Cast: Liz Aggiss, Maria Burton, Rachel Chaplin, Ellie Curtis, Virginia Farman, Kay Lynn, Sian Thomas.

Costume and Lighting: Christina Ure

A full-length dance theatre production loosely based on texts by German Expressionist playwright Frank Wedekind. Each performer embodies a character /archetype: Wedekind, Lulu, Kaiser, Moritz, Holtoff the Strongman, Fischmann the Dog. This ‘performance within a performance’, is overseen by a raging Ring Mistress. Each character confronts the sexual hypocrisy and bourgeois values that informed Wedekind’s writing. The structure of the performance is organised in precise sections that give each character a solo whilst the group takes on a chorus role. All performers are dressed in white and the production uses sculptural or frozen moments to ensure images are burnt into the space.

Premiere 15th February 1988 Spring Loaded, The Place, London

'This ballet of frustration translates a cry of rage into a dance metaphor for a whole society’s anxiety’
Julia Pascal the Guardian

‘Aggiss and Cowie work for visual effect and the meshing of sound and movement ensure that the production is packed with long lasting images to reflect upon’
Christy Adair Spare Rib

‘…… .the chief pleasure here is the devoted reconstruction of Wedekindian irreverence in the face of sexual and social mores – not completely out of place in these straight-laced times’
R. Takvorian Ballett International

References for Eleven Executions
Adair, C. (1988) Dance, Dance, Dance Spare Rib 35
Aggiss, L, Cowie, B. Bramley, I (2006) Anarchic Dance. Routledge
Bown, W. (1988 February 19) Divas The Place. Hampstead and Highgate Express
Pascal, J. (1988 February 18) Eleven Executions. Guardian
Tavorian, R. (1988 June/July). While London burns from the front row. Ballet International. 6/7, 70-72

Extracts available of the live performance, on DVD, in the book ‘Anarchic Dance' by Liz Aggiss, Billy Cowie with Ian Bramley (Routledge)