When you’re young you occasionally take unwise risks and we were no exception.
Nick is the new kid in Blast Theory (he joined in 1994) and so wasn’t around when we decided to invite a member of the audience to shoot Ju Row Farr and Bruce Gilchrist with a paintball gun. In the style of a top breakfast TV host, Nick sat down on a sofa with Ju and me to ask us why we did such a thing.
It was part of our first show Gunmen Kill Three which included a DJ, live drumming and as Ju’s Mum described it “running around like headless chickens”. And our early interest in technology was clear as we made video photofits of the crowd by filming people as they arrived at Union Chapel and then combining their faces in a computer.
In the first short film you see the photo from the Islington Gazette of us doing a 13 legged sponsored walk to raise £400 for the show. And the programmes made out of pulp novels which included the budget. Which included the income from selling flapjacks made by my Mum. We were always interested in the means of production.
If you’re interested to know more about the show, the paintball gun and the very first meeting of Blast Theory, check out the links below. You will even get a little rant from me about theatre buildings and why I hate them so.
Let’s cut to the chase, there are three short films:
One about how we got started in 1991 which starts with us walking into shot and tells the story of the article in The Guardian called “Gunmen Kill Three At Mobile Shop”.
One about shooting a performer and the night that a row broke out in the crowd.
And a third one about violence in the UK in the 90s and why that motivated us. Fans of drinking games should take a shot every time Matt says “vivid”.
Let us know if you are interested to see more films along these lines.
– Matt
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