For the last two years I have been interviewing scientists, cultural commentators and artists about identity. Each interview I conducted began with the same two questions: “Who are you?” and then, “Who do I think you are?” Simple questions.
I am the artistic director of the theatre company On Theatre. And each year we produce a piece of work exploring a contemporary theme. For this year, in the run-up to a general election, when we are just about to vote for people to represent us and the country we live in, the place most of us call home, I wondered if a piece of theatre exploring identity and identification might be interesting.
At more or less the same time, the Wellcome Collection began planning a six-month Identity Project exploring the same complex idea. Through a series of conversations we decided to work together on a consciously ambitious theatre event. The result, Pressure Drop, will open at the Wellcome Collection in the middle of this month.
The Wellcome suggested using its gallery space as the performance venue because it wanted to challenge itself and its visitors. For On Theatre the large and usually gentle space demanded a strong and visceral response. I was already in discussions with the singer-songwriter, Billy Bragg, about collaboration. He was one of the people I had interviewed and he had seen some of On Theatre’s work.
I knew his music and had read his provocative book, The Progressive Patriot, in which he explores what it means to be English today and asks why it is that nationalistic groups still retain their appeal.
The thought of Bragg not only writing songs for the show, but also actually performing them with his band seemed to answer the challenge of the space and promised to bring a life to the work. And so Pressure Drop, which had started its life as an idea for a play, underwent its final identity crisis, transforming into a part-play, part-art installation, part-gig.
On Theatre takes risks. It explores subjects of contemporary concern through bold, innovative theatrical drama. The Wellcome Collection is a thinking space where curious people come to argue and debate. Bragg is a faithful and passionate musician-campaigner.
The collision of these dynamic forces has resulted in a beautiful and urgent drama-gig-installation where we will watch, feel, consider and judge an ordinary English family under abnormal pressure. We are confident it will excite and entertain, and we hope it will help our audiences to approach the most difficult question of all: who we would like to be.
Mick Gordon is the artistic director of On Theatre.
Links
Pressure Drop is at the Wellcome Collection, London, 19 April-12 May, www.wellcomecollection.org/pressuredrop
