Performed by Ibs Ansari, Penny Howe and Alice Wright
Written,
directed and designed by Jon Harris
Drawing and projections:
Mark Tucker and David Hamer
What is fact and what is fiction?
Performing in Purple investigates the differences
and similarities between fact and fiction as
the author and his showgirls set foot on to the stage for
one last time.
Purple and blue lights
and a picture of Bonnie Langford collide with hats too
high to believe as life is looked at through a haze of
purple.
This is one of the few places where the theatre space
itself comes under the scrutiny of one hell of an intelligent
showgirl!
What is a true story?
Fact or fiction?
And what is a combination of the two?
Performing in Purple was the start of the group
Purple
Performance.
ONE KNIGHTS STAND (1995)
Written by Penny Howe
Directed by
Jon Harris and Penny Howe
Ipp, Dip, Sky
blue, I will choose you.
I am no sleeping beauty,
I am no sleeping beauty.
One Knights Stand is Penny Howe’s
follow up to what became known as the ‘A-Z Piece’ that
was also directed by the pair and sealed a long-standing
working relationship.
Set on a tall
wooden platform, Penny portrays a female
knight questioning the notion of a 'knight in shining
amour' and the need and desire to be rescued when
you can basically do it yourself.
One Knights Stand sees Penny transform
for the Knight, to the metro-sexual woman and then eventually to herself,
completing a journey up a fictional path that can only be
seen from above - contantly being tormented by a woman who
accepted a ride on a white horse from her knight.
Male knights just aren’t
what they used to be.
Photos:
Jon Harris
PURPLE/RED (1994/2005)
Written and performed by Jon Harris
Photos: Vicky Phillips and Penny Howe
A tape slide and digital presentation inspired by
the garden of an HIV+ man in Brighton, UK.
Using music from the musical 'Gypsy', Bette Midler
and live performance monologue, Purple/Red investigates
the purple spots that people thought were the first
sign.
SELF INDULGENCE (1993)
Written and performed by Jon Harris and
Indirect Access Company
Image by Jon Harris
A trip through swimming classes in the 1980's, puberty,
an investigation of Kylie Minogue impersonations and
joint rolling - this was Jon Harris's first performance.
Using an eclectic soundtrack and a few changes of
clothes, Jon wove together three decades and characters
that either had trouble leaving them behind, or
who couldn't look around as their only concern
was where they were going.
There is no recorded proof of Self Indulgence, just
a script and the reserch drawing opposite.
Thanks
has to be given to the Marlborough Theatre, Brighton
who staged this new production in 1993 for a peppercorn
rent.
This performance was briefly revived in an updated
form in 2004 - just for fun and to set a couple records
straight!
