World premiere of a new durational work by Quarantine, in co-production with Transform
Saturday 23 October 2021, 12 noon – 12 midnight
Quarry Theatre, Leeds Playhouse
One of the invisible markers of the shift into adulthood is maybe when the question changes from ‘What do you want to be?’ to ‘What do you do?…..
Being and doing. For many of us, our identity – that picture we present, or that others see – is somehow wrapped up in the work that we do. It shifts when the job changes.
Over the past 23 years, all of the work we’ve made as Quarantine might be seen as a kind of portraiture. Brief, consciously imperfect fragments of lives being lived, stitched together to make something bigger, messier, clumsier, perhaps more grandly human. Our own work – the thing that we do – is as makers of circumstances in which other people can, for a moment or two at least, present themselves. Inevitably, Quarantine make choices about how to frame these circumstances – where to place the lens or draw the eye. We try to show our hand, expose our means of production. That’s our job.
When we started inviting people to come and talk to us about their work and their lives, we quickly realised that we needed to give them time – that even 12 hours might not be enough. To mark this half day, we’re bringing some of the outside world in – a quest around Leeds, live-streaming videos back into the theatre that capture a glimpse of what people are doing, right now, in this particular city.
And so here we are at last, spending time in a room together, after this unimagined, unimaginable year and a half. We’re a small handful of the hundreds of thousands of people who make up this place, gathering together, looking at and listening to each other.
– Richard Gregory
Co-Artistic Director of Quarantine and Director of 12 Last Songs
12 Last Songs is co-commissioned by Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts; Cambridge Junction with the support of the Stobbs New Ideas Fund; and HOME. Co-produced by Transform. It is supported by Arts Council England and The Rank Foundation.
Performers & collaborating artists:
Lowri Evans (digital artist)
Ella Otomewo
Michael Sherin
Leentje Van De Cruys
Leeds workers:
Adam Aslam
Orange Ibreck
Alberto Velazquez
Alex Sobel
Ashura Mwitondi
Barry Maynard
Catherine Walsh
Chloe Bolton
Demi
Dusty Rhodes
Emily Bailey
Eunice Vicente
Franklin Arbisman
Gary Don
Greg Chivers
Hailey Watson & Luna the dog
Holly Williams
Jane McGeoghan
Jean Armstrong
Ken Ralphs
Kevin Devonport
Laurie Rochelle
Mark Armstrong
Oscar Young
Patricia Yates
Pretty Charlie
Reinhard Huss
Rev. Heston Groenewald
Sharon Witton
Tomasina Stacey
Trudi Wright
Creative team:
Concept & direction – Richard Gregory
Designer – Simon Banham
Lighting Designer – Mike Brookes
Collaborating Artist/Assistant Director – Sarah Hunter
Collaborating Digital Artists – Lowri Evans & Lisa Mattocks
Questions text – Sarah Hunter, Leentje Van De Cruys & Quarantine
Dramaturgy – Renny O’Shea, Sarah Hunter & Leentje Van De Cruys
Project Animateur – Chi Emecheta
Production Manager – Greg Akehurst
Technical Managers – Adam Steed & Ed Jeffreys
Digital Assistants – Kate Daley & Alan Dawson
Producer – Ali Dunican
Marketing and Communications – Frances Richens
Collaborating artists in the development of 12 Last Songs:
Amy Lawrence
Robin Morton
Shkiesha Pryce
Transform team:
Creative Director – Amy Letman
Producer – Ali Ford
Producer (Creative People) – Lily Lavorato
Assistant Producer – Jay Millard
Production Manager – Hannan Blamire
Project Manager – Tshayi Hercules
Communications Co-Ordinator – Edwina Supyue McEachran
Communications Consultant – Jack Lynch
Press – Bread and Butter PR
Design – Rabbit Hole
With thanks to the team at Leeds Playhouse.
Quarantine
Quarantine is an ensemble of artists and producers who have been making work in Manchester & Salford for 21 years. United by an interest in what it means to be alive right now, they have achieved international acclaim for work that is intellectually rigorous, radical in form, and unique in character. Past works include dance marathon Wallflower, the epic quartet of live performance and film Summer. Autumn. Winter. Spring.; and the ongoing, monthly curry and conversation event No Such Thing.
www.qtine.com
Twitter: @QtineMcr
Instagram: @qtineuk
Facebook: Facebook/QtineMcr
Transform
Transform 21-22 is an extended festival for our times. From Autumn 21-Spring 22, this extended festival will invite audiences from across Leeds and beyond to rediscover and explore the city and to connect with bold, brave, vivid and socially-conscious performance by powerful artists from across the globe.
www.transformfestival.org
Twitter: @transform_leeds
Instagram: @transform_leeds
Facebook: Facebook/transformleeds