For One Night Only
This one-off performance presented a sequence of unconnected short musical scenes for actors, circus artists and musicians.
‘Wrestling’ – this twenty-minute short takes the physical vocabulary of wrestling and transforms it from an act of aggression into one of charged intimacy.
‘Babycase’ – A piece for jazz brass and three identically-dressed, red stilletoed women. Featuring artist Jemima Burrill’s leather Babycase. A precursor to Clod Ensemble’s iconic Red Ladies.
‘Trapeze’ – A piece for trapeze and piano inspired by a Georges Perec short story. Originally performed by Jerwood Circus Award winner Giselle Edwards.
‘Egg & Spoon’ – A playful young woman searches for someone to have an egg and spoon race with.
‘Brass Octet’ – An instrumental piece by Paul Clark inspired by the paintings of Bridget Riley.
Suzy Willson - Direction; Paul Clark - Music; Aideen Malone - Lighting; Sarah Blenkinsop - Design
Performers: Dave Tomlinson; Giselle Edwards; James Keane; John Paul Gandy; Lois Weaver; Miss High Leg Kick; Sarah Cameron; Tom Godwin; Valerie Renay; Zoe Bywater
"On stage, a wrestling arena. Two women slog it out […] This is no abstracted dance-theatre re-enactment of a wrestling match; the women really engage their full physical force, grapple and hit the floor (British Association of Wrestling coaches have been engaged in the devising of the piece) […] There is an Olympian grace in their battle. Within this 20 minute short, moments of kitsch and camp are provided, not by our battling heroines, but by a timekeeper (Lois Weaver) and the 'special guest appearance' of Miss High Leg Kicks, who sashays on to the accompaniment of Nina Simone. An extraordinary piece of theatre"
Total Theatre Magazine
Battersea Arts Centre, London
October 2002
'For One Night Only' was commissioned by the Battersea Arts Centre.
Additional support was given by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Queen Mary, University of London.
