(Ontario/New York/London)
written and performed by Christopher Brett Bailey

Guest Performance during FIND 2020


»THIS IS HOW WE DIE« und »SUICIDE NOTES« wurden auch als Bücher herausgegeben und auf seinem eigenen Label PASTEL HECK als Hörbücher veröffentlicht. From the setting of a performed reading, sitting at a table with his textbook open in front of him, young Canadian-American performer Christopher Brett Bailey develops in »THIS IS HOW WE DIE« a fast-paced beat-poetry collage that combines the spoken word with storytelling. In his monologue, Bailey embarks on an absurdist road trip of the soul through England and North America in which paranoia, first love, beheadings and murder confessions crop up as naturally as a lethal cactus. The language increasingly picks up speed, the sentences tumble over each other, the images become ever more surreal and trashy until, ultimately, the words blur into a background noise. »THIS IS HOW WE DIE« is a psychedelic homage to the aesthetic and social rebellion of the Beatniks who constantly trod a fine line between hallucinogenic surrealism, vicious sociological satire and personal creed.

Christopher Brett Bailey (*1987, Fort Erie) is an award-winning performer, writer and musician, based in London. His work spans contemporary theatre, spoken word and experimental music. Recent works include »THIS IS HOW WE DIE«, »KISSING THE SHOTGUN GOODNIGHT« and »SUICIDE NOTES«. As a musician he is half of the »Moon ate the Dark« ambient music duo as well as bandleader of the guitar-noise project »THIS MACHINE WON’T KILL FASCISTS BUT IT MIGHT GET YOU LAID«. Books of »THIS IS HOW WE DIE« and »SUICIDE NOTES« are published, and audiobook versions are available from his record label PASTEL HECK.

Sound Design: George Percy, Christopher Brett Bailey, Dramaturgy: Anne Rieger,
Musicians: Alicia Jane Turner, George Percy, Christopher Brett Bailey, Michael Crean
Lighting Design: Sherry Coenen
Production Manager: Alex Fernandes
Produced by Beckie Darlington

With: Christopher Brett Bailey


Duration: ca. 70 minutes

Originally commissioned by Ovalhouse, and made with support from Arts Council England, the Basement, Cambridge Junction and Norwich Arts Centre.

