Conflict Minerals

Another Globe and Mail article on the Congo. This time about coltan.

Conflict minerals
Smartphones: Blood stains at our fingertips


h/t Rp

The Army and the Payola

A very interesting story in the Globe: Congo army engaged in orgy of criminality: UN

Democratic Republic of Congo: Lubumbashi to Kinshasa

A couple and their land Rover do the trek from Lubumbashi to Kinshasa. Quite a fascinating read with some outstanding pictures

Ruined Workshop

Daniso Ndhlovu on guitar with Sabryn Rock

A group shot of the workshop

Sophia Walker

Accent Video

Research Links

Hi Philip,
Here are two things I came across during my research.

This is strange and interesting. It was made by the UK and is intended to help
Brits begin to understand refugees from the DRC.


This one is fairly self explanatory and is about a 15 year old DRC
girl


h/t Gillian

The Greatest Silence

The web site for an interesting film The Greatest Silence

The trailer has some very compelling thoughts and images.


h/t G. Gallow

How Not to Write About Africa

Gadgets

Death by Gadget
By Nicholas d. Kristof

An interesting article on the role that valuable minerals play in the on-going war in the DRC

Congolese Accent

Nottage - Background Info

Lynn Nottage and Saidah Arrika Ekulona on Ruined

Update

So the Creative/Production Team is 99% in place and the cast is 98% set. We should be doing an announcement shortly and let you all in on the good news.

Maps

As it does get confusing here is a bit of a helper. The Democratic Republic of the Congo {formerly Zaire} is here. This is the world of Ruined

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/cd.htm

The Congo is here.

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/cg.htm

Single Story

Music / Dance Notes #1

A link to some of the great Congolese music of Papa Wemba. Play follow the links. There is one scene in the play where Congolese dance music is played on the radio. If you find something that is particularly good send me a link and we will try and use it either there or in the pre-show






And a little something for Josephine.

Congo Links #2

Geoffrey York of the Globe & Mail has an Africa blog and here are two articles on the Congo.

The first is on home destruction in Goma. The pictures also show different types of dress.

The second is on Congolese Roads and how that affects everything from commerce to governance to military action.

I found this short video on YouTube showing what roads can be like.

Congo Links #1

Status Update, Wardrobe

An article in the Globe and Mail on the status today in the Congo. Of note is the picture of the former rebel leader and the haunting photo that starts the article.

A stunning photo essay by Marcus Bleasdale showing images of the mining, soldiers, survival and non-survivors.

The Rape of a Nation

Medical
http://www.aids-freeworld.org/content/view/132/189/

http://www.conversationsforabetterworld.com/2010/01/rape-epidemic-fuels-fistula-cases-in-the-democratic-republic-of-congo/

 Image File

Congolese Soldiers 

Congolese Women {some graphic images}

Video File

Mining and Coltan

Congo Life

Two video files by Nicholas Kristoff on the women in the Congo.

Starting Off

Obsidian Theatre in association with Nightwood Theatre are producing Ruined by Lynn Nottage in January 2011. We have the design team assembled and I had a meeting with them last week. It was great to meet with the whole crew so far ahead of time and to discuss the show, its issues and to start to assemble the creative knowledge that would serve as a background for both the designers and the performers. Thus this blog.

 We will be putting up pictures, links, stories etc that will help inform the creative process of the production. If you come across something interesting please place it in the comments or send me an email and I will put it up.

I invite you to follow the process of creation right from the very beginnings and then to come and see how it all turns out on the day.

To start off I found this piece of Congolese cloth that was quite delightful.