Dates
7 - 27 May 2023
7 - 27 May 2023
Artist/Company
Neil Bartlett, Russell Tovey, Travis Alabanza, Jay Bernard, Joelle Taylor, Simon Fisher Turner
Neil Bartlett, Russell Tovey, Travis Alabanza, Jay Bernard, Joelle Taylor, Simon Fisher Turner
WeTransfer presents
If I lose half my sight, will my vision be halved?
BLUE was Derek Jarman’s final film. Completed in May 1993, just months before his death, it is his testament. For 74 minutes, an unchanging screen of celestial blue is accompanied by voices which deliver a collage of fragments from Jarman’s diary, describing the gradual onset of blindness as he battles with HIV. As his daily life is stripped away, only the essentials remain.
For this very special live screening, a cast of four actors including Russell Tovey (American Horror Story, Angels in America), writer and theatre-maker Travis Alabanza (Sound of the Underground, Burgerz), artist Jay Bernard (Surge: Side A) and award-winning poet Joelle Taylor (C+nto and othered poems) will deliver Jarman’s powerful words, directed by Neil Bartlett; the film’s original composer, Simon Fisher Turner, will accompany them with a new live score.
BLUE was created during the darkest days of the British AIDS epidemic, and bears witness not just to its creator’s remarkable courage but also to the rage and loss of an entire generation. Thirty years to the month after it was completed, this new live rendition of the film will be a chance to hear afresh its inspiring message of compassion, love and dignity under fire.
BLUE NOW
in association with Fuel and Basilisk Communications
A film by Derek Jarman, performed live
Live event commissioned by WePresent by WeTransfer
Directed by Neil Bartlett
Performed by Russell Tovey, Travis Alabanza, Jay Bernard, and Joelle Taylor
Sound by Simon Fisher Turner
Production Management by Andy Downie
Produced by Fuel
WePresent BLUE NOW
In collaboration with WePresent’s guest curator Russell Tovey, director Neil Bartlett and a host of creatives, WePresent has launched BLUE NOW—a series exploring the legacy of artist Derek Jarman’s seminal film “Blue”, unpacking the universal themes that still resonate today.
If you did miss out on tickets for the show there’s still plenty to discover over on WePresent’s site, including a short film, and a series of essays written by the performers of BLUE NOW.
Will further performances be announced?
| This special live event is currently scheduled for four one-off performances at Theatre Royal Brighton (7 May), Turner Contemporary, Margate (13 May), HOME, Manchester (21 May), Tate Modern (27 May). Please check individual venue websites for the most up-to-date ticket information. There are no further live dates currently scheduled. |
Are there other ways to engage with BLUE NOW?
| In addition to the live performances, WeTransfer has commissioned a digital iteration of BLUE NOW to appear on its arts platform WePresent. This version will not copy the original BLUE but instead pay tribute to the original artwork and its creator Derek Jarman through the words and voices of contemporary LGBTQIA+ artists including Russell Tovey, Travis Alabanza, Neil Bartlett, Jay Bernard, Joelle Taylor and Simon Fisher Turner.
Designed by WeTransfer’s award-winning creative studio, WePresent’s BLUE NOW content series will bring the legacy of this artwork to a large global audience where it will be accessible for free.
To find out more visit: https://wepresent.wetransfer.com/ |
Will additional tickets be released?
| If further tickets become available we will make an announcement on our social media, or follow @FuelTheatre for the latest announcements. |
07/05/2023
Theatre Royal, Brighton (for Brighton Festival)
Brighton
13/05/2023
Turner Contemporary, Margate
Margate
21/05/2023
HOME, Manchester
Manchester
27/05/2023
Tate Modern, London
London