The Interconnectedness of All Living Things

By The DUENDE School of Ensemble Physical Theatre India (2018)

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Cast: Anushka Nair, Ava Hickey, Chandni Meshram, Deepmala Khera, Kiran Naig, Niiya Kumar, Nitish Kapoor, Nuala Cavanagh, Pooja Vedvikhyat, Priiya, Rridhi Siingh, Sritej Bhatt, Sunny Sharma

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Directed by: John Britton and Manjari Kaul

Additional choreography: Avantika Bahl

Rhythm and musicality teacher: Eilon Morris

Vocal music teacher: Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy

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Ancient stories, legends and myths tell of humans transforming into other animals, or other animals becoming partly or wholly human. The boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’ were much more porous back then than they seem to be nowadays. Or so we think.

Perhaps the old stories were right - perhaps there is an unbreakable interconnection between all living things. Perhaps being human is not so very different to being anything else.

Modern genetics tells us how much all living things share - 98.8% of human DNA is also found in Chimps and Bonobos. We share 90% of our DNA with chickens, 84% with dogs, and more than 50% with vegetables.

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'The Interconnectedness of All Living Things' is a playful collection of snapshots of metamorphoses, drawing on old and new stories from India and Europe - stories in which ‘being human’ is not as secure as we might think it is. Told through DUENDE’s trademark style of ensemble physical performance - mixing text, choreography, sound and image - the work is created and directed by John Britton and Manjari Kaul, and performed by the students of The DUENDE School of Ensemble Physical Theatre. The culmination of a two month professional training course.