NEWS: Utopian (t’s&c’s Apply) @ ARC

Image by Corriene Cumming

Performance art is one of the greatest things the human race has created, because literally anything goes. Case in point: multidisciplinary movement artist, cabaret performer, drag king and Guinness World Record holder for “longest duration on high-heeled skates whilst hula-hooping” Symoné’s UTOPIAN (t’s&c’s apply), which heads to Stockton’s ARC on Thursday 6^th October.

Many people might ask themselves what a utopia might entail, either on a personal level or within wider society, but not enough of them decide to explore the topic via a surrealist circus pop culture experience complete with strobe lighting, sexually explicit content and balloons. Symoné uses their circus skills talents not only to entertain, but also to provoke thought regarding some of life’s least queried but most important questions – like “Why do people abuse power roles?” It’s such a tantalising topic to explore, especially from one who may or may not have some autobiographical cult experience to share with the class, and one that’s certainly never been covered in this way. But why not delve into these complex and potentially controversial topics with complete gall and gumption? It would certainly be more captivating than the dusty political lectures which are usually responsible for their coverage. And after this, there may be a real demand for more big social questions to be answered by hula-hooping circus performers on rollerskates.

UTOPIAN (t’s&c’s apply) is at ARC, Stockton on Thursday 6^th October.