An intimate devised work by Luke Brown exploring resilience, violence and queer identity through words, movement, puppetry and storytelling.
The Dandelion Child comes to Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday 30 October, with Luke Brown on stage alongside Ben Wright. It's Brown's most intimate work to date, and it takes its title from the 'Orchid and the Dandelion' research of Dr W Thomas Boyce, which describes children as either orchids—sensitive and fragile—or dandelions—hardy and resilient. Brown uses that as a starting point to look back at his own childhood.
At its heart, the show is Brown's account of growing up in a house where violence was normalised, love was rationed and nurturing was in short supply. It's part fact and part fantasy, combining words, movement, puppetry, digital projection and storytelling to trace an evolution from childhood to adulthood. It draws on his life as a gay, queer, neurodiverse artist from a working-class background, and it's staged in the round in unconventional spaces around an ever-shifting table.
Brown devised the piece collaboratively with choreographer and director Ben Wright, and it's been five years in the making. Along the way, it's had support from Arts Council England, Crying Out Loud, Portsmouth Guildhall, Tobacco Factory Bristol and Rich Mix London. It's recommended for ages 15 and over.
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Tickets are ÂŁ15, which includes a 13% booking fee. The performance starts at 7.00pm on Friday 30 October at Portsmouth Guildhall.
