DV8 Short answer task

Choreographic intent

Is a verbatim theatre work investigating the interrelated issues of freedom of speech, multiculturalism and Islam as manifest in Western democracies 

OR

A confronting verbatim physical theatre work that integrates spoken testimony with symbolic, controlled movement to explore complex social and political issues.

historical overview of the company

DV8 Physical Theatre was a British physical theatre company founded in 1986 in London by Lloyd Newson, along with Michelle Richecoeur and Nigel Charnock, in response to dissatisfaction with traditional dance that focused more on appearance than meaning. From the beginning, the company aimed to create work that was honest, socially relevant, and emotionally engaging, exploring real-life issues such as relationships, identity, and politics. In the late 1980s and 1990s, DV8 gained international recognition through powerful productions like My Sex, Our Dance (1986), Strange Fish (1992), and Enter Achilles (1995), which combined dance, theatre, and film while addressing themes like masculinity and sexuality. In the 2000s, the company continued to innovate with works such as The Cost of Living (2004) and To Be Straight With You (2007), incorporating verbatim theatre and real-life testimonies into performance. Known for breaking boundaries between dance and theatre, DV8 became one of the most influential physical theatre companies in the world before officially closing in 2022 after Newson’s retirement, leaving a lasting legacy in contemporary performance.

Themes and Ideas explored

• freedom of speech vs censorship

• multiculturalism

• religion + extremism

• fear + self silencing

• human rights + gender equality

• truth + lived experience (verbatim)

Contextual Influences

‘ can we talk about this’ is shaped by key contextual influences such as the September 11 and 7 July 2005 London bombing, which heightened sensitivity around discussing islam and extremism, alongside debates about multiculturalism, free speech, and human rights in the UK. These contexts create an environment where people may fear speaking openly. By using verbatim theatre based on real events and interviews, Dv8 reinforces its intent to challenge censorship and encourage discussion

Choreographic Structure

The structure is episodic and non linear, made up of 34 different sections, all reflecting a different source of information. explores different perspectives, issues, and experiences of the direct people. The work moves between different testimonies and situations, combining physical theatre, spoken verbatim text, and symbolic movement. this structure a,lows multiple perspectives to be present. Newson’s chose this structure to reflect the complexity of the issue, encouraging the audience to think.

Choreographic Process

Is grounded in research- based, verbatim practice rather than traditional dance making. The process began with in- depth interviews, debates and real-life case studies. these recordings formed the foundation of the work

• sections of the dialogue were selected and edited, with performers delivering the text exactly as it was spoken

• performers worked closely with Newson to experiment how movement could physically interpret intent and story

• intergration of text + movement

• refinement + structure