Arming the World | Street Performance, London, September 12-16, 2017
Guerrilla theatre performance by ice&fire theatre company that coincided with Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI), the world’s largest arms fair. Created by Christine Bacon and Ben Chessell, the free street performances appeared at sites across London, featuring an arms trade “outreach team” demonstrating weapons in a satirical catwalk show.
Directed by Sophie Austin with design by takis, the production was a collaboration between ice&fire, site-specific company Teatro Vivo, and the London School of Economics. The performance aimed to spread information about the arms trade to the general public, using dark comedy to expose the reality of weapons marketing. takis’ design created the visual language of corporate arms dealing—professional, sanitized, disturbingly normal—making the violence implicit in the products all the more chilling.
ice&fire specializes in human rights theatre, and this production exemplified their approach: bringing urgent political issues directly to public spaces where they can’t be ignored, using performance to provoke thought and action.
Creative Team: Writers: Christine Bacon & Ben Chessell | Director: Sophie Austin | Designer: takis | Sound Designer: Eleanor Isherwood | Company: ice&fire