As part of the Bristol Festival of Ideas, Circumstance present an experiment in Ambient Literature: “yesterday you’re still dreaming.” Ambient Literature is a narrative form within which the fabric of the city itself becomes part of the fictional space. The story is around you, and the phone in your hand becomes the vehicle for a new kind of story, somewhere between listening and performing. All you need to bring is yourself. “yesterday you’re still dreaming” runs for approximately 15 minutes, and will be available at an undisclosed Harbourside location every 30 minutes between 12:00 and 17:00 on Saturday 12th November. Up to 15 spaces are available in each session. Space is limited, so sign up now: We’ll be sending you more details closer to the day. . . . No phone required. REGISTER HERE
Experiment i
To announce the launch of the Ambient Literature project, the project team created the first in a series of small experiments to accompany the three commissions contained within the project programme. The first of these – Experiment i – explored the history of the area surrounding Carmelite House, a site on the bank of the River Thames, one steeped in mythology, religion and murder. Now the home of Hachette UK, Carmelite House served as host for the Ambient Literature launch event. The work was premiered on June 30th in London, and made use of the audience’s presence as guests at Carmelite House, offering them an opportunity to experience situated storytelling; a curtain-raiser for the two-year programme of work. Invitations to the launch contained either brick dust, river water or fragments of a torn bible. On arriving at the launch, the audience could choose to listen to three audio narrations, each…