I want to appreciate Laura Pasetti’s initiatives to inspire vibrant community connections during the covid seasons. Now, we can see how they have opened doors for One Incredible Family to celebrate our 60th Anniversary.

Laura is the initiator of new theatres:  EcoTheatre – performed in outdoor ecologies; Processions –performed by walking around; and 7 Directions Theatre – inspired by the East, South, West, North, Above, Below, Centre. Laura is an intimate observer of the life of communities – especially here at The Park Ecovillage Findhorn where she lives (when not visiting her native Italy or studying at Schumacher College). 

For our ecovillage who practises 3 core principles and lives by a set of values-based guidelines, Laura asked, “How can we bring awareness, insight and synergetic response to challenging life conditions?” How can we dispute the IPCC when it issues a Code Red warning humans everywhere to recalibrate their relationship to their deep inner voice, their work as love in action and co-create with – instead of against – the intelligences of nature?

In a deep quest, Laura Pasetti walked to centre stage of these challenging life conditions and invited 12 players from the Findhorn Community to co-create with her the Red Ball.

Together these deep heart-based “Questers” co-created a collective story where the meaning of the Red Ball taps both the essence of community and the tragedy that ensues when the Red Ball disappears. This surprising plotline reveals the worst defilements of a VUCA world – Questers shout at each other, trash the stage (aka their town) with plastic refuse, are invaded by Guilt and Memory. We grieve the loss of Mutual Trust and Respect.

Remember when, in a seemingly futile quest for the lost Red Ball – the cast led the audience in silent procession from the Hall through the dark, to the very site of community conflagration and loss? In the middle of the empty green field that had risen from the cinders of the Community Hall fire, 12 Questers gathered around a table – laid out like the last supper. Unexpectedly the children of the community arrive. For every adult Quester we witnessed a child/youth Quester emerge as the generation who can restore the community to the heart of itself – and by doing so they manifested the miracle of the return of the Red Ball.

Leaders from the real community stepped into the final scene – reminding everyone that we are all Questers who care for themselves, each other, our community and the planet. Delightfully barriers dissolved between Questers, Audience and Community, while Laura as Animateur looked as though it is quite normal to unroll Code Red into the Red Ball.

Thank you, Laura Pasetti, for sharing your passion for the Red Ball, Artist Hunts and Town Criers. Your Theatre from the 7 Directions has ignited the imagination so powerfully, none of us can resist becoming infected by Love!!!!  Let’s bring OUR energies as questers, artists and audiences to celebrate our BIG 60.

by Marilyn Hamilton, Integral City Meshworks

Enjoy these further resources:

  1. Read the blogs, interviews, transcripts that this article is based on here: https://integralcity.com/2022/08/30/ode-to-an-eco-animateur/
  2. See the video recording of the Red Ball here: ​https://vimeopro.com/stefanoteodori/the-red-ball-by-laura-pasetti

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Please consider donating to TPE Findhorn 60th Anniversary Fund (tick the box ​“2022 Community 60th Anniversary” ​https://parkecovillagetrust.co.uk/2022/05/2022-community-60th-anniversary/