eat her peas to a poem that goes on strike!

Art Director Stuart Silver.

TICKETS £8 FULL // £5 CONC. - BUY ONLINE NOW

A F Harrold gets doctored – by the book doctor

Matthew — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:03:50 +0000

Festivals are all about encounters – and here is one of those encounters….the wonderfully bearded A F Harrold discusses books and all that involves with Leicester’s very own Book Doctor.

The Book Doctor meets A F Harrold at Summer Sundae for P&C from Phrased and Confused on Vimeo.

Stuck for something to read? Passing through Leicester? Then make sure you check out the book doctor. Her stethoscope reaches parts of your brain that

Interrogate Cabaret!

Tom — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:18:35 +0000

Phrased & Confused presents The Interrogate! Cabaret

Saturday 24th – Interrogate! Festival of Social Justice – Dartington Hall

Based on our infamous ‘Insulting Cabaret’ we are presenting a special evening of late night word play, vocal trickery, comic truths and some good old fashioned fun especially for Interrogate. Hosted by BAFTA Nominated and Perrier Award Winning Stuart Silver, the line up includes…

Natural Causes (house band) and Stuart Silver (MC)

Sieze The Day

Inua Ellams – Resident Poet at Interrogate Festival

Special Guest

DJ GAZZ HANDS on the turntables throughout…

Tickets are still available for the festival BUY ONLINE now.

Our Commissioned Artists at Interrogate Festival

Tom — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:29:24 +0000

Phrased & Confused are delighted to be part of the Interrogate Festival at Dartington this year, the first ever festival of social justice. Brand new and unique in the UK, the Interrogate festival is taking a fresh approach to looking at income inequality, its impact and what we can all do about it. Through performance, debate, comedy, film, music, workshops, podcasts and ideas, Interrogate is about inspiring people – and P&C are delighted to be right there in the mix!

We are very excited to be bringing three of our four commissioned artists from Sunday Sundae to Dartington, for a special one off show entitled ‘Phrased, Confused & Angry.’ Ben Mellor, Shane Solanki and Yusra Warsama will combine their new pieces of work, which debuted at Summer Sundae, including some special guests especially for Interrogate!

Ben Mellor will once again be joined by the wonderful, Leonie Higgins and Dan Steele for his performance of ‘This Poem Is On Strike’ and Yusra welcomes International DJ, Beatboxer, Experimental percussionist, Composer and Visual Artist Jason Singh to perform ‘Street Prophets’ with soundscapes provided by DJ Gazzhands , and Shane Solanki will be reunited with the wonderful Ben & Alfie for his piece ‘Bipolar.’

You can purchase individual tickets for Phrased, Confused & Angry for just £5 HERE

P&C Highlights from Sunday – Club O

Matthew — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:00:20 +0000

Second up in our series of Sunday highlights – Helga introduces Club O on the band stand! Club O stopped the crowd in its tracks with a truly beautiful set performed in the late afternoon sunshine on the bandstand. A true family affair!

P&C Sunday highlights – club O from Phrased and Confused on Vimeo.

P&C Highlights from Sunday – Boo Hewerdine

Matthew — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 09:00:01 +0000

First in a series of highlights from the final Sunday of Summer Sundae this year. Here Phrased & Confused director Julia Payne introduces Boo Hewerdine!

P&C Sunday highlights – Boo Hewerdine from Phrased and Confused on Vimeo.

And we’ll be posting more from Julia’s interview with Boo in a few days – so check back here soon!

P&C Podcast – Summer Sundae – The final one!

Matthew — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:18:53 +0000

So its time for the fourth and final podcast from Phrased & Confused at Summer Sundae. This podcast features performances from Shane Solanki, Ben Mellor and Geddes Loom and Ben and Alfie as well as an interview with Amnesty INternational. Oh and there is also a guest appearance from the Lord Mayor of Leicester!

Phrased & Confused Summer Sundae Podcast 4 from Phrased and Confused on Vimeo.

Until next time!