Performance Dork is a participatory adventure show about being a performance art dork* and wanting to do dorky performance art things. It is influenced by 80s and 90s fantasy shows such as Dungeons & Dragons, Jamie’s Magic Torch, Knightmare, and Round the Twist. It mashes together experiences of escape rooms, roleplay games, immersive theatre, and performance art festivals. In it Daniel, the Performance Dork, has discovered a bottle of magic liquid that he can pour on himself to take him anywhere he wants to be, and he always wants to be in the midst of doing a weird and bawdy performance art show.  The audience join him and his assistant Andy Spinkle as he uses the liquid to escape from angsty neuroboring scenarios such as ‘dad’s drinks’ or ‘being in a reading group’, and emerge into messy, fantastical and rude performance art experiences. 

 

*A dork, like a nerd, is obsessive and socially awkward, but unlike a nerd they are not necessarily intelligent. The word ‘dork’ probably originates from the word ‘dick’, when used as an insult. 

 

Created and performed in collaboration with Claudia Palazzo, with support from Arts Council England, Duckie, and Cambridge Junction

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Duration: 45-60 mins depending on participants

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Music by Steve Blake. Co-performer Claudia Palazzo.

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Trailer made my Claire Nolan with sound by Tom Wilson.

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Photos from Disrupt Festival, Cambridge Junction, by Claire Haigh.

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