off the ground
Productions & workshops that unleash artistic health
off the ground is an evolving project that seeks to take Charlie on an adventure; exploring, playing, honing her professional skills and investing in herself as an artist. Gleaming from different art forms, working with vibrant artists and producing work that feeds into her artistic health and others along the way.
Steps in the Journey
We Are Made of Stories
Pilot piece to blend together poetry and movement
Both Bernie Molton and Charlie Ranken flourished as creatives together in a safe and allocated space. With thanks to Exeter Phoenix Devon SEED Commission, both artists gained confidence in their process and found moments of creativity in using an ‘translating’ method from paper to performance. We believed it would be extremely powerful and restorative for both ourselves, an audience and future participates. Our vision is to create a future framework to enable work with women who are marginalised or experiencing a range of disadvantages as a way to find restoration, healing through poetry and movement. A spring board to write a future narrative that builds them up, is uplifting and encouraging.
12th August 2021 We are Made of Stories performed at Exeter Phoenix Main Auditorium
Oxford House Creative Hub
Studio Scheme
Both Bernie and Charlie were successful at receiving space at Exim Dance Company HQ's. The year long residency enabled the duo to gain additional rehearsal space for their piece We Are Made of Stories as well as benefit from a professional environment to explore ideas and develop narratives with each other.
July 2021 - July 2022 Studio Scheme OHCH
Margarine
'Today, one of us still drinks too much, sleeps to little and reminisces far too much about missed opportunities of youth and the other carries a fish around in a bag. End of story really.'
After discovering a small paragraph, written on a iPad from 2014, Charlie decided to continue to write the story about two women who happen to be in each other lives, apparently best friends but there seem to be some misunderstandings about how each other should continue to live life. Charlie is continuing to shape the piece and work out how best to deliver the narrative. She has shared Margarine with scriptwriter Alex Robins, who gave feedback, advice and notes on this new venture.
Stoning Mary Short Film
Plymouth Conservatoire Final Production for Acting Degree
In 2019, Charlie worked as Movement Director and Assistant for Lucy Hirst on the 3rd Year final production at Plymouth Conservatoire. Stoning Mary was a visually stunning and poignant production. Charlie was lucky enough to gain support from The House technical team, Mel and Andy, to install GoPro's in the rigs and around the stage to film in HD. The footage was shelved throughout the pandemic. Time is now being set aside to return to idea of creating a short film from the production, focussing on the physicality and the movement direction applied.
