Ariadne’s Thread: A collaboration between a theatre maker, artist and film maker with 31 performers. Exploring the moral dilemma about climate chaos, our personal and collective responsibility.

Ariadne’s Thread is a multimedia piece combining movement, immersive soundscape and projection which we created over a week’s residency at The Barge, Brighton Marina. Thirty folk who identify as female and non-binary worked with theatre maker Tess Garrett, textiles artist Gabby Dempster and film maker Jonah Jago to bring to life an exploration confronting our fears about the climate crisis. Each one of us became Ariadne with the moral dilemma of ‘Ariadnes thread’ of either escaping climate chaos by hiding away in the labyrinth created by a ball of red wool or going back up to the world to stand alongside those who have no choice – whose lives are already greatly affected by drought, hurricanes, tornadoes… Three of us wore an extraordinary coat made of repurposed secondhand clothes which evoked the image of people helping eachother – literally by holding onto sleeves to climb to safety. In creating this we were painfully aware that refugees arrive every week in tiny boats all along this coastline by the marina, to make new lives for themselves and their families, escaping war and climate change.

A huge thank you to all who participated – find your name below – embroidered by the wonderful Gabby Dempster.