Buratta, Ben (2017) And The Rest of Me Floats- Bush Theatre, Birmingham REP. [Performance]

Abstract

And The Rest of Me Floats (Bush Theatre, Birmingham REP) is all about the messy business of gender, devised by performers from across the trans, non-binary, and queer communities. It weaves together autobiographical performance, movement, pop songs, stand-up, and dress-up in an anarchic celebration of gender expression and queer identity.

The production forms part of a multicomponent practice research output that incorporates a production performed at internationally renowned theatre venues (The Bush, London, The Birmingham Rep), a publication of the play text by Oberon Books and a series of funded workshops delivered to LGBTQIA+ youth groups across the UK. This practice research responds to the exclusion and lack of representation of trans and gender non-conforming performers and narratives in mainstream theatre. Drawing on innovative collaborative theatre making processes that I have developed with queer and trans actors as Artistic Director of Outbox Theatre, And The Rest of Me Floats establishes a distinct approach to theatrical form that explores and captures queer potentiality. This project mobilizes queer futurity (Muñoz 2009), dance and performance studies, and dramaturgical theory to create rehearsal systems and dramaturgies that harness and reproduce queer potentials.

The production has been acknowledged as being internationally significant by the V&A who have included a digital recording of it in their archive. In addition, this practice research has innovated the theatre industry as major arts organisations, such as National Theatre, Southbank Centre and Spotlight, have approached me and Outbox, to engage in consultations on transgender-inclusive routes into training, casting and performance.

Production Dates
12th – 23rd September 2017, Rose Lipman Building, London.
13th – 14th November 2017, Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
20th February 2019 – 16th March 2019, Bush Theatre, London.

Cast
Josh-Susan Enright
Barry Fitzgerald
Elijah W Harris
Emily Joh Miller
Tamir Amar Pettet
Michelle Tiwo
Yasmin Zadeh.

Creative Team

Devised by Outbox Theatre
Directed by Ben Buratta
Designer Rūta Irbīte
Lighting Design by Jess Bernberg
Musical Director Neil Carter
Movement Direction by Coral Messam
Stage Manager Elliot Howe
Production Manager Marco Savo
Producer Charlotte Boden & Soph Nurse

Funders
The project was funded by National Lottery Reaching Communities, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and Arts Council England.

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Item Type:	Performance
Subjects:	Applied and Socially Engaged Theatre Directing and Directors Dramaturgy Gender Queer Acting and Actors Sexuality Devised Theatre
Depositing User:	Ben Buratta
Date Deposited:	26 Feb 2020 14:08
Last Modified:	09 Dec 2020 11:35
URI:	https://crco.cssd.ac.uk/id/eprint/1500