Bold Mellon Collective

Bold Mellon Collective

An afternoon of new live art commissions from an exciting emerging practitioner.

Tickets £7-10 including panel discussion.

Saturday 16 March 4pm

Rich Mix

INFO ABOUT THE SHOW

‘GIVE OR TAKE ‘is an interactive live-art performance that combines physical-theatre and live electronic music, exploring gift-giving as an act of celebration, alongside unpacking moments when ‘gifts’ are employed as a contract and a transaction. Remember, nothing ever comes for free.

GIVE OR TAKE celebrates the rich history of Tatar diaspora with a focus on resistance and community, while offering a queer critique of oppressive and imperialist bargains. The show begins as a game played with the audience, before becoming an emotive ritual for consent and accountability fusing dance, poetry and live electronic music.

The piece is devised and performed by Emilia Nurmukhamet and Dear Annie from Bold Mellon Collective and co-directed by Theodor Spiridon from TAKDAJA.

GIVE OR TAKE has been previously scratched at The Pen Theatre, VSSL and The Glitch, before being commissioned by Certain Blacks to be performed as a part of the Ensemble Festival 2023 (Royal Docks) and now to be re-developed further for Soul on Ice 2024 following a creative residency at Ugly Duck.

ABOUT Bold Mellon Collective

Emilia Nurmukhamet (she/they) is a queer migrant theatre maker, performer and creative facilitator. She is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Bold Mellon – an award nominated multidisciplinary LGBTQIA+ artist collective dedicated to amplifying intersectional queer stories (artists in residence: Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Above the Stag Theatre , Stanley Arts and Kings Head Theatre). Emilia’s work focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to performance: combining live sound, digital media and performance art alongside focusing on autobiographical and documentary style writing. Emilia also works as a creative facilitator with the National Youth Theatre, The Pappyshow and The Puppet Barge; encouraging DIY tools for punky play with others, centering authenticity and care.

Annie Dearnley/Dear Annie (they/them) is a queer, trans interdisciplinary artist and Dance Movement Psychotherapist who uses dance, music and spoken word to weave binary-melting stories with autobiographical beginnings. Annie has performed internationally as a dancer, musician, and a clown, touring both their own and the work of others. Some recent highlights include working internationally with ‘Surface Area Dance Theatre’ and co-founding the independent record label MUD SUMMONS RECORDS. Annie is also a core ensemble member of international street theatre group SPARK! LED drummers, developing their expertise in improvised and interactive play and clowning.

Bold Mellon’s debut show BELINDA (**** Everything Theatre) co-written and co-performed by Emilia with music co-composed by Dear Annie, has been nominated for an Offies Award In IDEA Production for its run at the Vaults Festival 2023, then transferring to Kings Head Theatre as a part of the Queer Interrogation Season and Camden People’s Theatre as a part of the New Adventures Festival. She co-devised and directed KLAZO, which has been performed at The Place, Contact Manchester and as a part of Social Model & More Festival at Theatre Deli. It has been described as ‘an outstanding’ , ‘mesmerizing’ , ‘impressive’, ‘visceral’ and ‘compelling’ performance (Fringebiscuit Magazine & The Reviews Hub). Bold Mellon’s latest exhibition QUEER JOY commissioned by This is Croydon Mayor’s Borough of London has been described as ‘affirming’, ‘encouraging’ and ‘nourishing’ by our audiences and community members.

Emilia and Annie co-host community showcase events Bold Mud (VFD, The Social) and Pick n Mix (The Glitch, Kings Head Theatre).