THE GREAT BIG WOMEN’S SONG sanctuary
THE VISION:
A one-woman collaboration with live audiences by spoken word artist and contemporary traditional folk singer Joanie Bones.
A journey into the hidden yet universal stories of women’s endurance- through taboo, isolation & shame into a shared experience of positivity, connection & growth.
Spoken word, acapella songs, body percussion & audience participation are joyfully crafted into a healing ritual that is both accessible & transformational.
THE SHOW
For The Great Big Women’s Song Sanctuary Joanie brings her unique mix of vocal looping, experimental percussion and heart warming tales of connection to invite the audience on a healing journey, skillfully & safely guiding the audience through themes devastatingly familiar to any woman: themes such as negative body image; sexual violence; pregnancy; miscarriage; abortion; not having children; ageing - all of which are linked by the shadows of shame & isolation.
Througout the show the audience are always returned to safety & connection through Joanie's warm and engaging presence and active invitation to them to co-create this gig theatre ritual with her. Throughout the piece the audience have opportunities to participate on & off stage in multiple ways, where all voices and experiences are welcome, together transforming the grief and shame of historic isolation into connection, redemption and celebration.
The premise of GREAT BIG WOMEN’S SONG SANCTUARY is based on:
Thankyou to the University of Sheffield's Access Folk project for helping to fund the development of this show
A one-woman collaboration with live audiences by spoken word artist and contemporary traditional folk singer Joanie Bones.
A journey into the hidden yet universal stories of women’s endurance- through taboo, isolation & shame into a shared experience of positivity, connection & growth.
Spoken word, acapella songs, body percussion & audience participation are joyfully crafted into a healing ritual that is both accessible & transformational.
THE SHOW
For The Great Big Women’s Song Sanctuary Joanie brings her unique mix of vocal looping, experimental percussion and heart warming tales of connection to invite the audience on a healing journey, skillfully & safely guiding the audience through themes devastatingly familiar to any woman: themes such as negative body image; sexual violence; pregnancy; miscarriage; abortion; not having children; ageing - all of which are linked by the shadows of shame & isolation.
Througout the show the audience are always returned to safety & connection through Joanie's warm and engaging presence and active invitation to them to co-create this gig theatre ritual with her. Throughout the piece the audience have opportunities to participate on & off stage in multiple ways, where all voices and experiences are welcome, together transforming the grief and shame of historic isolation into connection, redemption and celebration.
The premise of GREAT BIG WOMEN’S SONG SANCTUARY is based on:
- the ability of narrative song and story to raise issues that can be otherwise hard to bring to the fore, and to do so in a way that can touch people’s hearts and souls
- an understanding of the transformative power for audiences of both witnessing narrative performance and inclusive participation
- research showing that isolation is a key factor in trauma, that communal singing brings multiple benefits, including a sense of social bonding, wellbeing and empowerment1, and that such experiences are effective in addressing the effects of traumatic isolation
- is developed through active research exploring how best to create a safe setting to facilitate a sense of ease and participation, incorporating practices from the field of trauma therapy.
- is written with input from groups and audiences from a diversity of backgrounds and gender identities wider than its subject focus, including men, queer and trans women, singers and non-singers.
- offers ongoing resources to the audience so they can continue to experience connection around these issues, such as a peer-led phone support groups and listening circles.
Thankyou to the University of Sheffield's Access Folk project for helping to fund the development of this show