THE PRINCESS & THE SHOWGIRL

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An imagined meeting between Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana. Thick & Tight examine their lives from within and without, from personal and public memory. The work dramatises the similarities between the lives of these two women, the sadness of their childhood, the vast fame, the hounding by press, the very public love affairs and the mysterious unsolved deaths.

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"Hay-Gordon is incredible as Monroe, in drag, perfectly lip syncing her lines with extraordinary expression...Perry was sensationally realistic; more so, in fact, than Diana’s actual dialogue for her lip syncs...No-one makes work anything like this. Let’s see more, and in bigger venues!"

BachTrack

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It was compulsive, uncomfortable viewing...an exploration of the physicality of their vulnerabilities to clash with the gender performance projected with such high wattage charm."

GScene

 

With guest appearances by Thom Shaw, Josh Spear, Owen Ridley-DeMonick and Claudia Palazzo.

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Commissioned by Wilton's Music Hall Strike! Festival 2016 

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Supported by Arts Council England & Ugly Duck

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Thanks to Gary Clarke, Patience Tomlinson, Sheila Hay, Dickie Beau, Lou Cope, Patricia Langa, Julie Cunningham, Owen Ridley-DeMonick, Donald Hutera, Impermanence Dance Theatre, Malgorzata Dzierzon, Carl Harrison and Helen Lovett Johnson.

One woman stands looking angrily at a line of five people in different outsides (suits, dresses, hats etc.). The person closest to her has their arms on their neighbour’s shoulder whose hands are clasped which is replicated by the other three behind him.
Two people in black dresses sat at the edge of a stage in a spot light. There legs are swaying to the side and their hands are running down their bodies at the same time.
Two dancers in the same pose; their legs wide apart and both hands placed near head. The lighting in bright pink and they look as though they are putting on a show.
Two people in black dresses dancing together. They look as though they are dancing in a club as they are sweaty and unabashed. The lighting is strong, creating interesting shadows and they are against a jet black background.
A woman in a black dress dancing around two figures in a suit and dress suit who both have crown that are so large they cover their entire heads. There are stage lights hitting them from the side.

Photos by Rosie Powell & Judith Kuniskyte