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KVS

Thank You Very Much

Claire Cunningham
KUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS
Thu 25.05.2023 - Sun 28.05.2023
25.05.2023
-
28.05.2023

Lights on for the glittering, mysterious world of professional ‘tribute artists’. These look-alikes of famous pop stars pay tribute to showbiz greats using gestures, facial expressions, voices, and costumes to evoke their idols, right down to the smallest detail. 

Claire Cunningham, a self-identifying disabled artist and choreographer based in Glasgow, invites us for a glimpse into this extraordinary world. Together with an ensemble of renowned artists with disabilities, Cunningham uses the phenomenon of ‘tribute artists’ to question ideas of identity, acceptance, and the challenge of being oneself. Who have we been trying to be all our lives? Has it ever been our choice?

Through the lens of the doppelgänger, the ensemble in sparkling costumes takes apart the myth of the ideal body and simultaneously questions social perceptions of normality with Cunningham’s typical humour. A tantalizing and highly original performance which swings lightning-fast between elation and despair, fun and poignancy. Is there a greater challenge in life than just being yourself?

Thank You Very Much

Credits

PRESENTATION Kunstenfestivaldesarts, KVS CONCEIVED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY Claire Cunningham DRAMATURGY Luke Pell ASSOCIATED DIRECTORDan Watson SET DESIGN Bethany Wells LIGHT DESIGN Chris Copland SOUND DESIGN & COMPOSER Matthias Hermann COSTUME DESIGN Shanti Freed PERFORMANCE Claire Cunningham, Tanja Erhart, Vicky Malin, Jo Bannon PRODUCTION MANAGER Emma Jones PRODUCTION MANAGER ON TOUR (Brussels and Hannover) Courtland Evje EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR CLAIRE CUNNINGHAM PROJECTS Nadja Dias PRODUCER FOR CLAIRE CUNNINGHAM PROJECTS Vicky Wilson COMPANY MANAGERFiona Kennedy STAGE MANAGER Anna Booth LIGHTING SUPERVISOR Chris Copland SOUND SUPERVISOR Chloe Coll PRODUCTION: Manchester International Festival and National Theatre of Scotland in association with Claire Cunningham Projects and Kunstenfestivaldesarts COMMISSIONED BY Manchester International Festival and National Theatre of Scotland, and Perth Festival in association with tanzhaus nrw and Dance Umbrella The project has been supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland Performances in Brussels with the support of Europe Beyond Access of the British-Councilin Brussel met de steun van Europe Beyond Access van het British Council