We take our hat off to all our fabulous female artists. We chatted to Danielle and found out more about the work she has done with Applause and Barbara the Octopus!
Applause is a wonderful organisation that continues to inspire and motivate me. I’ve been fortunate to tour four shows with Applause over the last 5 years, working across both their indoor and outdoor programmes, performing over 100 shows to 10,000 people.
The extensive reach of the Applause network in the South East never fails to impress me and has genuinely taken me to some of the UK’s most beautiful and modest towns and villages. Rural touring is so much more than cake and bunting and the sheer number of hilarious and magical interactive moments is enough to keep any improvisation loving artist happy for many summers to come.
For two years I was on a quest around Kent and West Sussex to find a home for Barbara – our beloved Octopus whom I had rescued from certain death at the hands of Raymond (the knife brandishing sea food chef) day after day, hundreds of people, no, thousands aided our quest; children, the elderly, people’s pets, even traffic wardens offered to take Barbara, an Octopus they’d never met before, home with them. Despite her slightly cumbersome size and unusual habits, they offered to love her and look after her in their pond, bathtub or washing machine. This, for me sums up the 3 big hearts of Rural Touring and what Applause brings to close knit communities everywhere.
Applause – I applaud you.