Night Vision

Night Vision began as one of the many theme performances at the Yellow House as it was taken from my novel of the period called ‘The Romances’. I’ve continued to work on it for the past 40 years (since 1969). It is like the autobiographical chronicle of another self in an alternative Universe. But much of it overlaps with the kind of Hyper reality I experience when working in war zones. I’ve covered most of the wars since Vietnam as an artist, filmmaker, writer and photojournalist and Night Vision draws on these experiences. The puppets represent all my different voices and personalities plus those who have been very close.

I will be doing the Prolog set on a beach on an African coast as Virus squad prepare a beach invasion using surf boards. Kirin will then perform some highly altered and darkly funny Beach Boys lyrics. This will lead into the darkest episode in both Night Vision and my life – the Kibeho massacre in Rwanda. Actual moments from this real life horror will merge with Shenti monsters from African voodoo mythology and the line between what is real and what is unreal and what is too real and what is hyper-real will become totally blurred. Kris Hades will finish the piece as ‘The Mother of all Shenti’, Death itself playing Paganini on electric guitar with a cello bow. 

Naomi Gittoes is doing all the styling including air brushing the two female dancers and has designed all the puppet costumes as well as mine , the puppeteer.

Two dancers will perform in the piece,  Kit Willesee and Phoebe Kyles.