Act 3, 2023/24
Act 3 is an exploration of queer desire in later life. Working with a cast of collaborators aged 60+, the piece is inspired by queer modernism and the work of photography collective PaJaMa, who created scenes of magical realism featuring New York’s young bisexual or gay artists, dancers, and writers in the 1930s and 1940s.
By working with collaborators whose desire was forbidden in their youth – a period with which desire is typically equated – Act 3 considers what it means for desire to be hidden. Referencing Kenneth Macmillan’s Bedroom Pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, the performance unfolds on a mattress, combining surreal visuals with an everyday setting to blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
This work will premiere at Sadler’s Wells in April 2024 as part of Elixir Festival. Find out more here.
Photography by Camilla Greenwell, with edit by Dejan Mrdja.