I’d rather die than die alone is structured by a series of texts which are passed around an inner circle of audience members, creating a curious and intimate experience of belonging and being left out. The texts come from both found material and new writing in response to the Oneida Community (a Christian sect from New York State who attempted a communal living experiment in the mid-19th century) and Conway’s Game of Life (a mathematical solitaire game notable as an example of a self-organising system). Three performers, one of whom begins as an audience plant, orchestrate the actions. As the piece develops, connections emerge, theatrical gestures are introduced, and choreographies are assembled. As disparate contents are laid side by side, a narrative is constructed about desire, perfectibility and the fallible, individuals and collectivity.
Performed at East End Collaborations, Queen Mary, University of London, 2009.
