The Remarking

Historic black and white photograph of a textile mill complex, including buildings labeled 'Sorting Shop,' 'Packin Shed & Wash House,' 'Spinning Mill,' among others, with a tall chimney and rolling hills in the background.
Vintage black and white photo of a quiet street with parked van, old-fashioned shop signs, and cafes in a small town.

A word on the intention behind the Re-Markings

We’re re-visiting.

They say you should never go back.

But these walks are a deliberate disobeying of that advice.

The park shows and pantomimes drew an audience of all ages.

In the parks and woods the story took them on a journey.

And the walk, the promenade, emphasised that story.

Physicalised, imprinted, (weathered-in) the story.

It was strong.

Silly and seasonal and serious and skilful.

An egg running away into the distance

A dog sniffing a Gilgamesh

Mechanicals clogging

Cup cakes dancing

Bishops protesting

All witnessed by children, elders, babies, dogs, stragglers, sprinters.

Lit trees.

Wrapped trees.

Beautiful trees.

Maybe music.

Children leaning in.

Actors in flow.

If that theatre is unusual now, we must leave examples and tips, and hope it will be made again.

So this walk - these walks - are partly a tribute, a thank-you, to the writers, actors, designers, technicians, administrators, makers, funders and audience members who made that theatre.

Thank you.

But

they are also intended to leave a sign

(In the hope that others might gather the generations)

To awaken images

(In the hope that other might play)

So please help me amplify reverberations.

Help me scratch and scour some markings.

Peth.

July 2020.

LEWISHAM

SYDENHAM WELLS PARK

Punchkin, Enchanter

Alice Through the Looking Glass

The Crock of Gold

Metamorphoses

The Dong With the Luminous Nose

Urban Dreams

The Odyssey

Sirens of Titan

HORNIMAN GARDENS

A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream

DULWICH PARK

Tales from the Arabian Nights

The Wonderful World of Alice

Pericles

LADYWELL FIELDS

Rivers and People