Performance Parties Politics Pop - Free Festival Guide - Fierce Festival
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Free Festival Guide
1
Performance Parties Politics Pop
15–20 October 2019, Birmingham, UK #Fierce2019 wearefierce.org
Bab, you 1. A Very Fierce
Grand Opening
5. Immersive history
Pay a visit to the Archive of Power Cuts in
8. The joy of repetition
really is in you
are invited
Lebanese theatre maker Tania El Khoury’s The
Come join us for a toast to launch the festival at Search For Power (p.16). Exhilarating, exhausting, esoteric, existential
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery with a night dance: Marco Berrettini’s iFeel2 (p.39) and Ellen
of performances, drinks and DJs, plus it's free Furey and Malik Nashad Sharpe’s SOFTLAMP.
to Fierce
entry! (pp.12–13) autonomies (p.18).
2. Compelling
Festival contemporary theatre
Nicola Gunn questions the ethics of Working
9. Concept
albums
2019!
with Children (p.29) with many a diversion en Stadium pop on a
route and a striking murder mystery from the budget with Lucy
Netherland’s Davy Pieters in How Did I Die (p.9). McCormick’s Life: Live! (p.31),
a reappraisal of Bob Dylan in
Mariana Valencia’s ALBUM
(p.22), or a spinning rock
Join us for six
Miet Warlop
concert (literally) with Miet
Warlop’s Ghost Writer and
joyous days the Broken Hand Break (p.25).
of disruptive
Justin Shoulder
Davy Pieters
international 10. Party of
performance. Expect 3. Our ecological crisis the year
heart-popping
In Justin Shoulder’s Carrion (p.8) and Julia
Bardsley’s An Apian Paradox (p.36)
6. Strange cabarets Club Fierce (pp.32–33)
Nic
boundaries between the human and
happenings where Try the 3-octave range of NYC’s Joseph Keckler
ola
animal worlds are blurred. Does the (In Concert p.26) or the outrageous Oozing
Gun
natural world hold the secrets for our
everyone and
Gloop (The Gloop Show p.19), the UK’s ‘premier
n
survival? Expect fantastic costume! green-faced autistic drag queen’.
everything is
allowed. 4. Participation 7. Identity parades
Delve into the for those who hate Deconstructions of gender
and race in high-fashion
programme on participating catwalk show Make
Banana Cry by Andrew
the following There is no audience, only participants, Tay & Stephen Thompson
in these three pieces that never feel (p.28) and startling solo
Private: Wear a mask when
pages or start exposing with everybody creating the
work together: Kate McIntosh In Many you talk to me (Alexandra
Bachzetsis, p.38).
with our tips here.
Hands (pp.10–11), Begüm Erciyas Voicing Oozing
Pieces (p.21) & Brian Lobel BINGE (p20). Andrew Tay & Stephen Thompson Gloop
3
On Fierce
Suppose you had the revolution you are exhausting daily fetishisation of being Asian in get an anti-austerity government into Downing
talking and dreaming about. Suppose your the Western world in Make Banana Cry. Search Street? Seems unlikely. Will the performances
side had won, and you had the kind of for the meaning of life in iFeel2 and be put in contained within these pages bring about
society that you wanted. How would you a trance by The Ghost Writer and the Broken the demise of neo liberalism and the white
Festival
live, you personally, in that society? Start Hand Break, wonder about ethics in Working supremacist patriarchy as we know it? Not any
living that way now! with Children and travel the “universal A E I O U” time soon.
Paul Goodman (anarchist philosopher) in The Gloop Show. So what’s the use then?
As is Fierce tradition, we are excited to present I am reminded of a quote from writer Rebecca
2019
With a world in crisis what use is an arts the UK debut performances from a number of Solnit’s book ‘Hope in the Dark’:
festival, really? highly acclaimed international artists, surprisingly
This is the question I have asked myself on overlooked in the UK until now. This year we boast Ideas at first considered outrageous or
a daily basis whilst putting together the Fierce a particularly illustrious list including New York’s ridiculous or extreme gradually become
Festival 2019 programme. alternative opera and cabaret star Joseph Keckler, what people think they've always believed.
How the transformation happened is
What use is Fierce, in What can art really achieve in the context of
creeping fascism, mass anxiety and the ever looming
witty Italo-Swiss choreographer Marco Berrettini,
acclaimed Australian theatre-maker Nicola Gunn, rarely remembered, in part because it's
this political moment? threat of the extinction of the human race?
Should Fierce be making huge political
(who will join us as part of a host of debut UK
dates around the country), bold physical theatre
compromising: it recalls the mainstream
when the mainstream was, say, rabidly
statements? Secretly channelling all our money maker Davy Pieters, installation maker Begüm homophobic or racist in a way it no longer
to Extinction Rebellion? Only funding artists to Erciyas and the long overdue main stage debut of is; and it recalls that power comes from
make work about Trump, the Environment or Miet Warlop. the shadows and the margins, that our
Brexit? Or perhaps ignoring it all completely to We are also excited to welcome a wave of hope is in the dark around the edges, not
help people escape from things for a little while? younger talent, bursting onto the international the limelight of center stage. Our hope and
To be honest, none of the above sounds like the performance scene with UK debut performances often our power.
makings of a particularly interesting festival. from bold new voices including Mariana
Whilst I might not have come up with Valencia, Justin Shoulder, Ariah Lester, James Countless times over the years Fierce has been
any miracle solutions, I do think the Fierce Batchelor & Zander Porter and Ellen Furey (in a called “outrageous”, “ridiculous” and “extreme”,
Festival 2019 programme can be boiled down collaboration with Fierce alumni Malik Nashad and you’ll find some of that again this year
to four elements that feel more vital than ever: Sharpe), alongside new Fierce commissions (they’re badges we’ve always worn proudly). For
communion, empathy, resistance and joy. These from the UK’s own Lucy McCormick and Gillie me, Fierce is the dark around the edges that
four things can guide us through the dark times – Kleiman & Greg Wohead. Solnit talks about, in the margins of both artform
offering a little hope. We also welcome a host of internationally and society.
For six days this October I invite you to revered names to Fierce including Austrian In 2019 more than ever we need propositions
come and converge with us in Birmingham and techno lover Doris Uhlich, gender confuser not opposition. The Fierce Festival 2019
experience the performances of some brilliant Alexandra Bachzetsis, the peerless Julia Bardsley programme is full of artists living as if the
artists from all over the world – and they come and return of Fierce favourites Tania El Khoury, revolution has happened, all of them making
bearing propositions. Kate McIntosh, Brian Lobel and Andrew Tay & propositions… naughty, joyous, sexy propositions.
Come and congregate: spend time with Stephen Thompson. I really hope you’ll step into the darkness with
strangers. Relate. Consider different perspectives. It wouldn’t be Fierce if we didn’t celebrate us this October.
Think differently, imagine alternatives (and bring significant figures from the world of performance
a friend along too). Feel connected to the world, art. This year there are new works from key Irish Aaron
enjoy the sensations and emotions it provokes. Be performance artists Nigel Rolfe and Sandra x
confused, be unsure, be curious... just be there. Johnston, the always intriguing Yann Marussich
At Fierce Festival 2019 you can take part in in a particularly taxing situation as well as a
participatory event In Many Hands, a moving and younger generation of performance artists
meditative experience for a group of strangers. including Keijaun Thomas, Selina Bonelli and
You can get into bed with an artist for BINGE and Whiskey Chow. We are excited to welcome them
recharge with a boxset. In Voicing Pieces you’re all to our brilliant city.
Aaron Wright invited to encounter yourself as a stranger in an
intimate installation for one. You can see how
But the question still remains, what can any
of this do? Will the performances contained
Artistic Director the movement of gender is constructed in pop
culture, porn, fashion and yoga in Private: Wear
within these pages convince British Petroleum to
move their focus to renewable energy? No. Will
Fierce Festival a mask when you talk to me or understand the the performances contained within these pages
4 5
What Various locations Free
Artist in residence
won’t merely be sitting in a seat, as an audience member you
and that in some shape or from are freer to move around
Susannah Hewlett
you’ll be more involved in the and see the work from your
performance. This may include preferred spot (no seats,
to see
participation, don’t worry, unless for access reasons). The London
there will be no embarrassing works often last a few hours,
audience interaction here. You
might have to do things, like
meaning you can choose to
drop in and out as you please.
My Minor Spectrorective
We know it can be a little handle objects, move around, or Performance Art often uses
daunting attending some follow some simple instructions. materials and objects that
art and performance events, These events are ‘experiential’. we might be accustomed to
especially when you’re not seeing in an art gallery and
100% sure exactly what the Fierce Lates lack the theatricality and
event is. We want to make conventions of the events
sure everyone feels welcome These events are more relaxed, categorised as ‘shows’.
generally happening later at
at Fierce and whilst we don’t
night, with a bar open! Some Dance
‘as intimate
want to ruin the mystery and
surprise of some of the pieces of them like Lucy McCormick’s as a colonic
in the festival this year, we have Life: Live! will be standing. Whilst lots of the artists in the irrigation and,
created some categories that These events we generally Fierce programme might have
expect to have a slightly more a formal training in dance the if it’s possible,
should give you a reassuring
understanding of what type of informal, possibly even rowdy shows we’ve categorised as funnier…’
atmosphere! ‘dance’ have easily identifiable
thing you’re signing up to see. Total Theatre
Each event in the dance features – such as
programme will be labelled Performance Art movement and choreography
with the categories below. or ‘dance-moves’ in time to
Some events will be labelled Fierce has a long history of music! Lots of people think
with more than one category. presenting Performance that dance isn’t for them, but
If you have further questions Art. This is quite a slippery trust us – these shows are
or concerns about attending term to define, but generally beautiful and exhilarating.
an event then email
contact@wearefierce.org. FIERCE SAYS: We can’t think Cross breeding live art, Fierce Highlight:
If you’re still confused or and some might even make of an artist who has made us comedy, theatre, sound and
Shows wary, we’ve written a few you angry or confused – laugh more over the years than film for over 15 years Susannah The Great British Cack Off –
Fierce guidelines that we these are all totally welcome Susannah Hewlett. From the Hewlett is delighted to present Sunday 20 October, MAC,
If an event is categorised as hope will guide you through and valid responses to have. show in a caravan with some to you a buffet selection of her 12–4pm
a show, it means that you will the programme! There’s lots to see in poor bloke tied up in the toilet, finest cold cuts. A platter of The ultimate poo making
sit in a seat for the duration You don’t need a degree the programme, but make to a new born baby dressed up audio interventions, televisual battle using only peanut
of the event, and generally be in art to appreciate the a plan that works for you. as a snake in a participatory highlights and be-wigged butter, chocolate spread and
watching something happen festival! Whatever you think Only a very small handful of family pet show and perennial characters. oats – where passionate
in front of you – usually on or feel about a performance people will see everything idiot Chris Titmus. Su is our first Fixated on popular culture, amateurs compete to be
a stage, but sometimes in a is valid. You don’t need to be in the programme. Why not official festival artist in residence her work challenges the crowned the UK’s Best Cack
slightly different space, like a looking for hidden meanings plan a route around a few – look out for her subtle comfort of audiences by Master! The judges look for
hall in a museum. Don’t worry in the performances – just of the performances at the and sometimes not so subtle using comedy as a strategy to signature style, technical
though, nothing will be required have some sort of emotional weekend (leave a gap for interventions across the festival. disarm – scratching through excellence and
of you other than sitting back experience. This might food!). We recommend the the shiny Saturday night showstopping
and taking it all in! include a whole range of ‘tapas’ approach. Try a few TV dazzle or looking past qualities!
emotions such as finding different things, and also the kindly smile to reveal
Experiences something funny or beautiful, take a chance on something unpalatable truths about
but some performances you wouldn’t normally go the human condition.
If something is categorised as might feel more challenging to see.
an experience it means that you Various dates
6 7
Warwick Arts Centre, Theatre £16/14 Warwick Arts Centre, Studio £12/10
Show
Show
and free bus This presentation
Justin Shoulder Davy Pieters
from Birmingham is supported
by Performing
Arts Fund NL.
Sydney Presented in Rotterdam Presented in
partnership partnership with
Carrion 60 minutes
with Warwick
Arts Centre and
Coventry Biennial
How Did I Die 65 minutes
Warwick Arts
Centre and BE
FESTIVAL
UK Tuesday night double bill* Tuesday night double bill*
Premiere See both for £25/21 See both for £25/21
‘Mesmerising and
tender, elemental and
fantastical, Carrion is a
rite, a birth, a speculation
– morphing the ‘natural’
in a unique vision of
physical performance
possibilities.’
Australian Arts Review
What does it mean to be FIERCE SAYS: Justin is our ‘The starting point of How Did I Die may be simple, the precision with which the
human in an era when our favourite club performer. We’ve performance is constructed is masterful. It requires a great talent to tickle the
destructive influence over the been following his incredible
planet is rapidly redefining the work (and costumes!) on brains of your audience in such an intelligent, witty and hallucinatory way.’
laws of nature? This magnetic Instagram for years and now Trouw
performance by Justin he’s made a brilliant theatre
Shoulder introduces Carrion: show too. We’re thrilled to finally In How Did I Die, time cannot has taken place, but there FIERCE SAYS: A murder
a post-human spectre with bring him over for his major be trusted: neither the period are countless paths that mystery like you’ve never seen
the ability to shapeshift into European debut performances. from the discovery of the could have led to it. Does it before. This is theatre for the
multiple forms and speak See him now before he becomes body to a possible conclusion, the reconstruction bring us Netflix generation: a gripping
multiple languages. a household name. nor the possible final hours closer to the truth, or does it drama, but played out with
Drawing on queer of the deceased. Nothing push us further away? How unbelievable movement skill,
and bicultural ancestral is certain. Time and truth Did I Die is a realistically with a 90s I Know What You Did
mythologies, Carrion *Join us for a double bill are manipulated, conspiracy fictional, cinematic, physical Last Summer kinda vibe. Not
transports us into a place with Davy Pieter’s (How Did theories revised. The truth is production. Particularly available on iPlayer.
where the distant past collides I Die) and catch the free a complex puzzle in which our suitable for those who love a
with the far future, alerting us Fierce bus to Warwick Arts fantasies can be gruesomely good thriller.
to the changes that already lie Centre departing Minerva real or unreal. Just one murder
within ourselves. Works (Digbeth) at 6pm and
Produced by Insite Arts. returning after the last show! UK
Tuesday 15 October, 9pm Premiere
Tuesday 15 October, 7.45pm Wednesday 16 October, 7.45pm
8 9
Birmingham Repertory Theatre, £15/12 ‘After about 45 minutes, there is probably no one in the
EXPERIENCE
Presented in room whose hands are not completely filthy… A rare
The Studio partnership with
Birmingham and wonderful offer to concentrate on yourself without
Kate McIntosh
90 minutes Repertory Theatre
losing sight of your fellow human beings.’
kultur.kino.ruhr
Brussels
In Many Hands UK
Premiere
FIERCE SAYS: Fierce isn’t
generally a fan of audience
participation but we are in
LOVE with this show. Its
democratic format means
everyone engages on an equal
level, and nobody is left feeling
exposed. We don’t want to
give too much away – just In recent years, audiences phenomena themselves.
trust us and come, we had a to Kate McIntosh’s works In Many Hands is part
transcendental experience. have been involved in many laboratory, part expedition,
A festival highlight. different ways – they have part meditation – as it unfolds,
been invited to take part visitors take their time to
as accomplices, craftsmen, engage and explore as they
orchestra-members and wish, following their noses
rainmakers. and curiosities. Returning
This project steps away to Fierce for the third time,
from the stage – instead Kate’s work is guided by her
bringing the audience into a ongoing fascinations with the
Tuesday 15 October, 8.30pm series of aesthetic sensory
situations, inviting them to
misuse of objects, playfulness
with the audience and an off-
Wednesday 16 October, 5pm and 8.30pm experiment with materials
and encounter physical
beat humour.
Thursday 17 October, 1.30pm and 5pm
10 11
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Free, Our Very Fierce Grand Opening event is always very
LATES
Lates
drop in
A Very
Presented in
special and we’re thrilled this year to be holding it at
partnership with
Birmingham
Birmingham Museum. Expect different performances
Museums
around the museum as well as a toast to launch the
4 hours
festival, DJs and host Ginny Lemon + it’s all free!
Fierce Grand With performances from:
Opening Sandra Johnston
Keijaun Thomas
Whiskey Chow Zander Porter X
Justin Shoulder James Batchelor
Zander Porter X Alien Intimacy A dance of “human” and
James Batchelor
“alien” embodiments,
Alien Intimacy speculates
on the movement of an
Ariah Lester
interpersonally constructed
alien sense, drawing relations
between the visible and the
invisible or the physically
Lucy McCormick
embodied and the virtually
disembodied. The distance
between human and alien
Susannah Hewlett
expands and contracts via
virtual imagery, silver-tactile
mediation, and internet-
Hosted by referential performativity.
Temporal denseness and
Sandra Johnston
Whiskey Chow
specificity conjure an
Ginny Lemon
intimacy for this distance as
an almost-touchable “space
between.”
Wednesday 16 October, 7pm DOORS
12 13
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Free Various Free
PERFORMANCE ART
PERFORMANCE ART
60 minutes
As part of A Very
Keijaun Thomas Sandra Johnston
Fierce Grand
Opening (see
New previous page)
York Presented in
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
partnership with
My Last American Dollar:
Round 1, Tricking and Flipping Coins: Making Dollars Hit;
90 minutes Unmuted
Here-to-Here, Notwithstanding
Round 2, Black Angels in the Infield: Dripping Faggot Sweat;
Round 3, Whatchu Gonna Do: Marvelous like Marva Johnston’s performances are
UK experiential in nature, based
Premiere on improvisational processes
that explore physical states
In this immersive solo work of responsiveness formed
Thomas investigates and in relation to the actualities
embodies resistance, asking: of specific situations and
“How do we resist temptation, the moment of making.
how do we slow down, Actions are assembled using
how do we play, how do we mainly found objects, each
survive?” Thomas traverses informing decision making
a multimedia installation, through memory and haptic
combining structural perception. The performances
fragments of environments are intended as propositions,
associated with labour, ritual, whereby the audience
and hospitality such as locker observes the emergence of
rooms, strip clubs, waiting latent relationships between
rooms, church pews, and field the materials and gestures,
days. Investigating forms offered as ‘provisional
through which black and behaviours’ and existing as
brown people hold space for mutable encounters to be
each other, Thomas asks, how realised only within moments
to carry the multiplicities of of close connection between
being young, gifted, and black artist and audience.
powerfully engaging with the
entangled histories of labour,
subjugation, and resistance. FIERCE SAYS: Sandra’s
performances are often quiet
FIERCE SAYS: We’ve been and contemplative, but as a
following the work of Keijaun performer she brings an intensity
for a few years now, and have to them that makes them hard to
always wanted to get her to walk away from. Sandra has had
Fierce. She has rejuvenated a huge influence on a younger
performance art, showing it to generation of performance art
be a powerful contemporary practitioners, some who you’ll ‘Within moments she had commanded our attention.
medium. Expect striking imagery see elsewhere in the programme. The simple act of opening up the doors brought a
from an important new voice in change to the room.’
performance art.
Inaction.ie
Image: Andrea Abbatangelo Wednesday 16 October (A Very Fierce Grand Opening)
Wednesday 16 October Thursday 17 October, 7–8pm (Arch 21)
14 15
Secret Location £15/12 Birmingham Repertory Theatre, The Door £12/10
SHOW
EXPERIENCE
Presented in Commissioned by
Tania El Khoury Gillie Kleiman &
partnership with Fierce and Dance
Shubbak Festival City. Presented
Commissioned in partnership
Beirut with Birmingham
by ANTI Festival
Repertory Theatre
Greg Wohead
International Prize
The Search for Power UK
for Live Art &
Shubbak Festival Newcastle /
Supported by
ARC Stockton,
Wainsgate Chapel,
Premiere 60 minutes London Shoreditch Town
Hall, Northern
Familiar Stage and
Roehampton
University.
Familiar is a twinset of
FIERCE SAYS: Tania was last performances on significant
at Fierce when we commissioned otherness. One authored by
her installation Gardens Speak Kleiman and performed by
in 2014 which became a major Wohead, the other authored
international success touring to by Wohead and performed
18 countries worldwide. Tania by Kleiman, the two are
is a vital voice in contemporary twisted together with story,
theatre and we’re honoured to song and spit.
be partnering with Shubbak Springboarding from a
Festival to host the UK premiere question of companionship,
of this unique, immersive story. Kleiman and Wohead reach
for something mysterious:
a shaggy dog story danced
On a night with a sudden national corporations,
by Twin Peaks’ legendary
electricity outage in Beirut, and colonial powers. They
Log Lady, speaking from the
the artist and her historian discovered traces of everyday
beyond to enable the pair to
husband promised each other acts of survival, resistance,
become others of significance
to research the history of and sabotage by workers and
then and there in the theatre.
power outages in Lebanon. electricity users. They decided
They went on a journey to trace their steps back
collecting documents. Some and share it in an intimate
were simply not accessible. gathering.
The paper trail led them to The Search for Power FIERCE SAYS: Gillie and Greg
archives in five different is a lecture and installation are two of the most exciting
countries. They reached as far performance inviting the young makers in the UK, so
back as 1906, when electricity audience to look into archival when they told us they wanted
was first introduced to Beirut. documents, inaccessible to make solos for each other we
They found a transnational knowledge, and a personal jumped at the chance. Expect a
story involving businessmen, quest for revenge. beautiful and quirky design by
politicians, warlords, multi- brilliant artist Tim Spooner too.
Wednesday 16 October, 8.30pm
Thursday 17 October, 8.30pm Thursday 17 October, 7pm
Friday 18 October, 8.30pm Friday 18 October, 7pm
WORLD
Premiere
Saturday 19 October, 8.30pm Saturday 19 October, 5pm
16 17
DanceXchange, Patrick Studio £13/11 Centrala £12/10
Show / DANCE
SHOW / LATES
Presented in Presented in
Ellen Furey & Oozing Gloop
partnership and partnership with
with the support of New Queers on
DanceXchange Norwich / 60 minutes the Block
Berlin
Malik Nashad Sharpe
65 minutes
Montreal /
London The Gloop Show
SOFTLAMP.autonomies
Two figures dressed in white, They emerge from the FIERCE SAYS: At Fierce we
electronic music and a drifting darkness of the dancefloor love a recommendation, and
voice sending Yung Hurn’s until they reach a deep this piece got several not least
dreams of and appeals to blue in which they abandon from Antonija Livingstone who
togetherness – “Baby, you themselves completely in performed at Fierce 2015. It’s
wanna chill and stuff / Fly the rhythms of their unison also brilliant to have Malik back The Gloop Show by Oozing wielding a 7ft mascara wand FIERCE SAYS: We first met
with me through Vienna and movements. In the end, it at Fierce who premiered their Gloop – ‘our leading green assures that squares make Oozing Gloop when they used
stuff ”– as well as the effect becomes clear that this is to show $elfie$ here in 2017 along autistic drag queen’ – takes squares, triangles make to work the door back in the
of pills into space in a loop. be understood as a movement with Ellen Furey – a major new you on a psycho-magical trip triangles and doing things… early days of Sink the Pink.
In this meditative, hypnotic of resistance. voice on the Montreal scene. through the universal A E I does stuff. Now they’ve gone and created
dance trip through the spheres O U. The Gloop Show re- one of the most distinctive
of the now, Ellen Furey from On route we ramble stitches the fabric of our shows we’ve seen by a UK artist
Montreal and London-based ‘The performance creates a powerful and cohesive
through a dream scape of reality and charts sublime in recent memory. Don’t miss it,
New York dance artist Malik affective field that nonetheless permits a wide variety gigantic vowels, handmade new political territories. This is it’s a real trip!
Nashad Sharpe celebrate a of responses to coexist: delight, stupor, impatience, patchwork, masks and wigs. your survival guide to the 21st
future without authorities and Our guiding green vagabond century!
constraints. awe, reverie, and, for me, a moment of pure
adrenalized thrill.’
Contemporary Performance
Thursday 17 October, 10.30pm doors
Thursday 17 October, 9pm Friday 18 October, 11pm
18 19Venue to be announced Free, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, The Lab £9
Experience
EXPERIENCE
(allow around an
drop in Presented in
You and Begüm Erciyas
hour for your visit)
partnership with
Royal Birmingham
Conservatoire.
Berlin / Brussels Supported by the
Embassy of the
Brian Lobel Voicing Pieces Federal Republic
of Germany and
the Goethe-Institut
London London
30 minutes
BINGE
I couldn’t help but wonder…
might my old collection of
box sets hold all the answers?
BINGE, an interactive
installation curated by Brian
Lobel, creates the space to
slow down, disconnect from
the noise of everyday life,
reconnect with the comfort
of a duvet and a listening
ear. BINGE is a collection
of one-to-one and intimate UK
conversations based around Premiere
your favourite box sets, that
exist somewhere between ‘It is a long journey,
radical self-care and playful In Voicing Pieces, your own
self-indulgence. Warmly
although it lasts only half
voice is staged to become the
nostalgic, BINGE collapses an hour, which eventually protagonist. In the intimacy
FIERCE SAYS: A performance
the distinction between the in which you become the
brings you back home of an isolated sound booth,
performer, for an audience of
high-brow, the low-brow, and guided by a simple score, you
the freshly-plucked brow. to yourself, to your own become spectator of your
yourself. This is a beautiful and
Leave your own drama voice. And it will never own voice.
unusual installation that we also
behind, and insert yourself found strangely empowering.
into a world where whatever
sound the same again. Aren’t our own voices
Be sure to book quick as slots
always inauthentic and
the drama, it’ll probably be Magical.’ uncanny? Who is speaking,
are extremely limited.
solved before the final credits. deMorgen when your own voice speaks?
Rather than recognizing
FIERCE SAYS: This experience
yourself in the stranger,
made us slow down, and consider
Voicing Pieces is an invitation
our relationship with rest AND
to recognize the stranger
television. Comes with snacks.
in yourself.
Local artist collaborators will be Image: Elle Brotherhood
announced nearer the time.
Friday 18 October, 12–7pm (Slots between)
Saturday 19 October, 12–6pm Saturday 19 October, 12–7pm (Slots between)
Sunday 20 October, 12–6pm Sunday 20 October, 12–7pm (Slots between)
20 21Midlands Arts Centre, Foyle Studio £13/11 Various Free
SHOW
LATES
Presented in or with a ticket for
Mariana Ariah Lester
partnership with Club Fierce
55 minutes MAC
Supported by
Performing Arts
Amsterdam
Fund NL
Valencia New York
EUROPEAN
‘[Valencia] approaches
making performance as
assembling notes for a
(live set)
Album
Premiere Pop, Soul, R&B, afro-caribbean
future biographer. Dance rhythms. With his androgynous
countertenor voice Venezuelan
is often romanticized for
singer ARIAH LESTER
its ephemerality, but Ms. gives a queer, mesmerising
Valencia, shaping her performance that is full of
sensuality, movement and
own narrative, intends to deep emotions. Falsettos,
leave a record… With her old-fashioned synths and
terse, inviting sense of powerful bassy-sassy-beats
create a unique music world
humor, switching matter that is universal, eclectic. From
of factly between tasks… slow ballads to powerful dance
songs, ARIAH will take you on
By the end, a stranger has
a journey to the core of your
become a friend.’ body-heart, he’ll make you
The New York Times MOVE... Former dancer and
choreographer Lester Arias
started to make beats and
play with his voice, after three
years he has released his first
Album is a solo performance with the task to preserve and EP THE GATE and became
that unites text, song, and perform a self herstory as ARIAH LESTER; a show that
dance inside of the content an album in image and song. combines music with dance
of an album—a picture Valencia’s relationship to and performance.
album, a song album, an urbanity, vampires, love, and
autobiographical album, a marginality arise with equal
herstorical album—finding importance as she orbits the FIERCE SAYS: Ariah Lester
ways to be an archive, or primary curiosity: Who will is a major new talent and his
altar, for Valencia’s body. write herstory? Album starts infectious energy is catching.
Through factual, humorous, this process—so the author of There are a number of chances
and grave observations, a Valencia’s herstory can have to see him over the festival – so
FIERCE SAYS: Valencia don’t miss out!
frame of self-identification good notes.
is such a warm presence,
is established and charged
and her original songs are
Outfit: Tom van der Borght. Image: Alexander Deprez
brilliantly funny, there’s even an
appearance from Gloria Estefan.
However, don’t be deceived –
Friday 18 October, 4pm this is a super smart show, that
rips up the autobiographical
Wednesday 16 October, 7pm doors (A Very Fierce Grand Opening)
Saturday 19 October, 12pm performance rulebook. We Stan. Friday 18 October, 6.30pm (Fresh Friday at Birmingham Hippodrome)
+ Friday 25 October, 7.30pm Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton Saturday 19 October, 11pm doors (Club Fierce)
22 23Midlands Arts Centre, Theatre £16/14 Birmingham Hippodrome, Patrick Studio £12/10
Experience
SHOW / DANCE
Presented in Presented in
Doris Uhlich Miet Warlop
partnership with partnership with
70 minutes MAC and DASH Birmingham
Hippodrome.
Vienna Ghent Supported by the
Embassy of the
Every Body Electric UK
Ghost Writer and Federal Republic
of Germany and
the Broken Hand Break
the Goethe-Institut
Premiere 45 minutes London
‘A production that is
not warm and cuddly, In Ghost Writer and the
Broken Hand Break, Warlop
but instead bristly and works with the idea of a
grating. Beyond the western version of the whirling
full-bodied, sometimes dance known from Sufi
dervishes. Three performers
difficult to chew on. spin in a circle for 45 minutes
Beautiful because it has – a movement that in Sufi
ceremonies is meant to induce
not been beautified.’ a state of religious ecstasy.
Leipziger Volkszeitung Keeping with Miet Warlop’s
style, the whirling is enriched
by making music. It becomes
an experiment in perception,
a dizzy feeling, a reflection
on the spirit of our time. The
Every Body Electric is a when machines – for example dance styles. The explosive mixture of whirling dance,
simple, but radical invitation wheelchairs, prostheses, power, but also the gentle or recitation and concert moves
to explore potentials through crutches – are regarded and forceful poetry of Every Body on the thin line between self-
dance, to make them visible, staged as extensions to the Electric ultimately rests in control and loss of control.
and to delve deep into an body? Personal rhythms, how the performers perceive How can we find a balance
archaeology of energy. What dynamics, beats and bodily their bodies and how they are between self-control and
other possibilities open up characteristics lead to unique perceived. devotion? What shape are the
spirits that write the story of
our life?
FIERCE SAYS: Fierce loves
techno and Fierce loves Doris FIERCE SAYS: We got so sick
Uhlich. We spent a great evening of waiting for Miet Warlop to
chatting with Doris and the perform in the UK, that we just
performers of Every Body went and invited her ourselves.
Electric post show in Dusseldorf, We’re delighted to present
but it wasn’t until a couple the long overdue mainstage
of weeks later when we still UK debut performances from
couldn’t stop thinking about the UK Warlop – a totally unique figure
performance that we decided Premiere within the European scene. This
we had to bring it to Fierce. show is a riot.
++ Boris Kopeinig mixing the
soundtrack live.
Friday 18 October, 10pm
Friday 18 October, 6.30pm Saturday 19 October, 2pm
24 25Birmingham Hippodrome, Studio 5 £12/10 Arch 21 Free
Performance Art
LATES / SHOW
60 minutes (approx)
Nigel Rolfe
Presented in
Joseph Keckler
partnership with
Birmingham
New 70 minutes Hippodrome Dublin
York
In Concert (new performance)
‘Fucking amazing’
UK Amy Schumer
Premiere
FIERCE SAYS: Nigel is one of The central contention of concepts and the mind and
the most important figures in Rolfe’s practice is that art the correspondences of both
Vocal virtuoso, charming His three-octave range FIERCE SAYS: At the last performance art internationally, making is a live and vital brought together - as doing
raconteur, master prose stylist. puts him at the peaks of Fierce Festival performer and has been making work for engagement. and being are ancient and
After recent shows at highbrow culture, but he Erin Markey told us we had over four decades. We’re so His work engages socio- slow but still always urgent
Lincoln Center, New York moves to popular styles to book Joseph – and that’s a excited to see what he makes: we political concerns of have and and present.
and Centre Pompidou, Paris, without missing a beat. Here recommendation you’d be a fool know it will be a charged moment have-not and fault lines in Some while ago it became
Joseph Keckler makes his UK is a renaissance man who to turn down! Joseph’s offbeat for everyone who attends. society. better standing in the cold
debut, performing an intimate wears his brilliance lightly; humour has earned him a cult So much imagery today winter nights watching
evening of his work in concert with a wink and a smile, he following in the USA and we’re is mediated by these fast- football in the rain rather
form – ecstatic art-pop songs gently lifts the soul. thrilled to present his debut UK moving digital reprographic than in the comfort of the
and wild arias about daily life performances at Fierce before times, so quickly we living room on a flat screen
that spiral out towards the he goes on to a run at London’s consume pictures and turn tv. First hand before your
mythic. Soho Theatre. the page and speed on. The eyes better than second
knowledge in art making hand reprographics. We live
is perhaps slower and hard therefore we are, keep life live
won: touch and the body, and art along with it.
Friday 18 October, 8.30pm
Saturday 19 October, 8.30pm Saturday 19 October, 2pm
26 27Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, £13/11 Birmingham Repertory Theatre, £15/12
SHOW
EXPERIENCE / SHOW
Presented in Presented in
The Waterhall partnership with
Birmingham The STUDIO partnership with
Birmingham
Museums
Nicola Gunn
Repertory Theatre
Andrew Tay & With thanks to the
High Commission
of Canada in the Melbourne
This project is
supported by
the Australian
Stephen Thompson
United Kingdom for Government
Working with Children
70 minutes its support. through the
Montreal Australia Council,
its arts funding
Make Banana Cry
and advisory
body. Working
with Children
was originally
commissioned
and produced by
Melbourne Theatre
‘The crowd’s discomfort is palpable and 70 minutes Company.
the message is strong: we are confronted
with the sheer exhaustion that comes
from a lifetime of carrying the weight of
fetishization.’
Dance current UK
Premiere
Make Banana Cry is a critical
and destabilizing dance
performance questioning
Asian stereotypes and the
transmission of cultural
identity. The work confronts ‘Nicola Gunn is a singular Working with Children FIERCE SAYS: When we saw
western perceptions of the looks at the problem of
‘Asian Fantasy’ in a durational voice in Australian intimacy and exposure, and
this show in Sydney, Nicola had
us hanging on every word – she
parade drawing on the Images: Claudia Chan Tak
theatre, her imaginative, the curiosity of working with is such a compelling performer.
background of the diverse children in contemporary
absurdist work is witty, Expect a narrative style that
cast of Canadian artists. performance. In a work that seems closer to stand-up comedy
As aesthetic embodiments weird, conceptual is both funny and surprisingly than anything we’ve seen in the
of ‘Asian-ness’ become more FIERCE SAYS: This is a hugely and intellectually affective, it is an attempt theatre. It’s madness she’s not
predominant in Western art generous and laugh out loud to perform a kind of radical
and pop culture, the artists funny fashion catwalk show set rigorous without being vulnerability. Through an
performed in the UK before and
we’re thrilled to correct this.
share a desire to reflect on within a beautiful installation pretentious.’ accumulation of seemingly
by Dominique Petrin. We’re
these representations and Performing ArtsHub unconnected anecdotes, the
explode the mechanisms that thrilled to welcome both Andrew audience is invited to wonder
create these categorisations and Stephen back to Fierce about the effect of language
within today’s appropriative who previously presented Fame on the body, playing with
landscape. Prayer / EATING in 2017 the idea that we can find a
and Culture, Administration & different way of behaving
Trembling in 2015 respectively. by finding a different way of
inquiring and of listening.
Saturday 19 October, 3.30pm
Sunday 20 October, 12pm Saturday 19 October, 7pm
28 29Vivid Projects £6/4 Secret Location (same venue as Club Fierce) £14/11
PERFORMANCE ART
EXPERIENCE / LATES
Presented in (with free entry to
Selina Bonelli Lucy McCormick
association with Club Fierce after)
Vivid Live Standing only
Co-Commissioned
Maidstone London by Fierce, Theatre
Bairro Alto and
(un)certain twitches Life: Live! Cambridge
Junction with
support from
Alkantara and
WORLD Tramway and
Premiere funding from Arts
Council England.
Selina Bonelli’s work is an
attempt to develop a language
beyond its capacities for
direct communication. One
outside syntax, of evolving,
disparate parts, one that tries
to touch through our violently
inscribed bodies. It could be
‘Lucy McCormick has
seen as an unfolding around the moves of Beyoncé,
the things we ‘forget’ or try to the lungs of Christina
keep at a distance.
Lip locked to the words
Aguilera and the morals
that don’t come: the imposed of a punk iconoclast…
nature of your caresses As a comedian she is
stutter as they’re swallowed
back into a fasciculation of fearless. As a performer
daily commemorative actions. she is reckless… She
is one of the most
FIERCE SAYS: Selina Bonelli
extraordinary and
performed at Fierce 2017 as extreme performers
part of Pilot Nights, so we’re around’
delighted to welcome her back
for this longer piece presented The Scotsman
with Vivid Live. Selina is part of
a new generation of performance
artists in the UK with a refined
and rigorous practice and
compelling use of objects and Life: Live! is a subversive, artist Morven Mulgrew, and FIERCE SAYS: SHE’S BACK!
materials. We see interesting immersive, pop concert an album of original music Our favourite UK performer!
connections between Selina’s spectacular imagined by written and performed by After the outrageous ‘Triple
work and that of older artists nu-pop sensation Lucy Lucy McCormick, Samir Threat’ that we presented with
Nigel Rolfe and Sandra Johnston McCormick, and her Kennedy and Ted Rogers, SHOUT Festival in 2018,
also performing in the festival. electrotrash Girl Squad. Life:Live! straddles stardom, we can’t wait to see this new
Featuring shonky- self care and redemption in a Fierce commissioned show.
spectacular, stadium-chic hilarious, crumbling, musical Part theatre, part gig this is the
live visuals created with extravaganza. perfect Saturday night out.
Saturday 19 October, 8.30pm Saturday 19 October, 10pm doors (10.30pm Showtime)
30 31Secret Location (same venue as £6 advance Join us on the dancefloor for a party that only Fierce
LATES
/ £8 on door could throw, and this time we’ve teamed up with
Lucy McCormick’s Life: Live! ) (or free with
ticket to Lucy
Brummy house collective Hooker Club, to really get
Club Fierce
McCormick’s Life:
Live!)
Presented in
things cookin'. Expect live music, international DJs, pop
partnership with
Hooker Club
up performance, avant garde gogo dancers and more.
Club Fierce is the best night out in Birmingham.
vs Hooker Yes – we just said that, and we mean it.
With performances from
Club Ariah Lester (Amsterdam)
Corin (Sydney)
Justin Shoulder (Sydney)
Susannah Hewlett
(London)
Michael Cheng (Birmingham)
DJ FANSNAP
(Birmingham)
Hosted by
Justin Shoulder
Yshee Black with
LACEY LOU (Birmingham)
Saturday 19 October, 11pm DOORS Corin
32 33Tuesday 15 October Wednesday 16 October Thursday 17 October Friday 18 October Saturday 19 October Sunday 20 October
7.45pm p.8 5pm & 8.30pm p.10–11 1.30pm & 5pm p.10–11 12–7pm p.21 10am p.41 12pm p.28
Justin Shoulder Carrion Kate McIntosh In Many Hands Kate McIntosh In Many Hands Begüm Erciyas Voicing Pieces Talking Fierce Venue to be Andrew Tay & Stephen
Warwick Arts Centre 60 mins Birmingham Rep 90 mins Birmingham Rep 90 mins Royal Birmingham Conservatoire 30 mins announced 120 mins Thompson Make Banana Cry
BMAG 70 mins
8.30pm p.10–11 7–11pm p.12–13 5.30pm p.41 4pm p.22 12pm p.22
Kate McIntosh In Many Hands A Very Fierce Grand Opening Justin Shoulder & Matthew Mariana Valencia ALBUM Mariana Valencia ALBUM 12–4pm p.7
Birmingham Repertory Theatre 90 mins Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Stegh Talk Medicine Gallery 60 mins MAC 55 mins MAC, Foyle Studio 55 mins Susannah Hewlett
12–6pm p.20 The Great British Cack Off
9pm p.9 7.45pm p.9 7pm p.17 6.30pm p.23
MAC
Davy Pieters How Did I Die Davy Pieters How Did I Die Ariah Lester Fresh Fridays Brian Lobel BINGE Venue to be
Gillie Kleiman & Greg Wohead
Warwick Arts Centre 55 mins Warwick Arts Centre Studio 55 mins Birmingham Hippodrome announced, durational 12–6pm p.20
Familiar Birmingham Rep
(Do the double bill and catch the return Brian Lobel BINGE
Fierce bus to WAC leaving Minerva Works 8.30pm p.16 6.30pm p.24 12–7pm p.21
Venue to be announced, durational
7pm p.15
at 6pm) Tania El Khoury The Search for Doris Uhlich Every Body Electric Begüm Erciyas Voicing Pieces
Sandra Johnston Here-to-Here, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire 30 mins 12–7pm p.21
Power Secret location 60 mins MAC 70 mins
Notwithstanding Arch 21, 60 mins
Begüm Erciyas Voicing Pieces
7pm p.17 2pm p.25
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire 30 mins
8.30pm p.16
Gillie Kleiman & Greg Wohead Miet Warlop Ghost Writer and
Tania El Khoury The Search for Familiar Birmingham Rep the Broken Hand Break 12–5pm p.36
Power Secret location 60 mins Birmingham Hippodrome 45 mins Julia Bardsley An Apian
8.30pm p.16
Paradox MAC 5 hours (drop in)
9pm p.18
2pm p.27
Tania El Khoury The Search for
Ellen Furey & Malik Nashad Nigel Rolfe (new performance) 12.30pm p.41
Power Secret location 60 mins
Sharpe SOFTLAMP.autonomies Arch 21 60 mins Sandra Johnston & Nigel Rolfe
DanceXchange 65 mins 8.30pm p.26
in Conversation MAC 60 mins
Joseph Keckler In Concert 3.30pm p.28
10.30pm (doors) p.19
2.30pm p.37
Birmingham Hippodrome 70 mins Andrew Tay & Stephen
Oozing Gloop The Gloop Show Thompson Make Banana Cry Yann Marussich Bain Brise
Centrala 60 mins 10pm p.25
BMAG 70 mins MAC 90 mins
Miet Warlop Ghost Writer and
5pm p.17 5.30pm p.38
the Broken Hand Break
Birmingham Hippodrome 45 mins Gillie Kleiman & Greg Wohead Alexandra Bachzetsis
Familiar Birmingham Rep Private: Wear a Mask when
11pm (DOORS) p.19
you talk to me MAC 50 mins
Oozing Gloop The Gloop Show 7pm p.29
Centrala 60 mins Nicola Gunn Working with 7.45pm p.39
Children Birmingham Rep 70 mins Melk Prod. / Marco Berrettini
iFeel2 Birmingham Hippodrome
8.30pm p.16
80 mins
Tania El Khoury The Search for
Power Secret location 60 mins
8.30pm p.30
Selina Bonelli (un)certain
twitches VIVID Projects
8.30pm p.26
Joseph Keckler In Concert
Birmingham Hippodrome 70 mins
10pm (doors) p.31
Lucy McCormick Life: Live!
Tania El Khoury
Festival Schedule
Secret Location 60 mins
11pm–4am p.32–33
Club Fierce Secret location 60 minsMidlands Arts Centre, Theatre Free, Midlands Arts Centre, Second Floor Gallery Free
PERFORMANCE ART
EXPERIENCE
drop in Presented in
Julia Bardsley Yann Marussich
partnership with
Presented in MAC. Presentation
partnership with supported by
London MAC and Arts & Geneva Swiss Arts Council
5 hours Science Festival Pro Helvetia
AN APIAN PARADOX
Reading Room_03 / Bardsley v Maeterlinck / Social
Bain Brise 90 mins (approx)
and Stanley
Thomas Johnson
Foundation.
Insect Trilogy / part i. The Life of the Bee
A bath is filled with broken
With just a couple of glass. A man’s forearm is
turntable, two female bee-ings visible at the surface of the
remix Belgian symbolist poet sharp and crystalline magma.
Maurice Maeterlinck’s classic The man is stuck inside his
natural history text The Life bath of glass shards and
of the Bee, in it’s entirety, cannot get out without getting
to a soundtrack of Earth’s injured. Why get out? It is
drone music. impossible for the audience to
Creating a hive party truly grasp that he is steeped
and under the influence of inside some 600 kilos of
exotic substances secreting solid matter, and that time is
from their own bodies, ticking by. Is this the paradox
anthropological questions of contemplating a man in
rise to the surface when the danger? For some two hours,
vinyl grooves are scraped Yann Marussich plunges the
by venom styluses in this audience into a visual and
elaborate installation. Why sensory apnoea, until the body
are these workers planning to is freed to the echoing sound
massacre the males? Are you of crushing glass. All the while,
OK Honey? the audience is submerged,
With Moa Johansson and deep in concentration and
guest BJś Andrew Poppy and frozen by the glances they
Owen Parry. share with the performer.
FIERCE SAYS: Yann Marussich
is a master of Performance Art.
If you’re expecting something
squeamish, you are mistaken.
This is a truly beautiful and
compelling performance.
FIERCE SAYS: Julia is one
of the most interesting figures
in UK theatre with her highly
visual and often macabre shows
and installations. In this piece,
you’re invited to drop in, stay
a while, maybe have a drink:
it’s a performance hangout
Sunday 20 October, 12–5pm Sunday 20 October, 2.30pm
to contemplate our current
environmental and political crisis.
36 37Midlands Arts Centre, Foyle Studio £14/12 DanceXchange, Patrick Studio £12/10
SHOW / DANCE
SHOW / DANCE
Presented in Presented in
Alexandra Melk Prod. /
partnership with partnership with
MAC. Presentation and supported by
supported by DanceXchange.
Swiss Arts Council Presentation
50 minutes Pro Helvetia. supported by
Bachzetsis Marco Berrettini
Pro Helvetia
and Stanley
Thomas Johnson
Zurich Geneva Foundation.
80 minutes
Private: Wear a mask iFeel2
when you talk to me ‘an insightful
sleepwalking’
Le Temps
FIERCE SAYS: It is a joy to
watch Alexandra Bachzetsis
whose work has been performed Marie-Caroline Hominal is
everywhere from Tate Modern Raymonda, Marco Berrettini is
to MoMA and Documenta. This Taylor. A dance begins…
solo has even been shown on A young woman and a
New York’s Highline. If you’ve middle-aged man, half naked
read the book Testo-Junkie, note in a tropical dream world
that the author Paul B. Preciado boasting floating plants. They
acted as research curator on the are being watched. An erotic
making of this piece. female voice sings strange
associations with nature. The
elegant trance they trace
out is done so according to
A critic would say: Alexandra ritualized repetition of bodily a minimalist and repetitive
Bachzetsis’s solo Private: gestures within the neoliberal structure based on the residue
Wear a mask when you talk to regime. of social dances, which are
me could be considered a sort However, Private does not then mirrored.
of “equipment piece,” where mobilize techniques of parody Taking inspiration from the
what it is to be explored is that have been developed book ‘You Must Change Your
how everyday behaviors of within feminist and queer Life’ by German philosopher
gender and sexual identity cultures during the last years. Peter Sloterdijk, Berrettini
are reproduced. Bringing It doesn’t aim to represent revisits the age old question:
Trisha Brown’s choreographic the process of embodiment FIERCE SAYS: Brilliant Simone
why are we here, on this
tradition into the highly of gender and sexual norms, Aughterlony (Fierce Festival
earth? A former student of
techno-baroque world of but rather it explores the 2017 & 2015) introduced us to
Pina Bausch, Berrettini was
global pop culture, Private is instances of performative Marco. This was the first piece
the German disco-dancing
an unsolicited report, fifty- failure and inner transition we confirmed for this year’s
champion at the age of 15!
three minutes in duration, on that allow for agency and festival, and we always knew it
how gender and sexual desire resistance to emerge. had to close proceedings. As the
UK final curtain comes down and
are fabricated through the
Premiere the Fierce community disperses
once again join us for this near
Sunday 20 October, 5.30pm Sunday 20 October, 7.45pm
mystical performance and
wonder if it was all a dream.
38 39Fierce Talks
Thursday 17 October Friday 18 October Saturday 19 October
Justin Shoulder Fierce Talking Fierce
and Matthew Professional’s 10am
Venue to be
announced
Stegh in Day 120 minutes Free
Join us for a lively morning
conversation From 11am
60 minutes
MAC
Free (Advance
discussion with artists from the
with Aaron registration
necessary)
festival programme. Full details
and line-up of participating
Wright If you are an artist or arts
industry professional attending
artists will be announced
nearer the time. Check
5.30pm Medicine Gallery wearefierce.org in September.
Fierce Festival 2019 please join
60 minutes Free
us for a day of industry talks,
We’re so thrilled to have Justin discussions and networking
and Matthew at Fierce – don’t at MAC. Please register your Sunday 19 October
miss their show Carrion on
Tuesday 15 October and other
interest by emailing contact@
wearefierce.org and we will Sandra
performances at Club Fierce.
In a European first, come
send full details out. The day
will be scheduled so that you Johnston and
and hear about their close
collaborative practices and
can see two shows at MAC:
Album by Mariana Valencia (at
Nigel Rolfe in
joint ventures such as Club
Ate: a performance party
4pm) and Every Body Electric
by Doris Uhlich (at 6.30pm)
conversation
with Bhenji Ra that celebrates
contemporary voices in the
– so do book your tickets for
these soon as we expect they
with Dominic
queer Asia-Pacific community.
Facilitated by Fierce’s Artistic
will sell out. Johnson
12.30pm MAC, Hexagon
Director Aaron Wright. 60 minutes Theatre
Free
Following their solo perfor-
mances earlier in the week, this
Notes on Fierce
is a rare chance to hear from
Phoebe Patey-Ferguson has what is a festival? Why do we two of Ireland’s most highly
been thinking and writing about need them? What are we all regarded performance artists,
festivals for the last five years. here for, really? This will be Sandra Johnston and Nigel
For Fierce she will be watching some deep delving into Fierce’s Rolfe in a conversation chaired
everything and chatting to ongoing role in the social, by Dominic Johnson. Johnson
everyone in order to create a political and artistic landscape teaches Live Art at Queen Mary
written creative response to of Birmingham and the wider University, London. His most
our festival. Phoebe will be live art world. well known book is Unlimited
asking the perennial questions, Action: The Performance of
Extremity in the 1970s.
40 41Justin Shoulder
42 43Tickets and Passes The Fierce
Artist Pass
Take A Chance: Free Tickets for
Residents of Ladywood & Aston
We recognise the importance Fierce is very grateful to the If you live in one of these
How to book tickets
Festival Pass of artists being involved in local
and global conversations around
Cole Foundation who are
supporting Take a Chance, an
areas* and want to claim a
ticket, please email contact@
Tickets for all shows can be creativity and understand that opportunity for new audiences wearefierce.org and let us know
A Festival Pass that gets entry Andrew Tay & Stephen Thompson
bought online at wearefierce. seeing a broad a range of work residing in B6, B7 and B16 post what you want to come and
to the following 12 shows – Make Banana Cry
org up until the day of the by national and international codes to get free tickets to see. Want to take a chance but
is available for the heavily Club Fierce
event. If there are tickets artists is an important way to these select Fierce events: not got anyone to come with?
discounted price of £125. Doris Uhlich – Every Body
left you can also pay ‘on the fuel creative practice. That’s fine too, just let us know
Only 100 of these passes are Electric
door’. Additionally, you can The Fierce Artist Pass Club Fierce when you email and we can put
available, and they always sell Gillie Kleiman & Greg Wohead –
book tickets for the shows offers access to concession Gillie Kleiman & Greg Wohead – you in touch with someone else
out quickly. Familiar
taking place at Birmingham rate tickets for festival shows Familiar who’s going to the same event.
Joseph Keckler – In Concert
Hippodrome, Birmingham to Live Artists, contemporary Lucy McCormick – Life: Live! Alternatively, if you work with
Lucy McCormick – Life: Live!
Repertory Theatre, MAC performance makers, Oozing Gloop – The Gloop Show a community group or similar
Malik Nashad Sharpe & Ellen
Birmingham, and Warwick and those working with Mariana Valencia – ALBUM in one of these areas and want
Furey – SOFTLAMP.
Arts Centre in person, by phone expanded understandings of Tania El Khoury – The Search to organise a trip, get in touch
autonomies
and online at the correlating choreography. Only 50 artist for Power via the same email and we’ll see
Marco Berrettini – iFeel2
5
£12 ts!
box office. passes are available and will be Andrew Tay & Stephen what we can do.
Mariana Valencia – ALBUM
ven designated on a first come first Thompson – Make
12 E
Miet Warlop – Ghost Writer
birminghamhippodrome.com served basis after approval via Banana Cry *You’ll need to bring a utility bill, bank
and the Broken Hand Break statement or other ID as proof of address
birmingham-rep.co.uk the sign-up steps below. Miet Warlop – Ghost Writer and
Nicola Gunn – Working with when you collect the tickets.
macbirmingham.co.uk At this time we are not able the Broken Hand Break
Children
warwickartscentre.co.uk to extend this offer to object
Oozing Gloop – The Gloop Show
makers, writers, directors and
Tickets for Selina Bonelli’s more traditional dance makers.
performance (un) certain To get your pass please
twitches at Vivid Projects are follow these three easy steps:
only available via the Vivid
Projects website: 1) Sign up to our mailing list
vividprojects.org.uk (if you haven’t already).
2) Email contact@wearefierce.
Limited Capacity Shows Mini Pass org with your CV, biography
or a weblink to your work.
A number of shows aren’t A condensed weekend pass of Andrew Tay & Stephen Thompson We will confirm by email
included in the festival pass – nine events is available for the – Make Banana Cry when your Artist Pass is
this is because they have a very discounted price of £85 and Club Fierce available.
limited capacity – so you can includes: Doris Uhlich – Every Body 3) Print off your artist pass and
book a slot for them separately. Electric bring it along to the festival.
The limited capacity shows are: Gillie Kleiman & Greg Wohead -
Familiar Please bring your Artist Pass to each
Alexandra Bachzetsis – Lucy McCormick – Life: Live! venue box office when buying and
collecting tickets and when attending
Private: Wear a mask when £85 Marco Berrettini – iFeel2 events. The Artist Pass covers one ticket
you talk to me Mariana Valencia – ALBUM
9 Events per show for the individual named on the
Begüm Erciyas – Voicing Pieces ! Miet Warlop – Ghost Writer and Artist Pass. Passes and tickets are not
transferable. Please provide ID alongside
Kate McIntosh – In Many Hands the Broken Hand Break your Artist Pass when buying and
Tania El Khoury – The Search Nicola Gunn – Working with collecting tickets from the box office. The
For Power Children Artist Pass provides you with a concession
Oozing Gloop (p.19)
rate ticket at Fierce shows where standard
concession rate tickets are in place.
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