Inspired by his star-studded and scandalous masked ball at New York’s Plaza Hotel in 1966, Garden Party, Truman Capote’s Black and White Celebration is an immersive ride into decadence and a challenge to social hypocrisy past and present.
Running until 9 August this experimental production by Paris-based Kulturscio’k Live Art Collective puts the audience at the heart of the party as gossip is swapped and dark secrets are revealed.
All set to compelling live music, the cast of Sean O’Callaghan, Paul Spera, and Alessia Siniscalchi play with gender roles, sexuality, morality and emotion – conjuring up the sense of ambiguity that Capote adored.
This original work is dedicated to the provocative American author and his vision of human relations, social psychosis and class power.
Garden Party also readapts of one of Capote’s works, The Basque Coast 1965.
It riffs on his statement that “I’m an alcoholic, a drug addict, a homosexual, a genius … I might be all four of these things and also be a saint.”
The show is aimed at those who love mystery, original music and immersive writing.
Director and performer, Alessia Siniscalchi, said: “At a time when being gay or questioning gender norms was profoundly controversial, Capote embraced and championed the queer. This new, immersive production returns us to high society life in that era, its delights, darkness, scandals and the yearning to smash social hypocrisy.”
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Notes for editors
• Interviews available – just get in touch.
Listings Details
• Venue: Annexe at theSpace @ SymposiumHall (Venue 43)
• Time: 16:05
• Dates: 1-9 August
• Duration: 55 mins
• Ticket prices: Full price £12, concessions £8, family £7
• Suitability: 12+
• Warnings: Sexually explicit language
• Tickets: https://tickets.edfringe.com
Cast and creatives
• Company: Kulturscio’k Live Art Collective
• Performers: Sean O’Callaghan, Paul Spera, and Alessia Siniscalchi
• Director: Alessia Siniscalchi
• Writers: Alessia Siniscalchi and Paul Spera
• Music: Marco Cappelli and Phil St George
• Live sound: Didier Leglise
• Producer: Kulturscio’k Live Art Collective
• Stage manager and lighting: Lucy Planet Donnelly, Benjamin Sillon
About the creative team
Kulturscio’k is an innovative live art collective founded by Alessia Siniscalchi and composed of French, Italian and American performers, actors, visual artists and dancers producing and curating different works and events under the motto “Shocking art through art”. In past years works by Alessia Siniscalchi and Paul Spera, with original music by Phil St George and Didier Leglise (among the others) have been presented at museums, festivals, archeological sites and theatres.