SMMX

and that is stop Motion Mexico, and I’m just back from there. a bit of an epic journey I confess, stopping both ways in Cancun, which had the bluest seas I had ever seen. And the ubiquitous Cirque du soleil – the other ubiquitous theatre piece is The Play That goes Wrong – everywhere. Anyway some dram about the tickets as they were reserved as Barry Jonathan Crabtree. A bit of sweet talking was needed. Anyway I eventually found myself in mexico city, met by the lovely organisers, Malizeth and Gonzalo – they’ve almost done the whole festival by themselves, and they are still smiling. and what a great few days we had, with the other guests, Matias Liebrecht, and Damien Pousse. they were perhaps up for the midnight parties, more than I was. Jetlag was a bit of a killer at that time of nightBut between us all we did various workshops and talks and screenings, ferried to various part of the city. A great response as well, and after my Tchaikovsky, several ladies were in tears. I was surprised at the end of my Masterclass to be presented with a lifetime achievement award – a beautiful sculpture of a Mexican hairless dog. this was presented to me by the great john Ikuma, with a speech that was much appreciated. So a lot of talking and sharing and passing on, and two days of being a tourist in mexico. we took in markets, Frida Kahlos house ( too crowded to go in), a great meal at the university canteen in a lovely garden, a walk round the place and its’ garden, a night up a mountain in darkness, and an evening at the Lucha libre from which my senses have not recovered – wow what a spectacle. No pyramids for me, but I can’t complain as it was a truly extraordinary six days, and i’m buzzing and honoured – this will make for an interesting conversation at the Universal credit meeting next week. I’m so lucky that animation takes me to such places, and that audiences respond to the passion in my work – if only there were more.