Comics and Performance

A repository for comics performances. www.damonherd.com

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DeeCAP with Scottish Ensemble

Earlier this year DeeCAP was very excited to join forces with Scottish Ensemble, a dynamic string orchestra based in Glasgow, for an evening of comic performances brought to life with live soundtracks and featuring comics by Damon Herd, David Robertson, Zuzanna Dominiak, Andy Herd, and Norrie Millar. Presented and hosted by Dundee Comics Creative Space. The whole event was filmed and we hope to have videos available soon.

DeeCAP with Scottish Ensemble 8-9pm Wednesday 13th September Dundee Comics Creative Space

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Vaughn Bode’s Cartoon Concert

Vaughn Bode performing his Cartoon Concert in 1972.

https://youtu.be/_C7ArQ5zMbk

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ON LES AURA!

There hasn’t been a huge amount of comics events at the Edinburgh Book Festival this year, especially when compared with the boom year of Stripped in 2013. However, I’m very excited to see what is build as a MUSIC AND DRAWING PERFORMANCE tonight by Barroux (who I enjoyed seeing last year at one of the panels on IDP:2043).

From the Festival website:

'August 3rd, 1914: Today weʼre off' is the beginning of Barroux’s graphic novel On Les Aura! based on the diary of a First World War French soldier and translated from the French by Sarah Ardizzone. The diary, rescued from a Parisian skip, is an incredibly rich, human and historical testimony. This event is a presentation of that story in a performance, with live drawing by writer and illustrator Barroux and with accompaniment by musician par excellence, Julien Joubert.

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Cosplay and History

I love this story about Congressman John Lewis cosplaying as his younger self at San Diego Comic-Con last weekend. Lewis was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee from 1963-66. He was on the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965, and is the last survivor of the Big Six civil rights leaders (Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, John Lewis, A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, and Whitney Young).

He has written a three-volume graphic memoir March about the US Civil Rights Movement (co-written by Andrew Aydin and drawn by Nate Powell) and was promoting the second volume at this year’s Comic-Con. He decided to dress up in a raincoat and backpack similar to those he wore in 1965. He then recreated the march with the young people who had come to see him at the con.

Seeing him lead the schoolchildren through the convention was immensely moving. Many of the youngsters had been brought by their teacher, Mick Rabin, who “had shown the wisdom to bring them to meet history in the flesh.” Mr Rabin had great things to say about his students and their understanding of social justice.

“People incorrectly underestimate the ‘readiness’ that young students have for complex subjects like civil rights or LGBT safety and inclusion. But that’s patronizing. They can handle it. It just takes a bit more time, effort, and front-loading. Third-graders can really relate to social justice, because nobody in the world comprehends the idea of what is ‘fair’ better than an 8-year-old.  And ‘fairness’ is just another way of saying ‘social justice.’ Kids can and do really get it.”

I had the opportunity to recreate what I wore on March 7, 1965 and march with some amazing young people. pic.twitter.com/0zjGj4jv86

— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) July 12, 2015

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Radio With Pictures

Thanks to Paddy Johnston for alerting me to the Australian comics performance event Radio With Pictures. Looks like it isn't still happening but you can check out the performances from their events in 2012 & 2013.

Cast and crew of Radio With Pictures – The Things You Do at the Sydney Opera House, 6th October 2013. Photo from Radio with Pictures website.

It is especially worth watching and listening to Pat Grant's beautiful and poignant Toormina Video.

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DeeCAP at the Scottish Comics Unconference Meet-up

On February 28th 2015 the first Comics Unconference took place in Glasgow. The day ended with a DeeCAP session of comics performances. Damon Herd's introductory video is below.

You can see all the rest of the videos here http://www.comicsunconference.co.uk/2015/03/09/deecap-videos/

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Dotter adapted for dance theatre

Mary Talbot reports on her blog that her memoir 'Dotter of her Father's Eyes', which was drawn by her husband Bryan, is to adapted for the stage. Extracts will be previewed at the Huddersfield Literature Festival in March. More details here.

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Putain de Guerre! with Tardi & Dominique Grange

There is a lot going on at this year's Comica Festival but this could be the best of the lot. Jacques Tardi and Dominique Grange performing their work, Putain de guerre!, a performance combining songs, readings and images in French & English, in the Ciné Lumière at the Institut Français in South Kensington.

"In a poignant evocation of the First World War, Dominique Grange will perform music from her own repertoire, as well as songs by unknown soldiers and pieces by Aragon and Ferré. Tardi will read caustic excerpts from Putain de guerre !, a graphic novel he created in collaboration with the historian Jean-Pierre Verney, while his images, taken from the same work, will be shown on screen. They will be accompanied on stage by five musicians from the Accordzeam group."

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Art Spiegelman and Phillip Johnston's WORDLESS!

Art Spiegelman is touring the US in October with WORDLESS! - "an innovative hybrid of slides, talk, and musical performance created in collaboration with acclaimed jazz composer Phillip Johnston" The show features projections of "wordless novels" by Lynd Ward, Frans Masereel and Otto Nückel among others alongside live music by Phillip Johnston and his sextet.

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Living Graphic Novel

Comics artist Dave Crane is inviting both locals and comics fans to become part of a “living graphic novel” during the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (17th – 19th October 2014). Down The Tubes reports that he will be working with Kendal Community Theatre, and all performers will be credited in the finished book.

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Andrew Godfrey in full flow at the DeeCAP autobio special last night.

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DeeCAP tonight!

DeeCAP Autobiographical Comics Special 7pm Drama Studio, Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee.

Performances by:

Andrew Godfrey Andy Herd Damon Herd David Robertson Avril Smart Jules Valera

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DeeCAP is next Monday - 15th September 7pm

Dalhousie Building Drama Studio, University of Dundee

MAP

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DeeCAP Autobiographical Comics Special

The next DeeCAP is all autobio! Cartoonist perform stories from their own lives. Details here.

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CAROUSEL: Cartoon Slide Shows and other projected pictures

The next Carousel hosted by R. Sikoryak is 3rd September in NYC, details here.

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Herr Seele at Helsinki Comics Festival 2012

Here is a short video showing Flemish artist Herr Seele (Peter van Heirseele), co-creator, with Kamagurka, of Cowboy Henk, talking about his work at Helsinki Comics Festival. The video also shows Herr Seele performing a live draw of a giant Cowboy Henk comic strip as assistants unroll a huge sheet of paper for him.

Thanks to David Peter Kerr for the heads up!

'Henk and selfportrait' oil on canvas (2014) by Herr Seele.

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Pechaflickr

Say what?

'Enter a tag, press play, and see how well you can communicate a coherent message illustrated by 20 random photos, each one on screen for 20 seconds. Advanced options let you change the number of images and/or the timing.'

http://pechaflickr.net/

An interesting way to make up on-the-spot stories based on random images. Thanks to Brooke Sheridan for the heads up.