PINSTRIPE TRILOGY
Across a suite of offices in the centre of London, the Lab Collective present a series of intimate performances laying bare their dystopian vision of the world of finance and commerce.
In Matador, a last trader stands in the ruins of the collapsed finance industry performing his swansong. As his world crumbles around him, the Matador tries makes one last deal with the audience. Across the corridor, The Bean Counter sits in the tax office, trying to find a way to fill the hole in our country’s pockets. Making decisions that no-one else wants to, he tries to avoid his own gaze in the mirror as he realises he can’t enforce the rules he worships.
A remnant of economic hope is found in Trust Fund, where offer the audience the unique opportunity to invest in our most precious resource – our children. The future generations are our country’s greatest asset, and surely the best way for us to enable them to meet their potential is to privatise childhood?
Born of frustration, anger and a sense of powerlessness of the individual caught in a society driven by the market and a failing economy, these performances have been developed over the last two years through Theatre Delicatessen’s Associate Artist scheme.
DIRECTED BY JOSEPH THORPE AND NATALIE SCOTT,
​PERFORMED BY NEIL CONNOLLY, EMMA BRITTON, MATTHEW HAIGH, MARK FAIRCLOUGH
COMMISSIONED BY THEATRE DELICATESSEN
Trust Fund
What happens when children’s dreams are measured by profit margins? Trust Fund explores the privatisation of childhood through an immersive performance with a life of its own…
We are told we’re running out of resources, so can the next generation be our greatest asset? Exploring the line between exploitation and growth, we challenge the audience to play the market, but will the return ever be big enough when what’s for sale is priceless…
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Trust Fund challenges our notions of worth and explores our changing relationship with young people by fusing media with a truly immersive performance style.
DIRECTED BY JOSEPH THORPE AND NATALIE SCOTT
​PERFORMED BY EMMA BRITTON, SHVORNE MARKS AND ED WILLIAMS
COMMISSIONED BY THEATRE DELICATESSEN FOR BUSH BAZZAR
Last Year
Performed as part of the Battersea Arts Centre’s Freshly Scratched season. The Lab Collective presented a Christmas themed piece for the festive season.
A man sits in a dark room filled with the sense of cinnamon and apple supping a glass of cheap whiskey. He invites the audience to sit, eat Roses (or Quality Street) and teaches them about his past traditions and family customs around Christmas.
​By allowing the audience to build decorations for a bare tree, write cards to loved ones long gone and the valued lesson on “How to fake gratitude for a rubbish gift” Last Year reminds us to value the quirky and unusual moments which have crow barred their way into our traditions, as well as the origins of older ones which reach far back into ancient British customs.
​Performed as a work in progress in conjunction with performance artist Joe Iredale, the Lab aimed to mix truth and untruth to give honesty to this conversational and structure based piece.
​DIRECTED BY: JOSEPH THORPE AND NATALIE SCOTT
PERFORMED BY: JOE IREDALE
Fields of tinder
First performed at 2011′s Up The Wall festival held at Chester Castle, Fields of Tinder was a response to the atmospheric and ancient Agricola tower. Fields of Tinder is a promenade performance which asks whether there is more to identity than the place from which we come, or a land we become part of.
In dangerous territory, an invader and the invaded exist alone, together. We welcome you to their temporary home, thrumming with tension and the hush of secrets. Fields of Tinder is an exploration of invasion, never named and fictional, it scars those on both sides.
A Soldier explores the difficult nature of stepping over the boundaries he faces, the dehumanisation of those he hopes to conquer and the cultural arrogance which drives his tasks, as he turns the spectators into a squad fit for purpose.
Close but distant is a woman preparing to flee; Welcoming the spectator into her home, and offering them her hospitality, she shares her past, objects, stories, beliefs, and her attitudes towards the coming invaders who will shortly create the deluge, which will change her country forever.
Fields of Tinder is an exploration of invasion, never named and fictional, it scars those on both sides. The piece is currently returning to R&D in order to increase its flexibility for new and existing spaces.
​DIRECTED BY: JOSEPH THORPE AND NATALIE SCOTT
PERFORMED BY: ANTIGONI SPANOU AND ROBERT POLLINGTON
COMMISSIONED BY UP THE WALL FESTIVAL
Matador
This damning one man piece has challenged audiences across Britain since it was first performed at Theatre Delicatessens Theatre Souk in September 2010. Since performer Neil Connolly was nominated for an Off West End Award for Best Male Performer in Matador, it has been taken to The Basement (Brighton), The Latitude 2011 festival and Theatre 503
​The death knell is sounding for the last banker standing; now is the time for the Matador to perform his swan song. A beautiful apology or an arrogant claim, his torturous descent has begun and the solo Matador stands proud in his crumbling arena, but there is still time to sell the bricks for scrap. As society vents their hatred of the banking industry; is it our greed or his which is to blame for our position?
​DIRECTED BY: JOSEPH THORPE AND NATALIE SCOTT
PERFORMED BY: NEIL CONNOLY
COMMISSIONED BY THEATRE DELICATESSEN FOR THEATRE SOUK
Bullpen
Our modern civilisation should sit on the shoulders of economic brilliance. A wonderful ideal. In reality it is a stampede instigated by the selfish desire to be a winner. Come, play a game which gives you a taste of trading.
​Choose your team and play out a grand match of chance and skill, to test your resolve in the dangerous world of the market. Two teams will battle it out to extract their last ounce of competitive spirit in the ring.
The participants will be trained by elite corporate players, pulled through their high life stories and exposed to their brutal attitudes. Are you game?
DIRECTED BY: JOSEPH THORPE AND NATALIE SCOTT
PERFORMED BY: SOPHIE CARMICHAEL, CHRISTOPHER JENNER COLE, AMY CLARKE, MATTHEW HAIGH, ROB LYNDON AND LAUREN MCCULLUM
COMMISSIONED BY THEATRE DELICATESSEN FOR THEATRE SOUK
unseen
Unseen is our response to Vazio S/As unique architectural structure Spiral Booths. Unseen explores concealed relationships set around the peak and abyss of a spiral staircase, charting the emotional and psychological fluctuations that occur between two people. As the spectators are guided through this theatrical experience, they will witness the force that these destroyed relationships have wrought within the space.
Using a haunting soundscape and uninhibited interaction, we invite you to take part in this consuming performance, questioning how far we can ever comprehend the relationships of others, even when we invade their intimacy
DIRECTED BY: BETHANY PITTS
PRODUCED BY: THE LAB COLLECTIVE
PERFORMED BY: FIONA DRUMMOND, OMAR IBRAHIM, JOE IREDALE
COMMISSIONED BY THE V&A MUSEUM
