Exploring Fanny
Research project from November 2016.
This research was brought about by a strong, shared interest in the repulsive and grotesque within food by Olivia Winteringham* and myself.
Starting with the formidable character of Fanny Cradock, Olivia and I looked at how issues of gender, domesticity and repulsion could be brought together in performance to evoke the grotesque.
This research explored food as an artistic medium and looked at how foodstuff, combined with performance, could embody disgust and distaste with a live audience to provoke strong, physical and emotional reactions in the audience/participants.
The research was supported through Fierce FWD‘s Development Programme.
*Olivia Winteringham is a performer, theatre-maker and 1/3 of Birmingham-based KILN ensemble (an associate company of Birmingham Repertory Theatre). Olivia creates new works in collaboration with a range of artists and practitioners from food designers, to choreographers, neuroscientists to sound artists. She works in a wide range of forms including food performance, music-theatre, text projects, site-based installations, and audio projects. As a performer Olivia has most recently been collaborating with Bristol-based artist Sam Halmarack to devise an anarchic musical about teenagers.
Olivia has toured work throughout the UK and overseas to spaces, venues and festivals including Chance Brothers Glassworks (Smethwick), Bristol Old Vic, Birmingham REP, mac birmingham, Old Vic Tunnels (London), Battersea Arts Centre, Mayfest, Latitude Festival, ACT festival, (Bilbao) and Short Festival (Rome).