I wanted to experiment with a theatre form that has interested me for a while and to gain the confidence in applying landscape theatre to my own future projects. However, I haven’t simply achieved what I wanted to, the residency has energised my creativity, sharpened my senses and reassured me into following my theatrical instincts. Thank you. (Claire Patrick)

I wanted to re-evaluate my creative practices, explore new ideas and gain new experiences. Meet new people and re-kindle friendships with old friends. After the week finished, there was a real sense of community from every member involved. I felt as though we had really bonded with each other and created an incredibly strong company of individuals. I can honestly say my creative flame is now a raging inferno. (Jo Long)

I achieved much more than I expected and more than I knew I could in such a short period of time! This week got me to look deep into myself, I found things I didn’t know were there and some things that I wanted to change. The summer school has given me the confidence and conviction to realize that I can be exactly what and who I choose- I now have the determination to achieve that.
Most of all the residency has taught me how to have fun- How to incorporate fun into my life. Previously I had been existing in a pretty mundane way to earn money and pay bills…but the summer school made me realize that even if that is what I need to do; More importantly my soul needs to play-the residency gave me that. Since I have been home I have been making time to laugh and play at all times, I suddenly feel like a different person.I can say without any doubt in my heart that this week has changed my life. (Louella Cooper)

Thomas had an amazing week with Wildworks. There were many achievements for him mostly thanks to everyone there. He very much felt part of the team, no inhibitions and so was able to express himself as only Thomas can. What could be added, from my point of view, and I am sure from Thomas as well, would be something more regular and close to home (in our dreams I know). Thomas did not have anything negative to say so I feel he enjoyed all things and therefore no one thing I am aware of.(Denise Remnant)

I wanted to know more about how WildWorks made theatre, how you achieved that quality of storytelling, and how you answered the needs of the audience so creatively.Personally, I wanted to have a creative shake up, to rock my boat, take some risks, and have some fun playing with new people.I think you achieved this shift in focus very successfully, from other to self, to Wildworks, to site, to the final performance.By the end of the week I felt I had absorbed layers of Wildworks insight and experience, as a team you had been so generous and open with your thoughts and expertise. We were listening to each other, to ourselves, to the land and to you, and the outcome was honest and beautiful.(Alice Tatton Brown)

The work you offered and initiated was so much more than I expected. Time stretched into weeks and months. In half an hour we did and learnt things which seem impossible to be achieved in such a short period.You made us realized impossible is possible – just be open, listen and do.My main task for this week was to meet you, get to know each other, learn about your methods of work and play around. All of these happened – in the most exciting way!(Agnieszka Blonska)

I tried not to come to the summer school with too many pre-conceptions or expectations. I knew that Kneehigh and Wildworks are the theatre companpies that move and excite me most, but i came with no theatre experience. I wanted to get re- emersed creatively and that certainly happened!I had a great timeand loved the workshops especially the singing andchorus work. In both to feel the strength and soul of something amplified by many was so wonderful and enriching. (Belinda Landini)

It’s really made me look deeper at landscapes and stirred up my creative thoughts (Kate Francis)

Thank you very much for everything - your teaching was excellent - I never thought anyone would get me to sing! I feel fairly sure I got out everything I wanted from the week and some things I didn't even know I wanted, I didn't have any idea what to expect so it was all a surprize. (Antonia Atha)

To be honest, I didn’t have a very precise idea of what to expect from the summer school. I wanted to be inside Wildworks’ process, to experience it. And the Wildworks team has shown an incredible generosity in sharing their knowledge on site specific performances (no flattering I swear!). I feel I have more tools in my box now to work on chorus, characters, to use a site or let it lead the devising.(Claire Haloun)

I wanted and expected the week to be exciting and interesting, as well as equipping me with new tools for my work. I also expected to have fun, meet good people and feel inspired by the experience. All of this was delivered, AND some. Everything which I feel I achieved out of the week was in some way important, relevant, and enjoyable. So yes, it consistently lived up to my lofty expectations. (I had a feeling it would). (Sarah Fairhall)

It was a remarkable week; full of call and response, expecting the unexpected and accepting gifts from others with glee. My eyes and heart were taken into many different places, visually and emotionally.It was great to rekindle forgotten memories of how fantastic Landscape theatre is to the participants and audience alike; watching and appreciating how both parties enroll themselves in different ways, how they share experiences and make friends during the devising and performance processes respectively. It was really important for me to understand how less is more…so much is given for free – the landscape, of course, but also the audience’s curiosity and imagination and how these two things can create a narrative of their own. I learnt the importance of ‘being’. Initially, it was daunting to know the next step, to know what should come next, to know how to make sense and create a good story. Yet this anxiety subsided when Bill explained the importance of listening and being in a place and to choose sparingly what we needed to add to the experience already there. I suppose it’s like seeing the landscape as your friend…you don’t have to fight with it, just share the same spirit as it, and it helps you move. The residency awakened many hidden memories and dreams in me and gave me the opportunity to fulfill them in a playful, yet highly dynamic way. I inherited the feeling of anarchy and adventure deep within my soul that re-lit a creative fire in my belly and warmed me to the cockles of my toes. We were provided with so many fantastic tools to use, from chorus work, movement, voice, song…the list was endless. Nix, Sue, Bill, Adrian and the whole of the Wildworks team gave more of themselves than anyone could ever ask for. Not only that but we were given some of the most beautiful sites in South East Cornwall in which to work…not just scenically, but structurally too; from quarries and arsenic wastes to up trees, down holes, small pools of water and where footpaths finished. Each landscape was inspiring and it helped give all our work some form of robustness and rigour. (Lucy Waldker)

I felt the shape of the week worked really well. You have given me a really firm basis from which to expand and experiment. It felt like a very comprehensive beginnning.(Alice Tatton Brown)

The week went so quickly – I almost felt It could have been twice as long. We covered so much material in such a short space of time – All I can say is more more more!(Joe Long)

I’m afraid that it just wasn’t long enough! It’s hard to let something like that end…it’s like a drug and you justwant more and more of the same. (Lucy Walker)