Things I Heard In Spar

A research and development project, as part of our CARE R&D commissions, to explore ways to continue to work with communities during Lockdown.

As part of our CARE: R&D programme, Martin Gooding and Ben Macdonald-Evans worked with community producer Natalie Willatt in the neighbourhoods of Fegg Hayes, on the project: Things I Heard In Spar.

“Fleeting moments occurring in the periphery, secret codes passed, neighbour to neighbour, over the garden fence comes a mysterious set of instructions, a strange adventure is beginning on the estate and you’re all caught up in it. Our goal is to encourage play, community collaboration and create exciting and unusual theatrical outcomes that spread across a neighbourhood.

Using local myths and legends that weave their way through the history of a community, we will harness the power of mystery and rumour to create a theatre show like no other, but I’m afraid that’s all we can tell you for now”

The Artists

Martin Gooding[Image Description: Photograph of Martin Gooding in costume, holding a sword and wearing armour, walking through a residential street at night. There are people in the background of mixed ages, holding handcrafted lanterns.] — Martin Gooding
[Image Description: Photograph of Martin Gooding in costume, holding a sword and wearing armour, walking through a residential street at night. There are people in the background of mixed ages, holding handcrafted lanterns.]

Ben Macdonald Evans[Image Description: Photograph focuses on Ben Macdonald-Evans, who is wearing a high visibility vest, and is holding a piece of paper with handwritten notes on, in a city high street at evening time. There are other people in the … — Ben Macdonald Evans
[Image Description: Photograph focuses on Ben Macdonald-Evans, who is wearing a high visibility vest, and is holding a piece of paper with handwritten notes on, in a city high street at evening time. There are other people in the background, who are holding handcrafted lanterns.]

Martin has 6 years' experience working in participatory arts, theatre, and contemporary art. Working as a creative producer and artist for organisations such as B Arts, Walk the Plank, Emergency Exit Arts, Dead Good Guides and Festival Stoke, he is also producer of Your City Festival, CULT Hip Hop Events and the frontman of Art-Punk band High Viz Jackit Theory. Martin specialises in working with a wide range of communities stretching from his own neighbourhood of Shelton to the Banlieues of Paris, The Jungle refugee camp, Teenagers on the Autistic Spectrum and with artists of every discipline. Martin’s work often utilises the power of words, speech, performance, hip hop and poetry.

Ben has 6+ years' experience working in different communities facilitating creative expression on a personal and group level, including as an Occupational Therapist in a secure psychiatric hospital running hip-hop and music sessions, creating & acting in theatre shows for kids at Green Man Festival and developing audiences through individual events for Appetite Stoke. Alongside this he works as a freelance creative practitioner specialising in mural painting, journalism / poetry and performance, with works commissioned for Nationwide, Bombing Science, B Arts and Stoke Council.