The working blog.
Josh.20.LightingDesign@TheRoyalCentralSchoolOfSpeechAndDrama.London.
This is my blog. It's an edited record of what I think, What I do, What I wish I could do and shit I find interesting.
This is my blog. It's an edited record of what I think, What I do, What I wish I could do and shit I find interesting.
I arrived at Central this morning to find a sea of happy faces. There is a certain atmosphere in the air on the first day of term, it’s an electric mix of trepidation and sheer joy at seeing familiar faces once more. I’d say that the first day is made up of approximately 70% hugging people, this however could just be an affliction of the drama school luvvvie syndrome.
After the usual term briefing featuring all of the enthusiasm that can be found in an average fistful of dust it was time for the terms first lighting seminar. It was the usual mish-mash of the useful, intriguing and irrational. Today’s session at least for me awoke me from my holiday slumber…I feel like I’m doing something right within my practice. We spent much of the session discussing what the job of a lighting designer is and how our work is perceived by the adverage audience member. The conversation raised lots of interesting points and has sparked me off on some extra research I’d actually LIKE to undertake not only for my degree but for my interest!
The afternoon was to provide ample opportunity to tick off an item or two on our research visit checklist for our upcoming Immersive project inspired by Tom Waits and Robert Wilson’s Black Rider. Postman’s Park is a small open space in The City of London, which is the location of a memorial to heroic self sacrifice. It was striking the number of children that were honoured in the memorial. We sat in silence for a couple of minutes taking in the surroundings and contemplating the bravery of these souls.
Plaques in Postman’s Park.
After a short walk across the river we ended up in the Tate Modern, naturally we gravitated to the large cavernous turbine hall and laid down in the middle of the sleeping giant staring at the ceiling. We pondered over using such a space for a site specific work..meanwhile tourists took pictures of us, we can only assume they though it was the next big thing in modern art.
The Turbine Hall’s Roof.
And to top off a pretty fab day it was off to a meal out to celebrate catch up with friends old and new.
My only worry is that of impending financial ruin….not much then?
J
22.04.13
Staring at statues in Paddington Basin. Featuring super big hair…
Had a delightful walk down the regents canal from Camden to Hackney today.
I have long enjoyed a stroll down the canal, childhood afternoons out were filled with walks along the Grand Union Canal.
Today’s walk, however took a much grittier turn, passing abandoned buildings and industrial scrapyards. The further east you get the larger the contrast with with neater and more gentrified western end of the canal.
That is all for now.
So I’m really enjoying Little Comets at the moment. There is just something so pleasing about the opening of this song…
(Source: Spotify)
-Rose Writes
No wit-ful words come to mind that can describe one’s escapade to birmingham today. All that can be said is it was the true result of a night spent drinking dissarano and ‘So Co.’
Upon a successful Rosé allowance The girl in question and ben incredibly made it to the train on time. A depressingly slow, hungover train ride later saw all three tumble in to Birmingham city centre. A decision made that brunch was the only way in which an overcast Birmingham could be faced, thus began the voyage to wetherspoons.
The path that ensued took the three voyagers rambling through mangled streets of towering glass and steel. As the journey progressed the feeling the three were left with can be likened to the sensation of dipping one’s hand in to a box of quality street only to find on desperate grasps it was an illusion made up of empty promising rainbow coloured wrappers.
There were very few people on the roads. The sky was grey whereas it had been blue in the land they’d left. The google map was very much mistaken in helping their quest to wetherspoons. Upon landing in the spot where the all-day brunch had been promised they instead found a desolate Tesco in the middle of a road, which if followed would lead to the far off wonders of Wolverhampton. The Tesco was bleak, a curious office lady behind some rotating doors also shed little wisdom. So with great disregard and desperation they fought onwards through the concrete maze.
The journey witnessed holiday snaps, pictures worthy of postcards, buildings built to such extravagance they seemed to be hiding the hole where the heart of the city should live. One particular meander led through a brick tunnel, enhanced with advertisements foretelling of belly dancers, from the exit of a club to a firearms retailer, a tattoo parlour and a serious of calories forming a brunch t the sum of three pounds sixty. For general health concerns the tunnel was quickly passed through.
When all hope was lost and knees were scraping the floor up ahead they stopped and they saw. The neon blue sign of which cheap food and warmth was promised. With victorious sighs of relief completed the three greeted the wetherspoons and sat down to salvage and be kind to their sobbing inner organs. Hours passed, interesting toilet encounters were had and a new game evolved from people watching supplied merriment. The result in which saw all three fed and healthier and stealthier and prepared to venture beyond the loved chain pub and out to the streets of Birmingham.
Dear 8 year old Josh,
I really do think you should put more of your energies into learning keyboard. I mean It’s not that much effort really now is it? Think of your poor dad…lugging your keyboard into school…just for you to be all blasé and nonchalant about asserting ANY effort!
Just think if you carry on learning you could one day be a kick ass pianist in a really intensely cool and successful band.
Or you know at the least humour your uncle’s attempts at teaching you to play bass!
April 2013:
I hope you are happy, I’m now 20 1/2 and I crave a successful music career with a cool..edgy band. See what you have done here!? You have RUINED my life again…you little procrastinatory bugger.
Future Josh (14.4.13) Aged 20 and a half.
So this was my most recent production. Sweet Abandon, was an evening of food, conversation and mischief. Combining intriguing food combinations, dirty food secrets and food adventures.
Sweet Abandon was produced for Spork Food Monthly at The Albert, Queens Park by Yve Blake, with Emily Jane Stedman and Tilly De Verteuil.
Designer: Hannah Wastnidge
Lighting Designer: Joshua Gadsby
The party must always end. That is the only constant. My weeks of drinking and merriment are now all over, left with the sour taste of regret. A phone rings. I reluctantly answer….I’ve forgotten my mothers Birthday….fuck. Now I have to make it up to her, there is nothing fun about having to be sympathetic to someone you have no feelings for. A couple of hours later I’m in Sainsbury’s and staring at the produce mindlessly…I’m going to fall apart..I’m grasping at straws attempting to make things a little better. Nope goodbye positivity.
I want to go home and be a hermit.
At least I’ve got a pomegranate to show for today.
J
9.4.13
If I shave people are like:
“
My life has become infinitely better since I decided to believe in the power of facial hair….
”
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