Queen of Carnage: Dido recast as a dominatrix at E14’s Space Theatre
Queen of Carnage, “a decadent, dark and at times lighthearted descent into the world of BDSM” seen through the eyes of a dominatrix, comes to London’s Space Theatre in April.
For this new work, Sobriety — who has performed at Torture Garden and Club Pedestal as well as the Edinburgh Fringe and the Fierce International Festival — re-imagines Dido, Queen of Carthage as “dominatrix Queen of Carnage striking up with the overture of the punished behind”.
The production, which follows the narrative of Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas and uses parts of its score, is a continuation of the performer’s previous explorations of “the non-social norm that is the dominatrix as a female icon of empowerment and creativity”.
Sobriety Twist says she was particularly struck by the character of Dido and “her defining features of being untouchable and surrounded yet alone, which may parallel the perception and reality of a dominatrix”.
She explains: “I was interested in taking an opera which had been written as a tale of morality for girls in the late 1600s and applying the dominatrix theme in 2017 when women have so much more advantage yet are still at a disadvantage in many ways.”
Collaborating with mezzo soprano Sobriety in the Queen of Carnage are digital imagery artist Zoe Rixon, soundscape artist Paul Blackwood, photographer Gerry Black, visual installation artist Emma ‘Punkvert’ Blackwood, and musicians Tim Bowen and Peter Hodgkinson.
Last but not least, Queen of Carnage features performance artist Amy Kingsmill, well-known to many on the fetish scene for her numerous pervy performances and for hosting club nights Rubber Cult and Psycho Ward.
Queen of Carnage is at The Space, 269 Westeferry Road, London E14 3RS from April 11 to 14. The performance starts at 7.30pm and lasts 80 minutes.
Tickets are £12/£8.50 from The Space (link below).
eternusrebellus.co.uk
space.org.uk/queen-of-carnage
Published March 17, 2017