Video still for Stampede

A promenade piece looking at crowds and rioting. At what point are you prepared to declare yourself publicly? What would make you take to the streets?

Performed in theatres and nightclubs Stampede includes excerpts from a secret police manual about riot control, Terminator and interviews with the six performers about loss of control. A system of pressure pads allow the audience to trigger recordings of different mind control techniques. A live video projection link provides surveillance of different areas of the space which, at times, is the only way to see the performance.

Alongside a soundtrack by Bristol-based dance band Statik Sound System, anthemic tracks such as Teen Spirit by Nirvana and extreme Techno pushed both performers and audience.

The performance itself – lasting 60 minutes – was fast and furious: a constant barrage of leaps, skids and falls interwoven with moments of quiet isolation and exhaustion. Stampede toured the UK throughout 2004.

 

Tagged with
Related Content