The Glass Flower Society at The Cockpit saw the Dende Collective bring a group of participants, all aged 60 and over, to the stage, known as the Dende Elders.
The Society, under the directorship of André Pink, is an “ancient, mystic, secret society” dedicated to storytelling, but for two nights only, it was open for public viewing in order to recruit more members. The group includes characters such as Saphire who prefers shoes to humans, and Cassandra who once sang at Covent Garden and is, by her own admission, “mad, bad and dangerous”.
After a brief introduction, a warm-up, and a genuflection to the powers of storytelling, the chairwoman appoints her first storyteller, who then gently orders the other members about the stage as the story unfolds. Both stories for this evening are based on the works of Murilo Rubião, the father of Brazilian Magic Realism. The first tells of a shapeshifting rabbit, Teleco, and the trouble he causes. The second is of an elderly man who is briefly gifted his youth, only to have it taken away again. After each story, the group reflects on the meaning, or what they understand the meaning to be.
The Dende Elders is intended as a tool for participants, creating the opportunity to socialise and, most importantly, to have fun. Classic drama games, such as ‘pass the invisible object’ and ‘dance how you feel’ are employed to create a space of physical freedom and silliness. The participants are unafraid to take dramatic risks, and to make performative decisions off the cuff.
More info on the Dende Elders here
