On May 14, 2022, at the Alexandra Palace, London, UK, Mama Quilla Productions presented two performances of The Pangolin Project, devised and directed by Kay Adshead, and funded by Arts Council England and the Alexandra Palace.
Twelve artists were commissioned to create 3-minute films (in colour, shot in landscape) and two minutes of accompanying material performed live. The aim was to reflect on How the Pandemic Changed THE WORLD. A further ten artists were commissioned to create 60-second extreme close-up films (in black and white, shot in portrait) exploring How the Pandemic Changed ME. Some of the artists were veterans and others total beginners, but all were new to filmmaking.
Filmmaker Dana Alexandra Chis filmed the performances. Kay wrote Interrogating a Pangolin, a voice-over involving two new artists. Using the film footage and the added voice-over, Kay Adshead and Dana fashioned this film, Pangolia.
PANGOLIA
Devised and directed by Kay Adshead
Live theatre performance filmed by Dana Alexandra Chis
Edited by Dana Alexandra Chis and Kay Adshead
Produced by Jolley Gosnold
Technical director Andrew Locke
Funded by Arts Council England and Alexandra Palace
In the dying days of the pandemic, 22 artists come together to share reflections on their changed lives. But they are being secretly filmed. An illegal in the company is identified, what will become of her? And in this new world, will art have any value?
PANGOLIA offers an illuminating and haunting record of a unique time in our living history. And reflects on a troubling future.
Running order:
THE RUBBER TYRE PANGOLIN by Howard Lee
PROLOGUE
INTERROGATING A PANGOLIN by Kay Adshead (continuing throughout)
Performers -
Cheryl Kennedy as Ma’am
Anthony Sergeant as Squent
Ruth Vaughn as The Pangolin
OUR PANGOLIN HERE by Kay Adshead performed by the company
HYDRA by Adie Allen
HOW THE PANDEMIC CHANGED MY WORLD by Lucy Sheen
FURLOUGH AND CHIPS by Vicky Ogden
IN/OUT by Wendy Young
A film by Trisha Gibbons
A film by Julia Fresco
A film by Aine King
THE RETURN OF THE RANGER by Howard Lee
BE THE CHANGE by Chitra Soundar
A film by The Matthews
A film by Maggie Saunders
DEAR BLACK GIRL by Tiwa Ayeni
THEY’VE CLOSED THE POOL by Raphael Seymour
A film by Rhianna Powell
SEA GLASS by Kay Adshead
Performers - Kay Adshead and Douglas Clarke Wood
A film by Richard Downes
A film by Judit Hollos
HOPE by Olusola Oyeleye
Edit by Fallon Parker
Animation by Ellie Riley
A film by Cherika Fraser
NOW BEFORE by Paula B Stanic
Performers - Antonia Kemi Coker and Fedja Stanic
Camera and Edit by Kairon Edwards
Music by Meadow Evans Bardowell
THE PANGOLIN WALKING - performed by Ruth Vaughn
EPILOGUE by Kay Adshead performed by the company
A film by Walton McClaren
THE PANGOLIN TALKING - performed by Ruth Vaughn