Award-winning Luxembourg performance-maker Larisa Faber will bring her multidisciplinary production White Gold to Camden People’s Theatre for its UK premiere this autumn, running from 25 to 28 November 2026.
Blending clowning, ballet and theatre, White Gold explores Europe’s lucrative white asparagus industry and the often-overlooked workers who sustain it. Inspired by the experiences of seasonal labourers and the impact of the pandemic, the production examines the human cost behind one of the continent’s most celebrated springtime harvests.
The story is told through the perspective of a ballet-dancing asparagus spear yearning to be picked, alongside a mother working in the fields to support her daughter’s dream of becoming a ballerina. Through these intersecting narratives, the piece draws connections between agricultural labour and the pursuit of artistic perfection.
Leading the cast is Kristin Winters (Scheherazade, Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin; Lovefool, National Theatre Luxembourg; Hamlet, Theatre Royal Bath) as The Last Spear, joined by Christiane Eiffes, co-founder of Théâtre Dansé et Muet and a pioneer of contemporary dance in Luxembourg, as The Roots.
In Germany, Luxembourg and France, asparagus season generates millions of euros each year and relies heavily on workers travelling from Eastern Europe to harvest the crop. Known locally as Weisses Gold, or ‘white gold’, the vegetable provides the inspiration for Faber’s examination of labour, migration and the sacrifices made for future generations.
Writer and director Larisa Faber comments, “As an eternal people-pleaser, failed ballerina and major asparagus fan, I felt compelled to do a show about white asparagus (aka the queen of the springtime), told through the world of ballet. It’s a show about needing to be picked and the price of perfection. It’s also a show about the lengths parents go to for their children, particularly those who leave their countries behind.”
The production is co-produced by neimënster as part of Faber’s associate artist appointment and has been supported by organisations including the Ministry of Culture Luxembourg, Fondation Été, SACEM and UCL European Institute.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
