The People’s Palace of Possibility
An interactive story for lockdown and beyond.
We invited Doncaster residents to join The People’s Palace of Possibility as Palace Citizens, to take part in an act of group imagining and fight against the belief that change is impossible.
The People’s Palace of Possibility is an immersive arts project presented by The Bare Project in collaboration with Heritage Doncaster and Right Up Our Street. Its story is told through the post, and through digital (mobile phones, laptops) and/or telephone interaction, whichever mode of contact you prefer.
A Consensus has spread across the world, its message is that we have reached the glorious end of history. There is no room for improvement and any attempt to discuss or build any kind of alternative is stupid, and probably dangerous. However, the secretive “imagineers” known as ‘The Network of Palace Citizens’ has discovered that this Consensus is blindly leading us to disaster. They know that change is needed, but what that change might look like is not always easy to see.
All Palace Citizens commited tiny acts of resistance, designed to take down ‘The Consensus’ and their system of enforced happiness and unquestioning conformity. Over a receive a series of letters and packages, the mysteries of The People’s Palace of Possibility were revealed .
“Be vigilant, some messages will be coded and hidden, to avoid the ever-watchful eyes of The Unity.”
Letter One | ALERT! (But everything remains totally wonderful)
Palace citizens received their first letter from Jerry Ocean-Light explaining how participants may have received ‘troubling correspondence’ from a Way of the Sheep employee. Palace Citizens were reassured that this was all taken care of but if they receive correspondence to destroy it immediately.
Letter Two | Way of the Sheep
Palace Citizens were then sent a leaflet advertising “compulsory workshops for harmonious living“ from Way of the Sheep.
“I know you’re not a blissed out sheep. You want a different world”.
Third Letter | A Package
Palace Citizens went on to receive a package. Within the box were tools to create their very own theatre in their own community.
1. CHALK - You will be doing some writing.
2. A BISCUIT - For sustenance.
3. A PATCH - Be careful when you wear it: one day we’ll be able to proudly sew or pin them on to all of our clothes, but not yet.
4. A POSTER - Because we urgently need more Palace Citizens.
5. THUMBTACKS AND STICKY TACK - To put up the poster with.
6. A LEAF - Just a little momento from hiding.
Contributions
Palace Citizens went on to create in their community. Here are some of the fantastic contributions we received here in Doncaster.
Final Letter | Let’s create the conditions where people will flourish
Palace Citizens received a final thank you for their contributions and a shared link to the archive where people’s contributions were stored.
