“Fragments of Us” is a dynamic outdoor performance blending dance and spoken word into a co-created exploration of beauty, ancestry, enchantment, becoming and belonging.
Centred around a cast of Black boys and men, the work invites audiences to stumble upon a tapestry of personal narratives expressed through fluid movement, rhythmic expression and personal storytelling, revealing snapshots of their lives, their joys, their struggles, their love and their loss. Through spontaneous audience interactions and immersive staging, the show creates a dialogue between the individual and the collective, celebrating the divine richness of shared human experience.
In a world that often overlooks the beauty of personal storytelling, “Fragments of Us” serves as a reminder of the power of vulnerability and the richness of community, leaving audiences moved and inspired by the shared tapestry of life.
Download our Producers Pack to find out more
Having been part of Talawa’s creative pipeline and commissioning model since 2020, the development process for this work has included access to the Talawa Studio and team, providing a supportive space for the lead artists to test out and develop their ideas. The R&D process has included an open call to recruit 8 Black male artists who have participated in workshops to unearth their perspectives on pleasure, love, family, memory, safety, joy and life. We identified a range of artists from across our network to support the creation process.
The workshops where lead artists summarise their initial learnings as follows:
“We saw vulnerability, we saw the beautiful complexity and nuance of their lived experiences. We saw hesitancy followed by bravery. We saw the women and men that raised you. We saw strategies for survival. We saw the individuals, we saw the mass, the beauty, the resilience, the playfulness, the standing in what it means to be a young Black man today.”
The movement language will reflect the style of FUBUNATION which combines contact improvisation forms with influences from Hip Hop and African dance. Sonia Hughes will provide dramaturgical support to frame the moments of the piece, helping to develop the relationship between the audience and performers. She will also provide structure to the co-creation process as the lead artists work with the performers to unearth material from their lived experiences. The music R&D will flesh out the score, lead artists are considering a DJ and original composition possibly by Sam Nunez who has previously collaborated with FUBUNATION.
Production Images by Ciara Hillyer
CREDITS
Lead Artists: Rhys Dennis (he/him) and Waddah Sinada (he/him) for FUBUNATION
Performance Artist: Sonia Hughes (she/her)
Senior Creative Producer: Samantha Nurse (she/her)
Performers & Co-creators:
Mateus Daniel (he/him)
Seyi Falas (he/him)
Eliezer Gore (he/him)
Isaac Ouro-Gnao (he/him)
Jerome Scott (he/him)
Originally performed and co-created by:
Cudjoe Asare (he/him)
Eliezer Gore (he/him)
Isaac Ouro-Gnao (he/him)
Michael Hooke-Tappin (he/him)
Seyi Falas (he/him)
Production Manager: Thomas Quine (he/him)
Stage Manager: Gúa Ástudóttir (she/her)
Set and Costume Designer: Nicky Bunch (she/her)
Composer: Mwen (they/them)
Creative Access Consultant: Evie Ayers-Townshend for GDIF (she/her)
Produced by: Talawa Theatre Company
Fragments of Us is supported by Without Walls and commissioned by Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Birmingham Weekender, Stockton International Riverside Festival, and Brighton Festival. Original commission supported by Greenwich+Docklands International Festival.
Download our Producers Pack to find out more
