Final-year De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) students are revealing their darkest secrets as part of an unmissable performance taking place on campus.
The Performing Arts ensemble worked closely with internationally-acclaimed arts company Gob Squad to present ‘Since we last confessed’, a show exploring what it means to live in the here and now, as well as adapting to changes as time moves forward.
Sharing their lived experiences through movement, text and music, the performers are stepping onto a strange, shameful and passionate community dance floor, featuring a real Venus flytrap and a mixture of static and roving cameras streaming live.
Free tickets can be booked online for performances at DMU’s PACE building on Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 November.
The experience has given students the chance to work with a professional company as they develop their key skills from storyboarding and performing to directing and editing.
As well as performing in ‘Since we last confessed’, students Andrew Lancaster, Callum Roberts, Josiah Rackham and Sam Locke have taken on extra responsibilities by managing the marketing for the show.
Sam said: “It’s been a raw and messy way of working, in a good sense. As a performance, ours is self-aware and we’ve avoided doing things like hiding wires and cameras. It feels like a very European way of working, which is exciting and different.
“The experience has amplified my passion for acting and has taught me about the multiple roles involved in a performance that you don’t see on stage. We’re obviously doing the marketing, but others in the group are project managing, building props, setting up lighting and so on.”
When Andrew chose to study Performing Arts at DMU, he did so because the curriculum promised to explore multiple aspects of the discipline. “I wasn’t disappointed,” he said.
“Our degree has delved into marketing, film, technical modules and lots more. Working with Gob Squad has combined all of it together, which has set us up well for our final year and has left me feeling confident about the future.
“People should come and see our show because it’s very honest, intimate and relatable.”
Josiah said: “Working with Gob Squad inspired me. It allowed us to make the performance our own, yet they still had a vision for it and an authority we respected.
“I didn’t know that the way they worked existed in theatre. I thought there were certain rules we had to follow, but just like our whole time at DMU, Gob Squad allowed us to be more creative and break the rules.”
Callum said: “Diving into it head first was a fun experience. Working with Gob Squad definitely sparked my interest in having my own performance company. It was really inspiring.”
Follow Gob Squad X DMU Collective on YouTube, Instagram and Twitter for updates.
Posted on Monday 31 October 2022