Production

The Art of Dying

iceandfire‘s new production, inspired by the  rise in the number of ‘paupers’ funerals‘ in the UK, is currently in development. We want to find out more about the stories of those who end their lives in such an anonymous way, often with no friends or family to mark their passing.  Our new play will excavate the cycles of poverty and deprivation that define the lives of many urban citizens, but it will also celebrate their lives and their contribution to society.

iceandfire are collaborating with a collective of writers, film-makers, poets, designers and performers, led by director Douglas Rintoul to make a visually stunning multimedia work developed for non-conventional theatre spaces. (See more info about the Creative Team) On a journey around the churchyards and secret spaces of London, we want to uncover how our recent history has shaped our attitude to burial and commemoration. Our fractured and partial knowledge of these peoples’ stories will be reflected in the construction of the piece, where no two performances will ever be the same, subtly drawing on the unique contribution of each person who attends. With this piece we want to record the lives and restore the voices to the men, women and children of all ages, races and backgrounds who die alone. We ask our audiences to join with us in an act of recognition and remembrance that will be both demanding and beautiful to watch.

With a grant from Arts Council England, we will go into an intensive research and development phase for this project early in 2012.

If you have any stories you think we might find interesting for this project, or if you can help in other ways, then please do get in touch at annecy@iceandfire.co.uk