Before the workshop on Monday, I had a faint idea about the direction my performance was heading. This included research into both the topic and what methods would be executed to achieve my goal. However, all this changed after the workshop and the introduction of QR codes. The simple, yet effective idea, of placing QR codes around the high street really caught my attention. Perhaps a narrative could be constructed by placing them in different locations to discuss the history of the high street. Perhaps this method could still be used to include the audience and the public. SImple, yet so effective.

After my exploration of the high street last week, I decided to add to my research and look around the Lincoln collection museum to uncover more of Lincoln’s history. I found some very useful things in relation to how the high street of Lincoln has changed over the years. From Roman to Anglo-Saxon cultures to the modern one we live in today, Lincoln and its high street has vastly changed. In addition, the research conducted within the museum has developed my ideas of what I want to show the audience when exploring Lincoln’s high street. While the idea of the treatment of the Jewish community is still prominent within my mind, I also wish to explore some of the ancient folklore of Lincoln  as I feel this has been forgotten by the public and rarely known by the student community. This also allows me to research in greater depths the history of Lincoln, perhaps visiting the archives next week.

Finally, after the workshop on Monday we were instructed to go on the high street and conduct an experiment. I decided to ask the public about what there dreams were so that I could understand how the public would react to pressure from an “actor”. Sean McEvoy, a 20 year old student studying English (picture below), told me that his dream was ‘to become an author. Nothing appeals to me more than sitting down and writing for the rest of my life. It’s my passion’. Diane, a 46 year old Lincoln community member, stated that ‘while I may be getting on, I still have my dreams. This might sound daft but I’ve always wanted to be an actress but now I feel to old to try and achieve it. I was probably never good anyway’. Through my questioning of people on the street I discovered that more people were unwilling to talk to me about dreams than actually discussing them.

Sean McEvoy