“I know tickling a tree doesn’t sound like much but the meaning behind it, caring about the environment trying to make it as happy as we try and make our families and each other, which I know sounds like a tall order when you’re talking about tickling trees but if we just made one person think about the environment it would make me feel like I made at least a little bit of a difference.”

Student feedback after participating in the Wye Valley River Festival 2016

The Wye Valley River Festival is a partnership between the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Desperate Men and Phillipa Haynes (Festival Director) which brings communities up and down the Wye Valley together with artists, performers, walkers, scientists and academics to create a unique programme of events inspired by the environment and nature of the Wye Valley that address global concerns. Having worked and performed with Desperate Men over a number of years I knew that their kind of Street Arts and the issues the Festival addresses would appeal to and resonate with students. From 2015 we worked together with USW students to devise and develop performances, installations and walkabouts for the 2016, 2018 and 2020 Festival.

“This weekend was one of the biggest learning curves for me in my life, albeit an enjoyable one. There was something about this festival that completely surprised me, whether that be the small cups of tea I couldn’t stop drinking or running around with a stick pretending to be an Irish elf fishing for ants.” Student blog entry, May 2016

“From our first day, I had realised that we take the outdoors for granted. I had observed such special performances that brought my attention to nature and it’s purpose. I was able to see behind the scenes of planning an event that I had never witnessed before.” Student post-Festival reflection

“A nine year old girl and her mum came into the caravan and after us telling her our story, she wanted to tell us a story which was absolutely delightful. I think these moments can only be found when in an improvising/participatory setting and it has made me want to work outside of conventional theatre spaces in the future.” Student blog entry, May 2016