BAC Presents Autumn Festival of Interactive Work
The
Battersea Arts Centre, one of the London fringe’s most innovative theatres, is
opening its doors to Not For Me, Not For You, But For
Us, a
month-long festival of new work which runs from 14 October to 7 November. Inspired
by the Borough of Battersea’s motto – visible on the wall at the venue – the
festival will feature performances, events, activities and discussions that rely
on audience interaction.
At the
heart of the programme is A Small Town Anywhere by ‘agency of adventure and play’,
Coney, founded in 2006 by director Tassos Stevens. The show has no performers,
instead being led by the audience members present at each performance. Running
Monday through Saturday throughout the festival, A Small Town
Anywhere invites participants to play a role in a small town community, exploring
social relationships through interactions with other protagonists.
Home
Sweet Home is part installation, part performerless performance. Taking place over the
first four days of Not
For Me, Not For You, But For Us (from 14 to 17 October), it offers audiences
the chance to build a ‘neighborhood’ in BAC’s Grand Hall. All sorts of materials
will be available for the building of ‘homes’ on plots based on the real
topography of Battersea and ‘residents’ will be able to return as often as they
like over the course of the installation to continue their
involvement.
Director
Geraldine Pilgrim presents Handbag, a 12-minute performance in the
Grand Hall which
celebrates the room’s romantic past as a dance venue. Involving both
professional and non-professional performers, Handbag will be showing five times on the
festival’s Press Night, which takes place on 19 October.
Also
running will be activities, performances, installations and discussions by
companies including Hide and Seek and Felix’s Machines. Fresh from the British Council
showcase at Edinburgh Festival is spoken word artist Inua Ellam’s The 14th
Tale (from
19-31 October), and
Dance Umbrella presents Wendy Houstoun’s Keep Dancing (from 22 to 24 October and from 5 November
to 7 November).
