EatEat/ Rantsoen

Abstract

EatEat: a performative meal created with Leicester based refugees and asylum seekers. Audience and performers sat together around a 10m long concrete table in Leicester's oldest building, the Guildhall. Sharing a meal or chatting to your neighbour were interrupted with a blast of action or music or a lesson in how to eat with your hands. A song of love and loss was sung, a traditional Persian dance was danced on the table to Britney Spears, photos of dispersed cast members were passed around, an English lesson was taught by a teacher, private conversation was made public. Rantsoen: Audience and performers sat together around a circular 7m diameter table in a storage shed. Renny O’Shea collaborated with a creative team made up of UK and Belgian artists. The piece was created with newcomers to Ghent during a 3 month residency. The 10 performers originated from Belgium, Bosnia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Iran, Kurdistan, Togo and Turkey.