And that’s a wrap on NOW 23 — our first NOW since 2020! Kabuki knives, flower buttplugs, eggs, bathtubs, gymnastics, trance states, evil chefs, slutty Nijinsky, orange chaps and a full-blown chain reaction machine. Thank you to the 3000 of you that came through. What a run.
We kicked off with a full-house, standing ovations with Marikiscrycrycry’s (aka Malik Nashad Sharpe) Goner. It was a descent into fear, fantasy, and violence that gave way to full-blown monstrous terror topped with pinkish-orange chaps. Malik has been regularly making work with us for over six years, if you don’t know, get to know.
And in a first for us, a NOW show that you could have brought the kids to: The Egg Show by Daniel Oliver and Yard Young Artist Mazvita was one for the inner child — colossally tender, extremely messy, and just really, really funny. It all started a year ago when Mazvita pulled her jumper over her head on the way to a weekly Yard Young Artists session and decided she was an egg. We called Daniel Oliver and asked him to make a show with her. This is how it went.
SERAFINE1369 and dancers Stephanie McMann, Darcy Wallace and Natifah White created a one-of-a-kind resonance, cloaked in haze and fizzing with atmospheric visuals set to a soundscape from Josh Anio Grigg that radiated from Black Obsidian’s sound system.
Freddie Wulf’s we are all made of stars was breathtaking and then some. A metaphysical exploration of (trans*) embodiment and self-image. A kaleidoscope of cosmic landscapes. All set to Alicia Jane Turner’s very cool otherworldly live compositions.
And straight after that, we had Ira Brand’s Commitment Phobe, an exploration—celebration?— of doubt that was at once hilarious and unpredictable, and (literally) built and built to insane intensity, pierced with anecdotes about the things in life that we’re unsure about. It featured a Rube Goldberg machine too. Major!
BULLYACHE’s TOM was a hyper-contemporary melodrama, a mix of Pina Bausch and Dua Lipa, and a searing interrogation of what crumbles under capitalism all at once. Extremely heavy on cult appeal.
We also leapt out and launched our first-house performance party – CLUB NOW. It’s safe to say Mya Mehmi from Pxssy Palace, GIN from Nite Dykez, and Little Gay Brother’s Oli Keens kept us dancing into the wee hours alongside stellar performances from fraserfab and Crystal Bollix.
Knickerbocker returned to their roots for NOW 23 with UNHINGED performances from the legendary Katy Baird and MOONFACE, all set to their usual soundtrack of indie-dance and happy house by DJs Aaron Zimbra, Alex Lawless & Rata and Just Soriah.
Last but not least, a brand new club night hit East London from NOW 23 artists BULLYACHE which had host Barbs at the helm, DJs Jay Jay Revlon, Dalila, Talia Darling and dancers Amani and Lewis Walker. The theme was bums out (which was optional, of course, but very much encouraged).
Trailers | Daniel Chan
Photos of Marikiscrycrycry, Daniel & Mazvita, SERAFINE1369, Freddie Wulf and Ira Brand | Camilla Greenwell
Photos of BULLYACHE | Genevieve Reeves
Photo of BOOTYACHE | Angela Horski