Pleasure Rebellion
A party inspired by the Greek God Dionysus filled with art, music, dancing, stories and ritual madness.
A celebration inviting participants to engage in hedonistic joy and pleasure activism; to collectively reignite our burnt-out lights into fiery flames. With the aim to celebrate the personal rebellions in choosing to express yourself, follow your pleasure and claim who you came here to be. Today, the Bad Bitches exit hell and reclaim heaven.
Date: Saturday 29th July 2022
Location: Old Abbey Taphouse, Guildhall Close, Manchester, M15 6SY
Order Of Events: Folk Band Performance by Kraken (6:30pm - 8pm), Cabaret Performances (8pm-10pm), DJs (10pm-3am)
*LILYS VIDEO ABOVE* Creatures and goddesses entering our hedonistic heaven, designed by Fallon and Rabinowitz, were greeted by a live Ceilidh Band and fabulous upcycled garment stalls; Trouser Project and our very own So La Wear, before enjoying a variety of live performances from dance, spoken-word, burlesque, stand-up to song. The party carried on late into the night fuelled by dancing & DJ's.
CREATIVE TEAM
Creative Directors: Scarlett Spicer & Lucy Laverty
Creative Producer & Marketing Manager: PJ Cunningham
Set Designers and Curators: Ally Fallon & Anna Rabinowitz
Volunteers Manager: Lauren Ellis Stretch
Stage Manager: Elle Kaye
Poster Design: Millie Loveday Inglis
Photographer: Lily Brittain
SO LA STARS
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Performer
Aazar (she/her) is an artist working in many disciplines. Over recent years she has realised the way in which she enjoys sharing her energy with others the most is through movement and dance. Aazar has taught herself in fire dancing and in tribal fusion style. She is fascinated by the creation of a flow that arts and being connected with the present moment can provide beauty and peace with those around her.
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Set Design
Ally (he/him) and Anna (she/they) were the design team and curators of the space for Pleasure Rebellion, tasked with bringing heaven to life! Ally is a chef and artist, and Anna is an events producer and artist. Together they created a host of pleasures to decorate the rebellion!
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Performer
Kate (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist from Glasgow who has recently completed an MA in Performance Making at Goldsmiths. Kate works across spoken word, facilitation, contemporary performance and visual practice, with an overriding interest in issues of childhood, capitalism, mental health and the mundane. Her work is often characterised by a sense of humour and a DIY approach, attempting to undermine a sense of hierarchy and prestige.
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Performer
Lauren (she/her) is a playwright, comedian, theatre-maker and was So La Flair Associate Director in 2022. Returning after her performances at the Bad Bitch Cabaret, she was delighted to be joining the campaign to reclaim heaven in the name of Dionysus!Lauren performed her You and Me On The Rock, a musical and comedic interrogation into the utopic: what is its promise of pleasure and how do we get there? It was a celebration of nature, art, activism, and love.
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Performer
PJ (she/her) is a Producer, Writer, Designer, Project Facilitator and the Creative Producer of SLF. PJ is particularly interested in artworks that engage with mental health, navigation of the self, politically and socially engaged art as well as escapist work that is utterly bonkers. PJ is intrigued by people’s passion and the variety of ways to approach depths of storytelling.PJ performed a monologue reflecting on her journey of mental health; navigating her personal experience of depression and anxiety and its entanglement with comparison; looking into the journey of working towards balance.
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DJs
Great Danes residents CONE (he/him) and Lucian (he/him) brought their blend of UK sounds to the pleasure rebellion dance floor. A B2B of bassy stompers, percussive club sounds and a few curveballs here and there in typical Great Danes fashion.
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Performer
Zero the Fool (they/them) is a spoken word poet and writer, taking inspiration from the indefinability of the human condition and its unending abyss of emotion and question. In their work, Zero implements queer tone as a reflection of their comedic stylings and resistance to taking oneself too seriously.
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Host
Our hosts for the evening were none other than the notorious Juicy Rebelle and Flaming June (aka So La Flair Artistic Directors Lucy Laverty & Scarlett Spicer.) They performed a spicy number as well as providing some seriously pleasurable hosting!
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DJ
Xariella (she/her) is the artist name of Chesca Henderson who is a widely talented music creator, producer and DJ based in Manchester. Before 2022, Xariella used the artist name Pussy Stamina.
Xariella stands for female empowerment by being true and authentic to who you are. Her musical style is fun, bold, and energetic. Xariella knows only too well how to get the crowd dancing by spreading good vibes through her set and her exuberant personality at the decks.
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Clothes Stall
Trouser Project is run by the beautiful Megan Lewis. Based in Manchester, Megan mainly sells Trouser Project clothes in the Trouser Project Collective shop in Afflecks Palace. Megan also sells Trouser Project work at markets and events around Manchester. Most of the Trouser Project clothes are bought from charity shops which Megan then adds designs onto.
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DJs
Miss Bad B (she/her) [Great Danes] is here to take you into the widest realms of pleasure. Expect everything from a range of genres guaranteed to get you on the dance floor. MBB truly never dissappoints.HAZ (he/him) will bring a little bit of this and a little bit of that to the dance floor. Anything from uplifting house to Afro pop is on the cards. The one guarantee was that the pleasure rebellion dance floor was moving by the time his B2B set with MBB was over…