So Some Research Done…Just Write!

As part of my work on writing a new a new choreopoem. I have been immersed in WW1, social history around Leicester, in particular the Cultural Quarter. The factory buildings, the St Georges Church, other buildings that have been demolished now, but were part of my growing up in Leicester. They were  important and of great significance to me and my peers. I have discovered so many fascinating things. I was totally unaware of the glorious proud history/herstory of Leicester in terms of its' politically progressive and radical past.  The development of the Secular Society and its impressive building, the Co-operative Society and Trades Unions and other Socialist Movements. Lastly but not least, the impact of  First Wave Feminism on Leicester  - the Suffragette Movement and women e.g Like Alice Hawkins, but there were many other notable women too. Reviewing a range of archive material from Reports, to Oral history, to looking at photographs of the relevant historical periods, for the narrative I plan to write.  Ned Newitt's historical  book on the Working Poor and Slums of Leicester has been invaluable also. A recent conversation with him yielded some very interesting information and I plan a follow up meeting with him soon.

Since my last post I have attended at Leicester University a marvelous Inscribe Work shop, with Bernadine Evaristo on fiction writing (always good to meet an author whose book  Mr Loverman you have enjoyed)  In some ways this book has been a great inspiration for my current choreopoem and Bernadine was a great tutor-a joy to meet. Such topics as race, gender, sexuality and identity are key for me right now. Grappling with all of those is no easy matter and critically, how do all these issues inform the narrative for the choreopoem I am writing.

Writers Diriye Osman &Thomas Glave & First Meeting Writing Commission

It has been such a fascinating month - an LGBT month ! With my first visit to Word Factory - a short fiction event, to see amongst other writers, the fabulous Diriye Osman, a Somalian based in London, read from his book of Short Stories 'Fairytales for Lost Children'. In his book he shows also his considerable visual arts talent, as he supplies the enchanting illustrations.  It is hoped to bring Dirirye Osman, back to Leicester later in the year to share more of his work - watch this space... .  I  subsequently bought his book, which is both moving, poignant and erotic at times.  I went  also to hear Thomas Glave,  a Jamaican Professor of Creative Writing (USA) Writer & LGBT Activist, speak about his work in progress - a  powerful memoir .  It stirred up strong feelings within me, as to Jamaican women, their legacy and impact, upon Thomas Glave and myself as writers.  Additionally the importance  and power of memory, in particular reflecting on personal items e.g  a Mothers passport,  in the development of the writing. In the Q & A  session after, there was discussion about  different identities and moral issues, writing about intimate matters, in relation to living persons.  I am currently reading a collection of short stories by Thomas Glave titled 'Whose Song'.  

Tomorrow evening, it is  a further information exchange and I will meet the other successful writers for the Affective Digital Histories: Creative Writing Commissions Project. Our deadline  to complete our written pieces is set of May 30th 2014. I am very excited and have already had some contact with one of the other writers.  We also  meet the members of our project team, in particular the Centre for New Writing &  Research Staff  based at the Leicester University - some of whom we  have met previously.  Only now the work will begin in earnest, as  to how best to access the research information we all need etc. The research part of a writing project is always enjoyable for me .  As I embark on a huge learning curve about my given subject matter. To then be able to create characters, that are as authentic as I can make them . 

Its Official A New Commission for New Choreopoem !! Love the Life You Live…Live the Life You Love by Carol Leeming -

I am absolutely delighted to confirm I have been commissioned to write a new choreopoem for an exciting writing project from the Centre for New Writing Leicester University  - Affective Digital Histories  see further details here:

http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/english/creativewriting/centre/creative-writing-commission

I particularly look forward to the research aspect as well as the writing, for this new choreopeom project e.g. to be working with  academic  colleagues, local history of Leicester and accessing local archive materials.

This choreopoem will be very different journey in writing it, to the previous one, i.e.The Loneliness of the Long Distance Diva. As the starting point and title for this choreopoem is a parrellism, from a Jamaican proverb, one that was also used by a personal cultural hero of mine : Bob Marley. Different in themes and the fact it has more than one Leicester based character etc provides a sharp contrast to the previous work. However one of the characters, does have a tenuous link with the previous choreopoem character Solitaire. For those who know the previous story of this character, they will have to see the  completed work to find out in what way... This time round though, the narrative is very focused around, very specific buildings/places and historical periods in Leicester. I hope it will be as successful, as compelling and of keen interest. As indeed Solitaire's story was in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Diva as performed at Curve Theatre 2012 as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

Blast Off !!

This I hope is a starting point... to document my second choreopoem project, that will be so different from my previous successful one. I am looking forward to it all filled with anticipation and excitement…think positive !