Tor Glass House 2021
The Pegasus Collective were delighted to be invited again this year by Children’s World Charity to curate the Glass House and Bardic Stage at the 'Children's World Family Festival 2021'.
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We had a lot of wonderful volunteers, and ran a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, an indoor and outdoor pop-up exhibition by Mark Noble, Rosie Temple, Rindert Doornbos and Freya Amethyst Pendragon.
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We ran a Bardic open mic style stage on the Balcony of the Glass House overlooking the Grassy Knoll, with its panoramic views of the fabulous countryside and the festival itself.
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Michael Eavis opened the event and Herbie Treehead sang the Happy Song on the Bardic Stage to open proceedings. He opened the first festival back in the time that Arabella Churchill started it. Rosie gave a tribute to the Founder of the Bardic College Mayor Denise Michell who died last year.
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It was fabulously chaotic, as voluntary events always are. Some volunteers inevitably drop out, and others appear as if by magic to fill their shoes. New friendships are formed and people discover their strengths. There is no room for divas or egos. It just would not work. It is a team effort and also great for team building. The kids love it! So do the mums and dads.
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The performers shone and also stepped up to fill in gaps when other performers were unavoidably late. Vans were stuck in the mud; Mandy’s van had to be pulled out by a tractor! The Bards and local performers are a Glasto family and tend to support each other and encourage each other. It means that impromptu and interactive performances are the order of the day, with the children particularly being encouraged to perform if they want to, with no pressure. They blossom in this kind of environment. So do the adults, with people discovering their voices.
Dora Darling ran a Folk Workshop with four-part harmonies. Sadly, it rained so she had to go in the barn with the Workshop instead of on the Grassy Knoll as planned. We have to adapt to the weather and everyone seemed to have worn the right clothes and brought brollies. In fact, it was sunny more than it rained, and the Workshop was great success.
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All of the performers were brilliant. The running order was a flexible chalk board as it has to be in this kind of event. That presents its own challenges but it means that there is room for flexibility in performance so that the kids get to have a go too. Because the Bards know each other well they are also able to play together as well as alone, so a family feeling is engendered.
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Many local performers volunteered their services and some of the children also came up onstage and sang, and even invented songs on the spot. It was truly interactive. Young bards in the making perhaps?
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We laid out a Mad Hatters Table both indoors and out, because in typical British summer tradition it both rained and shone. Tea and cake and mad hats were the order of the day, with the children making them along with golden paper crowns. Something for all the family. AND CAKE. DONT FORGET THE CAKE!
Volunteers; Cam Spencer, Rosie Temple, John Moore, Michael Alexander Law, Mark Noble, Barry Sea, Tara Liz Driscoll, Rindert Doornbos, Arwen Van Westerop, Kirsten Kaluzynski, Freya Ameythst Pendragon
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Poetry: Bryn Whitcombe, John Crow, Rosie Temple
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Music; Tara Liz Driscoll, Kevin de las Casas, Frank, Rosie Temple, Matt Witt, Paula Wallwork, Dora Darling, Jenny Bliss, William Kraemer, Ross Child, Lela Mai, Riki Buckinhgam, Nick Ashron, Greg Willow, Mandy Woods, Sam Evans, Michael Tyack, Marianne Forelius, Tim Gallagher.
Photography by John Moore and Cam Spencer
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Sound by Michael Alexander Law, John Moore and Cam Spencer. Equipment lent by Nathan Lewis Williams.
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A massive thank you to all our volunteers and performers and everyone who made the day so special.
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For those wondering, the picture in front of the stage is of Richard Minisa, in recognition and gratitude for his work for children in Kenya. We hope to invite the Massai Warriors back to Glastonbury next year, God willing.
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