PROJECTS
VERTIGO VARIATIONS
In a world where stability seems not to exist and everything seems always to be shaking, we ask how we find our feet and move forward. How do we learn to live with this state, to work with it, to even - perhaps - fall in love with it. Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's iconic film Vertigo and our own experiences of dancing on the edge of oblivion.
photos: Paul Wade, Teki Shine
STORIES OF THE PRESENT WAR
In a live puzzling out of complex matters, a rediscovered collection of letters from the 1940s catalyses a dialogue between then and now. Collective and personal histories collide as we (re)consider and (re)configure the stories we tell and the things we inherit.
stories began as a performance installation seen at London's low stakes festival (New River Studios) and Arebyte Garden City Island. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we ran a weekly digital "Quarantine Service", featuring streamed readings, podcasts, photography and live blogging. This culminated in a bilingual English/Czech performance installation at Prague's Studio Alta, in collaboration with Czech dramaturg and theatre artist Eva Daníčková. You can explore the project's digital life here.
stories of the present war is different each time it is performed. It is available to tour as a performance installation. Future digital seasons, featuring more of the letter archive are also in the works.
photo Paul Wade
BLACK DRESS
"If I were to stand here in this dress and tell you I don’t feel like a woman, would you believe me?"
Black Dress is a euphoric solo exploration of nonbinary femme identity told through story, dance and 12 black dresses from performer Becka McFadden’s own wardrobe. Shot through with humour, vulnerability and queer joy, Black Dress invites you on a journey of self-discovery and celebration. From a sunny terrace in Calabria, to the challenges of gender-neutral pronouns in Czech, to a queer utopian ski lodge that doesn’t actually exist (yet), Black Dress will make you laugh, think and - above all - feel pleasure.
photo Michaela Škvrňaková
MOVEMENT/ARCHITECTURE
Our unique approach to site-responsive performance. In Movement/Architecture projects, performers duet with built space, drawing the spectator's attention to details hidden in plain sight. When transported to a theatre or gallery space, Movement/Architecture has the power to to evoke an absent building for spectators who have never seen it. Think of it is as embodied 3-D printing, or a moving blueprint.
Projects include Nová Zbrojovka (Brno, CR), Prague Creative Centre (Prague Quadrennial 2019); Senate House, University of London (Being Human 2018), Gočár's Staircase (Open Air Program 2018) and Hornsey Town Hall (2016).
Contact us to discuss a bespoke intervention for your festival or space.
photo Svetlana Lopato
BACKSTORIES
Backstory - where to begin? Behind us, most certainly. Yet in terms of when, when to start from? Yesterday, last week, a month ago, a year ago, several years ago, most of a life? Or from a particular event? A particular something? Or a very specific place? Even as we say the word, our heads raise and tilt ever so slightly backwards.
A solo performance for the spine and its secrets, BackStories premiered at ImpFest 2015 and was nominated for the Space to Dance Award at Brighton Fringe 2016. BackStories is available for touring, accompanied by an interactive photography exhibition.
Conceived by Becka McFadden & Scheherazaad Copper. Directed by Daniel Somerville. Supported by Arts Council England, ANA Arts Projects, Canada Council for the Arts and Goldsmiths, University of London.
photo Paul Wade
STORIES OF THE PRESENT WAR
In a live puzzling out of complex matters, a rediscovered collection of letters from the 1940s catalyses a dialogue between then and now. Collective and personal histories collide as we (re)consider and (re)configure the stories we tell and the things we inherit.
stories began as a performance installation seen at London's low stakes festival (New River Studios) and Arebyte Garden City Island. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we ran a weekly digital "Quarantine Service", featuring streamed readings, podcasts, photography and live blogging. This culminated in a bilingual English/Czech performance installation at Prague's Studio Alta, in collaboration with Czech dramaturg and theatre artist Eva Daníčková. You can explore the project's digital life here.
stories of the present war is different each time it is performed. It is available to tour as a performance installation. Future digital seasons, featuring more of the letter archive are also in the works.
photo Paul Wade
BLACK DRESS
"If I were to stand here in this dress and tell you I don’t feel like a woman, would you believe me?"
Black Dress is a euphoric solo exploration of nonbinary femme identity told through story, dance and 12 black dresses from performer Becka McFadden’s own wardrobe. Shot through with humour, vulnerability and queer joy, Black Dress invites you on a journey of self-discovery and celebration. From a sunny terrace in Calabria, to the challenges of gender-neutral pronouns in Czech, to a queer utopian ski lodge that doesn’t actually exist (yet), Black Dress will make you laugh, think and - above all - feel pleasure.
Created by: Becka McFadden & Daniel Somerville / Video Art: Mariia Reshetova / Assistant Director: Markéta Pščolková / Technical Direction: Filip Obermajer / Translation: Eva Ullrichová / Production: Kateřina Kubíková, Adriána Spišáková
Supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and The Plum Yard/Continuo Theatre's New Ways residency programme. Co-produced by Venuše ve Švehlovce.
photo Michaela Škvrňaková
MOVEMENT/ARCHITECTURE
Our unique approach to site-responsive performance. In Movement/Architecture projects, performers duet with built space, drawing the spectator's attention to details hidden in plain sight. When transported to a theatre or gallery space, Movement/Architecture has the power to to evoke an absent building for spectators who have never seen it. Think of it is as embodied 3-D printing, or a moving blueprint.
Projects include Nová Zbrojovka (Brno, CR), Prague Creative Centre (Prague Quadrennial 2019); Senate House, University of London (Being Human 2018), Gočár's Staircase (Open Air Program 2018) and Hornsey Town Hall (2016).
Movement/Architecture Creative Team: Becka McFadden, Mary Ann Hushlak, Sylvie Robaldo
Collaborating performers: Sílvia Almeida, Alicia Cubells, Roxani-Eleni Garefalaki, Tommaso Giacopini, Daniela Hanelová, Michaela Ondrašinová, Marie Svobodová, Yuliia Yabletska
Collaborating musicians/composers: Matt Marks, Stuart Moore, Lukas Turza
Contact us to discuss a bespoke intervention for your festival or space.
photo Svetlana Lopato
BACKSTORIES
Backstory - where to begin? Behind us, most certainly. Yet in terms of when, when to start from? Yesterday, last week, a month ago, a year ago, several years ago, most of a life? Or from a particular event? A particular something? Or a very specific place? Even as we say the word, our heads raise and tilt ever so slightly backwards.
A solo performance for the spine and its secrets, BackStories premiered at ImpFest 2015 and was nominated for the Space to Dance Award at Brighton Fringe 2016. BackStories is available for touring, accompanied by an interactive photography exhibition.
Conceived by Becka McFadden & Scheherazaad Copper. Directed by Daniel Somerville. Supported by Arts Council England, ANA Arts Projects, Canada Council for the Arts and Goldsmiths, University of London.
photo Paul Wade