Blood Show

Ocean Stefan

Margate

Three figures, 75 liters of fake blood, an endless battle - Blood Show is a call to put what's inside on the outside and defend oneself against violent gazes. This cyclical feat of endurance and precision is a euphoric trans celebration of destruction - including our own - in order to create something new. Questions revolve around the concept of rebirth and the ghosts we carry with us. Blood Show is the second performance in Ocean Stefan's “Extinction” trilogy - an experiment to reflect on the limits of the human body. Why do we want to know what people “really” look like? How dangerous is the idea of the “natural”?

Ocean Stefan makes work with runs across performance, installations, texts and film. Their artistic practice moves in the in-between and in superimposition - it celebrates the living and the blurred. Ocean Stefan is interested in the gray areas of life and questions the fixed.

Production credits

Creation, Performance Ocean Stefan with Craig Hambling, Tim Bromage Fight Direction Craig Hambling Music Composition, Arrangement Tim Bromage Design Naomi Kuyck-Cohen, Joshua Gadsby Producer, Production Management Laura Betty Haynes Stage Management Weronika Dwornik Assistance Stage Management Derek Penny Technical Support Al Orange Production Support Bertie Hodd Blood Development Bloody Stuff Ltd Additional Costume Fabrication Carmen Hanna Make-up Consultancy House of Bendy Support Sound Design AJ Turner, Nik Rawlings Voice Support Andrea Lewis Dramaturgy Support Gemma Paintin Photo (1) Claire Haigh Photo (2), Photo (3) Kirsten McTernan

With thanks to Karen Christopher and CJ Mitchell (South House) and Ann Duff.

Commissioned by Battersea Arts Centre, Chapter Arts Centre and Colchester Arts Centre.

In co-production with Frascati Producties, supported by Ammodo. Additional support by South House.

Originally commissioned by Cambridge Junction (Stobbs New Ideas Fund) & Old Diorama Arts Centre. With support from LIFT (UK) & Arts Council England.