Performance photo – the most prized, smallest foot was “the golden lotus”

I perform Bound Feet Blues without any costumes or props – or even any shoes. My aim is to invite the audience to experience the show in the way that we have all experienced stories being told to us when we were children – that is, by co-creating the characters, events and landscapes in our imaginations.

I use my left hand to map the process of footbinding – it starts off as a normal “foot” and is steadily contorted and “broken” into the twisted shape that you see in the photo below. For comparison, I’ve also found a photo of an actual bound foot – also below.

 

 

 

This performance photo was taken at the scratch night in March at Conway Hall.

The most prized foot was called “the golden lotus” – it was Continue reading

Bound Feet Blues secures Arts Council Funding

I am so excited that the Arts Council has granted funding for the development of Bound Feet Blues!

The funding enables us – my director Jessica Higgs and me – to work on the creation of the performance and explore the most meaningful way that the story can be brought to life on stage. Our work in progress will culminate in the showcase performance at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Oct – show details below.

One condition of the funding is that the Arts Council logo or an acknowledgement to the public funding they are giving us must appear wherever Bound Feet Blues is mentioned.  For me, it feels a privilege to be able to display their logo alongside this project – their support is a public recognition of my transition as Continue reading

Bound Feet Blues strides into London’s West End

I am super excited to report that we are taking Bound Feet Blues to London’s West End for a showcase performance in October!

I will be performing the full 75 mins version – for one night only – as a work-in-progress showcase at the Tristan Bates Theatre on Mon 13 Oct 2014 @8pm. This will present the full story, building on the draft extract that I tried out at Conway Hall in March and will take the piece to its full conclusion.

If you came along Conway Hall, you saw the piece end with me on my knees in defeat, with my heart as Continue reading

Bound Feet Blues showreel is now online – watch highlights of this “riveting” solo show

I’m delighted to share with you the showreel of Bound Feet Blues from the work in progress performance back in March.

Enjoy!

You can see what the audience said about the show at the  Audience Reviews page

The video was filmed and edited by the very talented Claudia Rocha and her team

Continue reading