A-VOID

A-VOID is a performance piece that will take place on a bus but a Cliff Richard rom- com it is not. This dark comedy is inspired by the NHS Propaganda driven into the collective consciousness of UK during Brexit and the current feeling of dissolution amongst many who have been cheated.
Human susceptibility to subtle manipulation will be under the spotlight as we use a combination of immersive theatrical techniques and psychological experiments to coerce our audience. We aim to celebrate the power of collaboration (but only when combined with a shared knowledge base) and open eyes to the ultimate corruption that arises within any group reliant on hierarchy or blind faith. We’re assembling our own vehicle to drive public opinion. Seatbelts at the ready!

(These details refer to the production which has been selected for this years On The Verge Festival, Liverpool. A festival that features work in unusual spaces by new and emerging artists. 18-22 October 2017)

The audience will be invited onto a bus travelling around the city of Liverpool and the action will centre around 3 female characters seated among them. Propaganda footage for an organisation, featuring the 3 characters, will be pre-filmed and watched through the CCTV screens inside the bus whilst live action will allow the characters to interact with the audience through a combination of absurdity and reality, physical theatre and clowning.
Simultaneously, ‘planted fake audience’ members will respond in a directed manner to certain stimuli devised to sway the ‘real audience’ reactions to the unfolding events and persuade them to swear allegiance to the organisation. As they near their destination however they will be required to submit to stranger and stranger tasks leading to an important ethical/political decision at the end of the journey. When the performance concludes, we will drive the audience back to the starting point which will give them the opportunity to discuss the experience with the company.

Funded by Liverpool (July 2017)