KINGS is a choreographic and performance research and development project co-created with and performed by Michael Appouh , Khagen Douglas and Samuel Remi Akinwale , outside after dark in Manchester City Centre with a team of local artist collaborators. The work uses movement, gesture, new writing and collaborative costume design with Ruby Kirby to reimagine the city and ownership of space for blackness, created through a research process involving sharing lived experiences. KINGS involved a series of NIGHTWALKS to explore experiences of visibility, masculinity, blackness in city space. The nighttime walks to outdoor Manchester locations involved using this as space to generate ideas, alongside team workshops, residencies and public workshops with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Men and Non-Binary people at The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester (supported by Contact Theatre) to create space to share experiences. Manchester (KINGS:BEGINS and MIDDLE:KINGS Workshops) and outside, creating space to share experiences. KINGS was documented through a photographic series by Chan-Yang Kim, sound recordings and video documentation of the NIGHTWALKS and workshops.

The KINGS research process culminated in a live sharing in October 2019 at Depot.Mayfield on the concourse as a work-in-development performance with invited guests. Alongside a short film work created with Scout Stuart and Michael Appouh created on Pamona Island called KINGS PAMONA. The ideas and research collected during the KINGS devising process will be used in the development of the project through 2020 and 2021.

KINGS team:

Lead artist: Amy Lawrence

Performers & collaborators: Khagen Douglas, Michael Appouh and Samuel Remi Akinwale

Supporting Artist/Dramaturgy: Keisha Thompson

Supporting producer: Edwina McEachran

Film maker: Scout Stuart

Costume design: Ruby Kirby

Photographer: Chan Yang Kim

Sound Design: Michael-Jon Mizra

Outdoor producing consultant: Rizwan Iqbal

Graphic Design: Sarah Hingley

Performance venue: Depot.Mayfield