So it’s June and the Swedenborg House residency is continuing, with a lot of research and writing, and I’m also having the structure of the Eidophusikon built by the wonderful Mark Fairhurst at Bosco Designs. I’m doing many sketches for the art work that the Eidophusikon will display and am talking with the artists I’m inviting to participate. Once I have the mechanism in my studio we will start to play with it. Can not wait! It’ll be a summer of fun.

How are adaptation and creative practice related? I’m trying to adapt the invention of 18thC Philip James de Loutherbourg, better known as the Mystagogue, into a piece of contemporary art. This invention, the Eidophusikon was the first moving image device.
Many eyewitnesses, including Thomas Gainsborough, commented upon the phenomenon he produced. Loutherbourg’s theatrical and artistic creations were about more than just creating illusions; they were about bringing enchantment to life.
By reimagining the Eidophusikon, I hope to transform Loutherbourg’s iconic theatrical work into a modern piece of art. I think adaptation can be an artistic process; here it is deeply rooted in pre-cinematic art and theatre history – but with complex and challenging technological adjustments. It’s fascinating to delve into the process of bringing the past into the present and the idea of adaptation as re-imagining, while retaining the magical ideals of Loutherbourg, Swedenborg’s views on life and the afterlife, and the magic of stage illusion.

Meanwhile the play Apologia is in rehearsal and we’ll have our first Scratch Night on July 15. Scratch Night is when a company presents scenes from a work in progress. Come along to the Cockpit Theatre in London (tix on the door) and have a first look at Apologia, the True Story of Count Cagliostro. The full play is on 24&25 August and you can book your tickets here. All info is on the Apologia page.

Finally, I have completed some of the chapters that will make up the graphic novel The Mystagogue.