Olivier award-winning performance maker Marisa Carnesky, presents a spectacular new show, SHOWWOMEN, a feminist rewrite: The untold herstory of British working-class entertainment from immigrant, queer, activist and occult perspectives.
1940’s body magic star Koringa, 1930’s pioneer clown Lulu Adams 1920s female dare-devil Marjorie Dare and 1880’s teeth hanging aerialist superstar Miss La La have inspired an exploration of lesser-known stories of extraordinary women in variety performance from a century ago. SHOWWOMEN compares them to the lived experiences of exceptional performers today.
Marisa Carnesky narrates and performs alongside guest stars hair hanger/comedienne Fancy Chance, sword and spoken word artist Livia Kojo Alour and physical and fire performer Lucifire, interweaving live action, in-depth interviews and archival footage to create a dreamlike landscape mixing death defying stunts, strange and emotive acts, political resistance and secret backstage rituals.
SHOWWOMEN is heading out on tour, what can you tell us about the production?
Showwomen is a spectacular cross genre theatre show that mixes extraordinarily skilled women performers and their stories with archival footage and stories of their herstorical counterparts. Combining this with an exploration of women in performance and questions about danger, ritual, activism, family and endurance.
What inspired you to create the show?
I was an Arts and Humanities Research fellow at the National Circus and Fairground at the University of Sheffield from 2007-2010 and inspired and informed by Professor Vanessa Toulmin’s research and the archives collections, I started to think about showwomen from the past in relation to contemporary women performers and questions around working class entertainment traditions, gender and performance.
How did you go about researching the Showwomen who take part?
I approached my long-term collaborators and colleagues Fancy Chance – cabaret star and hairhanger, Livia Kojo Alour – sword, spoken word artist and burlesque star and Lucifire – western-skilled danger performer and dancer to reflect with me on research I had gathered at the archive on Lulu Adams, one of the first women clowns circa 1937, Koringa a woman body magician from the same era, Miss La La who hung by her teeth in the 1890s and Florence Shufflebottom, the ‘British Annie Oakley’ who worked in the 1950s.
Why was it important to you to showcase them from a different angle?
We are revealing women’s stories from a place of subjectivity reflecting on hidden stories, marginalisation and extraordinary performance.
You’ll also be performing alongside guest stars, what do you think will be the biggest challenge for you in taking on this role?
We are a very collaborative, wonderful team and we enjoy every minute of the process and touring and feel very lucky to be making and touring this work. The biggest challenge is getting all these busy amazing people into one room at one time!
How do you intend to up the profile of the term Showwoman?
We feel it’s time showwomen took centre stage and challenged the role of the showman both in performance culture and as a term in wider general usage. We are looking at how you personify and differentiate between the qualities of a showwoman and a showman.
What would you say to anyone thinking of coming to see SHOWWOMEN?
This is both a theatre show about circus and women in it as much as it is an actual circus show with jaw dropping skills, but on top of that it is also a meditation through live art approaches on identity in relation to circus past. It is thrilling and dreamy, it is a feast for the eyes whilst challenging perceptions. It will change the way you think about women in showbusiness – forever!
SHOWWOMEN TOUR DATES:
May 17 & 18 Cambridge Junction 7.30pm www.junction.co.uk/showwomen
MAY 20 & 21 NORWICH ARTS CENTRE 8.00pm https://norwichartscentre.co.uk/event/showwomen-marisa-carnesky/
MAY 27 & 28 ATTENBOROUGH CENTRE FOR CREATIVE ARTS, (ACCA) BRIGHTON 8.00pm Tickets on sale soon https://attenboroughcentre.com/events/
JUNE 8 COLCHESTER ARTS CENTRE 8.00pm https://www.colchesterartscentre.com/events/performance/wonderful-wednesdays–marisa-carnesky-showwomen/
JUNE 16. 17 & 18 JACKSONS LANE, LONDON 7.30pm www.jacksonslane.org.uk/events/showwomen
