Duckie (group)

Duckie is a collective of performance artists that describes itself as "a Post Gay independent arts outfit."[1][2] They produce a mix of so-called "cultural interventions", such as club nights, new-mode pop, burlesque and performance events, as well as anti-theatre experimentation.[2][3] They have described their work as "mixing the arthouse with the dosshouse"[1] and putting "highbrow performance in backstreet pubs and lowbrow performance in posh theatres".[1]

Supported by grants from the British Council and Arts Council England,[3][4] Duckie is based in London but has played in Berlin, Germany, Greece and Tokyo as well as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Blackpool Tower Ballroom and the Sydney Opera House.[2]

Duckie's work is characterised by its engagement with the queer lifestyle and community, showcasing queer performers and performance art at its weekly Saturday club night and providing "a creative forum for alternative gay and lesbian performance and culture".[5]

The company's outlook is distinctly working-class, drawing influences in John McGrath,[3] the Victorian music hall, punk culture and illegitimate theatre.[6]

  1. ^ a b c "SPILL Symposium - Speakers' Biographies". Live Art Development Agency. 2007-04-12. Archived from the original on 2007-09-05. Retrieved 2008-01-17.
  2. ^ a b c Sellar, Tom (December 16, 2007). "Conceptual Burlesque Behind a Velvet Rope". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Casson, Simon (November 22, 2010). "How can smaller companies do a Punchdrunk with their experimental theatre?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference closing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Duckie". duckie.co.uk. 2012-08-30. Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2012-08-30.
  6. ^ "Artists Mentors". jumpmentoring.com.au. 2012-08-30. Retrieved 2012-08-30.[permanent dead link‍]