Whitney and Me 2020

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Co-created by Harriet Gillies, Lucas Jervies, Hugh O'Connor and Solomon Thomas. Concept and performance by Lucas Jervies. 

Google says, 'The psychodynamic core of addiction is the repetition-compulsion, i.e. the addicts repeat the same self-destructive behaviours over and over, in spite of their personal resolve not to do it.' Experience this feedback loop of Whitney Houston fandom and YouTube hysteria where Lucas mimics, morphs and manipulates a 4-minute Whitney Houston video into an hour-long, low-budget spectacular. Come to the Whitney Houston Addicts Anonymous meeting and be complicit in the bad behaviour. Everything disintegrates. All that remains is, Whitney. 

About the artist

Harriet Gillies is an award-winning performance artist working across a range of performance modes. She has performed in immersive and interactive projects such as Pony Express' Ecosexual Bathhouse, PVI Collective's Blackmarket and Hermann Nitsch 150 Actions.

Lucas Jervies has created dance for companies such as The Australian Ballet, Sydney Dance Company. Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Opera Australia. Internationally, he has created dance for Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Louisville Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Milwaukee Ballet, Korzo Theatre Den Haag, Noverre Society Stuttgart Ballet and CoDarts Rotterdam University for the Arts.

Hugh O'Conner is a designer and creative director. With an interest in work that is playful, theatrical and detailed, Hugh works across a breadth of mediums including theatre, dance, musicals, cabaret, experimental performance and events. Recent work includes: with Powerhouse Museum as the creative director for Step into paradise, Mardi Gras in collaboration with Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson; creating Whitney and me in collaboration with Lucas Jervies and Harriet Gillies at The Flying Brand/Brand X; with The Iconic, designing their 2019 Summer Show; and with Mecca Cosmetics, as art director for their multi-day event MECCALAND. Hugh has designed Sydney Mardi Gras Floats for companies such as Qantas, SBS, L'Oréal, Vodaphone, Woolworths Group, ANZ, Instagram, and W Hotels.

Solomon Thomas is a theatre maker, video designer and performer currently situated in Sydney. He graduated with BCA Honours in Performance from the University of Wollongong in 2013 and for the past seven years has Solomon been actively engaged in creating and performing work for both independent and main stage theatre. His practice revolves around finding intersections between movement, digital technology and theatre. He is a core member of re:group performance collective, Monday Night Cards and Woodcourt Art Theatre.

What we are doing to ensure you are COVIDSafe at The Flying Nun

• Capping our audience at 25 people per show.

• Ensuring that artists and staff are well before they start work.

• Sanitising all furniture and touchpoints prior to each opening.

• Closing our foyer bar and offering table service.

• Reconfiguring our venue to manage physical distancing.

• Ensuring a 3m distance between stage and the audience.