A milkmaid, a corn-binder and a lover Each girl sat down on her three-legged stool, her face sideways, her right cheek resting against the cow, and looked musingly along the animal’s flank at Tess as she approached. The male milkers, with hat-brims turned down, resting … Continue readingHARDY AND THE RECLAIMED LAND OF EARTHLY PROMISES
Crawling across the street at night Some years ago, when I was walking down a street at night with performer Kristian Al Droubi, I asked him if he would crawl naked across the street at a pedestrian crossing. The street itself was empty. It might … Continue readingPERFORMANCE AT PLAY, PUBLIC SPACES AND THE VIEW FROM A HAYSTACK
Butoh dance performance videos created in the backyard of a lockdown: the human creature tries to find its place outdoors. … Continue readingThe Human Creature Outdoors: Butoh Performance Videos
I can’t find a single review of Jeanette Winterson’s Frankisstein that isn’t roaring applause. The same goes for Frozen, the Disney-Snow Queen of some years ago, which has now arrived at its sequel. It’s because both ‘ tick all the right boxes,’ as they claim. … Continue readingFrozen, Frankisstein and the Cold, Cold Heart
The circus you read about as a child The one full of laughing, lovable characters, their biggest crime a little ‘untidiness,’ their caravans so colourful, their lives so pleasantly (not threateningly) exciting. The questions you ask yourself Where do they go to the toilet? How … Continue readingTravels with the Serbian Circus
Chapter 1: Of Streets, Statues and the Notion of Work What is a human statue? A human statue is an anachronistic presence, an unlawful occupation of time and space. An imitator of a statue or sculpture, a shadow with its own life. The statue is … Continue readingPermission to Work on the Street
We talked about the monstrous divine, in the days leading up to the making of this video. We also talked about our own interactions, which could be pretty monstrous at times. It’s a little unclear how we all came back together long enough to make … Continue readingThings That Crawl Out of Empty Wells