Creating Quantum Theatre: radical story-becoming to change the world with Jenifer Toksvig

Humanity is a storied species - everything we do from forming partnerships, to buying stuff, to moving house, to getting a new job… arises from the stories we tell ourselves and each other about ourselves and each other. If we’re going to shift to a new way of being, the route will be led by the stories we can build of how it will look and feel, how we’ll be more alive, more connected, have a deeper sense of being, belonging, becoming… 

So - how do we tell stories of transformation in ways that engage everyone, that give everyone the agency, support, encouragement and freedom to be what they need in any moment - in every moment? 

This week's guest is theatre maker and champion of access, Jenifer Toksvig.  Jen is creator of the Copenhagen Interpretation, which takes concepts of uncertainty and fluidity evolved to describe the quantum process in physics, and applies them to theatre, to the telling of living stories in a shared space in a way that fosters connection, creativity, and personal growth. Clearly we on Accidental Gods believe that the stories we tell ourselves and each other of ourselves and each other - and our place as more or less conscious nodes in the web of life - are crucial to how we navigate this moment of total turmoil in our cultural, energetic and biophysical worlds.  We not only need new stories, we need new ways of telling those stories, new ways of experiencing different ways of being and this, it seems to me, is what Jen is creating.

When I first learned of the Copenhagen Interpretation, and The Broad Cloth that arises from it, when I first took part in Jen's gathering of a Fairy Tale, it felt as if someone was opening doors in my mind; that here is a way safely to explore the emergent edges of interbecoming that are where the magic happens.  So I wanted to bring some of this magic to the podcast, to let Jen tell her story and to see if we could bring it home for you. So here we go, stepping into a place of magic and emergence, people of the podcast, please do welcome Jenifer Toksvig of the Copenhagen Interpretation.

Jenifer Toksvig

https://linktr.ee/toksvig
https://www.jenifertoksvig.com/

The Copenhagen Interpretation
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/thecopenhageninterpretation

Open Space Technology - Harrison Owen
Original: https://openspaceworld.org/wp2/what-is/
Original: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_space_technology

Our version: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/thecopenhageninterpretation/a/open-space-article

Joseph Campbell - The Hero's Journey (aka 'arrow narrative')
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey

Ursula K. Le Guin - The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction
https://stillmoving.org/resources/the-carrier-bag-theory-of-fiction
https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Ursula-Le-Guin/The-Carrier-Bag-Theory-of-Fiction/24443320

Navigator of Current See: Diana Finch
https://www.dianafinch.info/

Navigator of Gathering: Ess Grange

https://slgrange.com/

Navigator of Accompanying: Flo O'Mahony / ZooCo - Perfect Show For Rachel
https://www.wearezooco.co.uk/shows/perfect-show-for-rachel

Copenhagen Model: The Fairytale Library
https://www.instagram.com/the_fairytale_library/

Copenhagen Model: The Broad Cloth
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/thebroadcloth

The Broad Cloth: producing partner, Scandinavia
The Field Station on Ingøya - Oliver Dawe
https://www.fieldstation.no/
https://www.oygrid.no/ - this is Harald Hansen, Oliver's husband, who is working in renewable energy on the island

https://www.favli.no/ - this is Harald's company for renewable energy work elsewhere
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ing%C3%B8y

The Broad Cloth on the Isle of Wight: partners

- Ventnor Exchange, host organisation
https://ventnorexchange.co.uk/

- Lisa Kerley, caretaker
https://memoriesofthesea.uk/
https://farmingmemories.com/

- Art Ecology
https://www.artecology.space/

- Arc Biodiversity
https://arcbiodiversity.co.uk/

- Wolfguard Viking Reenactment
https://www.wolfguardiow.co.uk/