Gareth Watkins, writer and performer of The Gentleman of Shallot, “began developing experimental improvised and devised theatre, which led him to study with the MA Theatre Lab at RADA. He has since written two plays: Boy for Life, on the lasting effects of gay conversion ‘therapy’ and The Gentleman of Shalott, his radical reimagining of Tennyson’s poem The Lady of Shalott as a neuro-queer dystopia. He recently published A to B: Conversations on Common Ground.”
Pete Gomes, who directed the piece, “was born in London to Goan and Burmese parents, and is based in London at Studio Voltaire. He is a transdisciplinary artist working across media art, moving image, sound, music, performance, installation & 2-d work. His work has consistently operated between extensive collaborative and solo performance practices, alongside the ongoing utilisation and staging of cameras as an integrated and essential component of each performance work. “
Paul Levy bumped into the both of them as they were flyering as the wind whipped up near George Square Gardens. They talked about the piece, billed in the fringe programme thus: “In his tower on an island in the river, Martuni weaves, masturbates and keeps fit. His only distraction from the monotony – the horny suitors on his dating app: Reaper longs to be a dog at the foot of Martuni’s bed; Page wants to rescue Martuni in a hot air balloon and save him from the war, the drought and environmental collapse; Shepherd invites himself round for sandwiches and trifle. Will Martuni be lured outside? Or will the curse of his social anxiety and narcissism keep him imprisoned forever?”
Visit the show web site here
