A Hunger Artist
An absurdist adaptation of Franz Kafka’s story
Hannah is the Assistant Director of CVIV Arts, she has been working on their current project ‘A Hunger Artist’. Working with company director Carrieanne Vivianette, Hannah has been involved in the R&D, planning and rehearsal stages of the production.
The Show
From his first to his fortieth day. There was a time when people would gather day after day, night after night, to watch a man starve. The Hunger Artist drew crowds from all around. Whatever the light, at any hour, he was quite happy at the prospect of spending a sleepless night with such watchers.But fashions change and fame fades fast as audiences find new forms of entertainment.
No longer a main attraction, the Hunger Artist finds himself side-lined in a circus, drowned out by the roar of the animals and all but forgotten by the paying punters. As the crowds thin, the Hunger Artist is still driven to perform. For art. For spectacle. For curiosity and control.
How far will he go to prove himself and to pursue his obsession?
This absurdist adaptation of Franz Kafka’s ‘A Hunger Artist’ takes a man, a cage and a clock and attempts to unpick the simple topics of the nature of art and the human condition…
The Creatives
Hunger Artist: Henry Petch
Warder: Richard Koslowsky
Narrator: Carrieanne Vivianette
Director: Carrieanne Vivianette
Assistant Director: Hannah Stacey
Original Music: Duncan Evans
Photography/PR Designer: Mark Hillyer
Movement work: Phil Sanger
Marketing/ PR: Alex Herod
Stage Manager: Enya Lucas
CVIV Arts is a Yorkshire based company creating bold and exciting performance work.
Show dates
3rd July 2021
Salford Arts Centre, Greater Manchester Fringe
Manchester
21st March 2020, POSTPONED
The Carriageworks
Leeds
19th September 2020- POSTPONED
The Carriageworks
Leeds
7th March 2020
Seven Arts Centre
Leeds
14th-15th Aug 2020- POSTPONED
The Hope Theatre, Camden Fringe Festival
London
21st February 2020
Square Chapel Arts
Halifax
Digital Showing
Digital performance during lockdown
Reviews
“The Hunger Artist’s movements get less and less controlled, grunting and hurling himself about with animal intensity before subsiding to exhaustion. When he hallucinates, the Narrator has an intense narrative of overlapping phrases, well delivered by Vivianette, which calls to mind Lucky in Waiting for Godot and reminds us how much the spirit of Beckett looms over proceedings.”
— Ron Simpson, The Reviews Hub
“Really moving and sensitive portrayal- music complimented the performance by Henry. The Humour was well timed and pitched as a counter balance to the topic. Hope to see more”
— Audience Member
“In conclusion it was a powerful and interesting performance which portrayed the Hunger Artist well with his desperation and endeavour to survive and stay the main attraction for as long as possible. All three characters were superbly acted...”
— Debbie Jennings, Number 9 Reviews
“I really liked the whole atmosphere, set design and sound scape which captured the melancholy and desired tone. The acting was great, the commitment to physicality… ”
—Audience Member
“Through the use of absurdist humour, co-writer’s Vivianette and Neil Rathmell maintain the source materials ambiguous minimalism, elsewhere reflected in the near empty stage of Duncan Evans’s sparse sound design, to ask questions of the audience.”
— Susan Darlington, The Morning Star
“Very powerful. I felt like both theatre audience and an audience at the circus. I was drawn in. A very clever and unusual show and experience. ”
—Audience Member
