The thing with feathers
“You paint the world they cannot see.”
Emily and Sue, a poet and an artist, have been together for 60 years; painting, writing, trying to spread their words to whoever will listen. But it’s the end of the world. Is anyone still listening?
Through their stories of love and the apocalypse, they desperately try to find an answer to the unanswerable, find a through line, find something which will make it all make sense: after the end of the world, what remains?
Hope, maybe.
Photography by Tilly Wigley (@tillywigley).
Writer Giulia Fincato
Director Yanni Ng
Technical Stage Manager and Lighting Designer Haley Yiu
Producers Hannah McCoy and Joel Wall
Stage Manager Sienna Kelly
Cast Tsen Day-Beaver, Neve Kelman, Fiona Scott, and Michaela Short
This production was supported by George House Trust and the LGBT Foundation.
REVIEWS FOR THE THING WITH FEATHERS
“The intimacy of the small theatre amplifies all of this. With the performers only steps away, the audience doesn’t merely watch — they absorb the piece. You feel the energy moving across the room; you see the tremor in a hand when anger rises, the slight shake of excitement, the breath caught before a difficult truth. This proximity transforms the story into something lived rather than observed, making their fragile world unfold almost within arm’s reach.”
— Maria Plakhtieva for JaDar (4-stars)
“The four actresses are easily the best part of the play, with subtle, nuanced performances - especially through their facial expressions - that are always interesting to watch. As the performers interact more and more throughout the play, it gets better and better. The increasing interaction between the different settings is an interesting contrast with the increasing isolation of the characters, reinforced by the lighting and music.”
— Seth Connor-Fullwood for A Young(ish) Perspective (4-stars)
“A thought-provoking hour-long piece.”
— Paul Schofield for Canal St. Online
“This is a beautiful play that makes you question yourself, what the future means for you and why we create art. The snippets of past and present allow all ages to relate to the characters and put themselves in their positions, making the story impactful no matter who you are. It is a must-see for all lovers of art and those who enjoy leaving the theatre thought provoked.”
— Jack Cramby for Salford Now (4-stars)