James King, Eamonn and Friends

Tonight at 7.30pm there was a Citizen's Forum at which sat four Zens and many others. This was organised by "YES!" publications. The proposal was to have an "Intentional Community for the City Centre Derry/Londonderry and the topic to be debated without a shovel was "Do we want a Pluralist or Segregated City Centre?" The idea of the Intentional Community was that some prods and taigs, jaffas, huns, fenians and micks would deliberately and intentionally come - with or without orgasms to live in a mixed inner city saladic mosaic.

The articulate, perceptive, charismatic, strong, incisive, courageous, forthright, sensitive and multiply adjectived Eamonn Baker chaired the proceedings from a vertical position and insured that all seedlings were nurtured and weeds swiftly eradicated.

Overlooking the discussions was a jury of citizens who would adjudicate upon the outcome.

Bag-a-trix kicked things off, including their shoes and got the ball rolling in the aisles with a preliminary sketch. Johanna in the role of a person conducting without baton or podium, research into Intentional Communities introduced Eamonn and I as potentially interesting interviewees. Eamonn was Mr. Mc Bee, Pram Instructor, and I was his pupil - the apple of his eye in fact- John Brown.

Mr. McBee wore a white coat, peaked hat and carried note-book and pen. John Brown wore a bowler hat for protection, front andback L- plates cups and saucers. The pram was equipped with an L plate at the front, a bicycle bell and lights.

Mr. Bee tells John to park up, put the brake on and keep one hand at all times on the pram handle.

John is in a mildly distressed state. Mr. Bee tells him to relax and breathe deeply. John does noisy and conspicuous breathing exercises which he repeats every now and then throughout the following conversation.

Johanna asked Mr. McBee about his business along the following lines.

J: This is an unusual business, how did it come about?

McB: Well I just spotted a niche in the market and went for it.

J: And how has business been?

McB: It's picking up, word's getting around.

J: How do you advertise?

McB: I don't really, its just word of mouth. People see me around the town and make direct contact.

It seems mainly to be men interested at present.

Margaret (Christine) - from the audience: Excuse me, can I ask a question?

J: Sure go ahead.

M: Would you say that women are better pram-pushers than men?

McB: (Looking furtively over his shoulder at John). Well I would have to say that weeemin' seem to have a natural instinct for it, having pushed dolls around from when they were kids and all that.

J: And how is Mr. Brown coming along?

McB: He's doing well for only having had four lessons.

J: How many lessons does it normally take, and how much does it cost?

McB: Its fifteen pounds an hour, and usually takes about ten sessions. Would you like to see a demonstration?

J: That would be wonderful.

Mr. Bee instructs John around a circuit of the room.

John checks that his bowler hat is frmly in place, releases the brake, with arm outstretched indicates that he is moving off to the right , rings the beell and moves forward. He does a circuit of the room, occasionally bumping into chairs and narowly missing members of the audience.

Mr. Bee: Of course sometimes it takes more than TEN sessions.

(meaningful looks are exchanged all round.)

J: Well done Mr. Brown. And just how soon do you need to be qualified?

John: Well my partner and I hope to adopt, and these things take time, so I'm not sure exactly.

J: Do you think pram pushing is more difficult than it looks, Mr. Brown?

John: Well, certainly some people make it look very easy. I find escalators the worst. Particularly going down - but Mr. McBee is a great help.

Mr. McBee: Its just a matter of a timely front tip up hold; and he'll soon get the hang of it - but I must say that his yells as he goes down the escalators can be disturbing for other shoppers. And as a community-spirited person, I wouldn't want to annoy other people.

J: And have you ever had an accident?

John: Well there was the time at the Zebra Crossing which was on a slight hill. I left the pram to go and press the crossing button. That was a near thing.

J: What happened?

John: Well the pram ran down the slope and if it hadn't been for Mr. McBee's quick reactios the pram would have ended up half-way down the hill.

They demonstrate the two handed switch-over, in which one person lets go the handle and the other immediately takes over.

J: That's a very impressive techique Mr. McBee.

McBee: Oh yes; I teach it to all my students - but only to be used in an emergency.

J: You said you were community spirited. Would your community spirit stretch as far as living in the proposed intentional inner city community?

Mr. Bee: Yes indeed, I think its a great idea. I'd be happy to live there; it would be handy for business for one thing. I could keep my fleet of prams there.

J: You have more than one? People don't need to provide their own prams?

Mr. McBee: That's right i provide the vehicle. And I can even give lessons to four or five people at a time. They have to go along in a line.

J. Like a train.

Mr.McBee: Exactly.

J. And Mr. Brown - would you consider living in the intentional community?

John: O yes, I think it would be wonderful to bring up a child, providing the adoption goes through, in an integrated harmonious society.

J: And would your partner agree?

John: Oh. I'm sure he would.

J: HE!? Did you say "he?"

John: Yes, we are a gay couple; we're hoping that adoption won't be any problem in these enlightewned days.

Mr. McBee: (Looking disconcerted) I didn't know you were gay.

John: Is that a problem?

Mr. McBee: (gathering his composure) No , not at all, business is business, from wherever it comes: black, white, old or young, catholic, protestant - as long as I make my profit.

John: Yes I'm really interested in this intentional community idea - though I would take it a step further. I think the community should be thoroughly mixed : all colours, different nationalities, different ages, mixed religion: sikh, hindu, buddhist, moslem, jewish, christian; peole with disabilities, able-bodied, deaf, male, female, republican, unionist - but all GAY. Like the Castro district of San Francisco. And that's a wonderful, integrated, creative and trouble-free district.

Mr.McBee: I've a better idea, what about only lorry-drivers?

John, Johanna, Margaret, Mr. McBee, and Leahy (in the audience in the role of art student)

all chorous "what about only lorry drivers"

J: I've a better idea, what about only vegetarians?

Chorous: ...only vegetarians.

Leahy: I've a better idea, what about only beautiful people.

Chorous: ....only beautiful people. Margaret: I've a better idea, what about only short people.

Chorous: ...only short people.

John: I've a better idea, what about only pig farmers.

Chorous: ....only pig farmers.

Mr.McBee: I've a better idea, what about only single parents

Chorous:....only single parents.

Johanna: I've a better idea , what about only Travellers.

Chorous: ....only travellers.

Margaret: I've a better idea, what about only people who refuse to pay water charges.

Chorous: .....people who refuse to pay water charges

Leahy: I've a better idea, what about only students

Chorous: ........only students.

Margaret comes forward from her seat and joins John, Johanna and Mcbee in the performing area; she says : I've a better idea what about only police men and women

As all chorous, "only policemen and women".. Leahy comes forward also , into the performing area.

Now they all speak at random. There is a medley of voices as all together each of the group shout out different categories of people.

eg. universty lecturers, ex-prisoners, blonde people, bald people, angry people, socialists, swimmers, cyclists, taxi-drivers, bouncers, pacificts, wheel-chair users, refugees, millionaires, footballers, trennis players, subeteo fanatics, musicians, artists..........

Eventually someone shouts "People who like marching."

The group make their exit singing "Here we go, here we go, here we go."

There followed a forum discusssion about the issues surrounding the idea of an intentional, integrated community within the city centre.

After the subsequent tea break, Bag-a-trix members, Leahy, James, Johanna and Christine reflected back speakers views , ocassionally adding some of their own, using Action Theater scores. These included Two Up Two Down - a chorous of phrases rhythmically developed into a kind of vocal jazz;

Four People, Four Phrases: in this form sentences are accompanied by appropriate movements in a spontaneous dance; Speak Sound Move: in which one person speaks, one moves and the other makes vocal sounds - the performers switchin roles throughout; Text Maker and Colourer: One of the group gives a spontaneous monologue while the rest chorous echoing words or connected responses.

This Action Theatre was a risky and enjoyable challenge which worked successfully; partly due to the fact tha some of the speakers gave vivid images for us to work with eg. "You need big brass balls to succeed", "They think its a three day camel ride from Galligh to the city centre." "I was the only person in the entire auditorium wearing a poppy". "Protestants are aliens in the city centre".