Dec 22, 2020
After 25 years of recording and touring with Chumbawamba, Boff Whalley started to write for theatre - he has written several touring plays for Red Ladder Theatre and large-scale musicals with residents of two East Leeds estates, working with arts charity Space2. He is currently working with Cardboard Citizens Theatre in London, the Welsh National Opera and with Edinburgh Fringe winner Daniel Bye on a show about running. He has published two books (‘Footnote’ and ‘Run Wild’) and has just finished writing a biography of notorious punk fell running champion Gary Devine. He also runs an ever-growing and unruly choir – Commoners Choir – combining his passions for community, music and political activism.
In this episode we talk about:
* how the transition from being in a pop band to community arts
meant that it wasn't all about performance anymore but process
* how running, washing up, crosswords and spending time with our
children are all part of stopping and feeling connected
* what 2020 has looked like for Boff
* the stories 95 year old Boff and 95 year old Sarah would tell
* imposter syndrome and standing in our power and having
confidence
* Commoners Choir, anarchy and collective responsibility
* Learning about what you love and don't love and learning to love
tea to feel more social and connected with others
Links
Boff's website: http://boffwhalley.com/
Commoners Choir website: http://www.commonerschoir.com/
Commers Choir You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf-C9LGhEcpdhtFrmlDKq4w
Malcolm McClaren biography: - https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/do-good-and-do-well
Sarah Woods and Welsh National Opera: https://wno.org.uk/profile/sarah-woods
Red Ladder Theatre Company/Mother Courage and Her Children:
http://www.redladder.co.uk/whatson/mother-courage-children/
Dan Bye/Tiny Heroes: http://www.danielbye.co.uk/tiny-heroes.html#
Dan Bye and Boff Whalley: These Hills Are Ours: http://www.danielbye.co.uk/these-hills-are-ours.html
Space 2: https://space2.org.uk/
Cardboard Citizens: https://cardboardcitizens.org.uk/
Join the Do Good and Do Well Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/do.good.do.well
Edited by Ryan Nile for Pure Creation Media