Ruff by Split Britches a Peggy Shaw solo performance

This week sees the re-opening of the Observer Building space, which less than two weeks ago left the splendid hands of Erika Holland and Dawn Dublin. A new collective has been formed and launches itself back into the community with the hope of maintaining the energy that was so much a part of this space.

John Knowles, who has taken on the task of creating a theatre space, is keen to bring, make and create theatrical opportunities which speak to communities within the community as a whole and to raise awareness of both the political and the personal through theatrical works. Thus the first show, coming to us, from New York, via The Barbican London is ‘Ruff’ a play by leading and long established theatre company Split Britches. Split Britches define themselves as:

“Independent Performance Artists who use live presence, multiple art disciplines, popular culture and any means imagined or necessary to communicate complicated ideas, to skew long-held beliefs, to challenge social and racial norms and more often than not provide a political commentary.”

Peggy Shaw had a stroke in January 2011. The stroke was in her PONS, which rhymes with the Fonz, one of her many role models. Since the stroke she’s realized she has never really performed solo. She has always had a host of lounge singers, movie stars, rock and roll bands and eccentric family members living inside her.

RUFF is a tribute to those who have kept her company these 68 years, a lament for the absence of those who disappeared into the dark holes left behind by the stroke and a celebration that her brain is able to fill the blank green screens with new insights.

‘… an impressionistic monologue that’s engaging, admirably unsentimental and often very funny indeed.’ Charles Isherwood, New York Times

Ruff will be performed on Sat 19 March at 7.30pm and Sun 20 March at 2pm
Tickets are £12 and £10 conc and are available on line at bit.ly.com/ruffhastings
A limited number will be available on the night on the door. Doors close at 7.30pm and due to the nature of the work no late entrances will be allowed.

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