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Alice writing about our rehearsal at the Hepworth on Thursday

I was thinking about the Hepworth lots on Friday when I was trying to learn my lines for the launch; imagining the brilliantly written scenes and the galleries and the sculptures that are now in them. I hope I can manage to articulate what I was thinking at the time in this blog...
Firstly, the fact that Yew Tree has been invited back again and again to do more work with the gallery is fantastic. We’re pretty good at taking things in our stride and taking on the next project quickly, it’s easy to forget the unique opportunities we’ve had over the past year (?) has it been that long?
When we arrived on Thursday after checking in we were taken for a tour around the gallery by Sam, one of the curators, so we had a better understanding of the spaces we are going to be performing in next weekend. (This in itself was such a privilege – seeing sculptures and paintings in their new homes and brand new exhibitions not yet open to the public)
The first thing that struck me as I walked up the stairs was the difference in the room since the last time I’d been there...it suddenly seemed like I had to be quiet whilst I was there and stand still and listen but not because Sam was there talking to us, but because of the presence the sculptures had in the room. They were huge versions of ornaments that parents would say ‘don’t touch’ to. It had transformed into a gallery now. Before...they were just huge performance spaces and I’m not convinced I like it better this way.
When I was looking at the sculptures I was looking for meaning or explanation but when Sam explained Hepworth’s ideas behind them I just kept thinking ‘Oh, I’m not missing anything’. They’re not supposed to be blindingly obvious themes or based on one dimensional ideas. They present the same problem as theatre that doesn’t have a linear narrative or a narrative at all. They are there for you to take or leave what you want from them. And if that’s that you felt completely uninspired then that’s okay because you felt something.
When I was going through my lines I split the script into sections and my favourite part is about the people and the sculptures. My favourite quote underlines what I’ve just tried to communicate but more quickly and eloquently, not surprising being that Hepworth spent her life thinking about these things...

"A Constructive work is an embodiment of freedom itself, and is unconsciously percieved, even by those who are consciously against it"

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