Fleeing southern Nigeria to save a daughter from FGM, leaving an abusive marriage after 20 years, finding a new life at 73 as a singer in a band - just three examples from the northern women who responded to dancer and choreographer Nadia Iftkhar’s call for stories about ending.
“Crackle. Dust. reminds us of our shared experiences as women whilst opening up our world to understand those who have stories that feel worlds away from our own history,” she explains. “I hope the audience will feel a greater connection to each other through hearing these experiences together and will leave with a sense of pride in the resilience of women.
“(These stories) are joyful, traumatic, triumphant and heartbreakingly sad. Audiences will hear some of the women’s voices in the show and the performers are close to the audience so you can really see the smallest movement and hear their quietest whispers.”
Featuring a diverse ensemble of seven female performers, aged 21 to 60 - Susan Betts, Sophie Hutchinson, Emma Holt, Alicia Meehan, Jenna Anne Nathan and Benedicta Valentina - Crackle. Dust. shares the true stories of endings that have had a life changing impact on women’s lives.
The piece will be captioned at every venue using Talking Birds’ The Difference Engine, a free app that delivers captioning direct to smartphones or tablets. Tablets will be available at each venue for anyone who does not have access to a smart phone.
Crackle. Dust. tours to:
- Kala Sangam, Bradford (13 April)
- Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham (23 April)
- STUN, Manchester (26 April)
- Dance City, Newcastle upon Tyne (27 April)
- ARC Stockton (1 May)
- Byker Community Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne (4 May)
Tickets at Kala Sangam, Queen’s Hall, STUN, ARC and Byker are ‘Pay What You Decide’ performances, allowing people to pay what they can afford but also decide on a price based on their experience of the show. Tickets at Dance City are £9.50 and £8 for students & under 18s.
The show is recommended for audiences aged 16+ and contains scenes of grief, trauma and sexual violence.
Crackle. Dust. is supported by public funding through Arts Council National Lottery Grants with additional commissioning support from Arc Stockton, Dance City, GemArts, Kala Sangam, Newcastle Culture Investment Fund and Well Newcastle Gateshead.