Powerhouse’s project involves 20 performances of Claudia Vyvyan’s new, perspective-shifting new show I LOVE SEX / YOU LOVE SEX. Performing at Camden People’s Theatre and Riverside Studios in London, and The Lantern Theatre and The Actor's Pub Theatre in Brighton for it’s queer, neurodiverse, and feminist community, Powerhouse is committed creating loud theatre that represents the mosaic of our intersectional realities while creating an inclusive and sustainable creative community.
Read the programme from our preview at SE Fest last September....
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGPIi6-t_Q/-tt4F1dKFSXP1ltPaGrF4w/edit?utm_content=DAGPIi6t_Q&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
More info below....
This original play empowers alternative models of care and love, particularly focusing on queer friendships. We aim to represent the gritty reality of queer joy, friendship, and healing, specifically for queer womxn. Our goal is to challenge traditional ethics of care and the hierarchy of romantic love, highlighting the power of chosen families and inclusive care models. The non-linear timeline reflects the diverse experiences of queer communities, as 15-20% of queer individuals identify as neurodivergent according to the Office of National Statistics. Cambridge Research indicates a significant intersection of identities, including a 3x higher likelihood of autistic adults identifying as trans. Our shows will provide representation and opportunities for connection, particularly for unconventional families and friendships.
Since our Research and Development supported by ACE, we’ve learned that the play mirrors lessons in moving from survival mode to thriving, emphasising mutual support and compassion. Feedback from our previews in SE Fest (The Bridge House Theatre and Jack Studio) highlighted the impact we can have in addressing community needs born from authentic and organic conversations for change making. One response reads: “It was an eye opening experience. I had a lot of fun [and] felt comfortable and safe in the room. I also felt a sense of ownership over the show.”
The play begins with Irys and Rema-Mae in a chaotic, Tracy Emin type windowless bedroom where they share non-linear stories about their sexual histories, practising the intimacy required for open conversation. In their confinement, they learn to intentionally love and support each other through a beautiful narrative of queer friendship. Their discussions about how race shapes the character of their suffering offers theatrical landscapes for deeper connection and examples of anti-racist ethics of care. Free resource packs and community-building somatic therapy workshops root our project in real cultural experiences of womxn and the intricacies of politicised, femme, sexual experiences.
Inspired by Greek mythology—specifically Clytemnestra and Lysistrata—the play explores the politicisation of the female body and the struggles against oppression. This context highlights the timeless intersectional experiences of oppression for womxn regarding their bodies and sexuality, reclaiming domestic spaces as sites of safety and political freedom. Ultimately, our aim is to establish community as the driving force of the arts and our survival, creating spaces where queer, neurodiverse, and femme individuals can see their realities represented and forge new connections.