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The Ephemeral life of an octopus- 2019
"There is the ancient, religious idea that man is the unhappy combination of beast and god: if only we were divine, we would be liberated, immortal spirit; if only we were beast, we could be content in our instinctive ignorance." The Human and the octopus by Thomas Stern. Link to essay > here <

The Ephemeral life of an octopus explores the emotional and physical collision of life and death within our reproductive organs, and is inspired by scientific (the development of cancer cells) and philosophical (the dislocation between body and mind) studies. 

The piece will study the reality of the body, the weight of its flesh and the physicality of a beast. 
More broadly, the piece will explore the weirdness of having a body.

Collaborators include Thomas Stern (Philosophy Lecturer, UCL), Adeola Olaitan (Gynaecological Oncologist, UCLH) and François Eisinger (Onco-Genetician, Institut Paoli-Calmettes Marseille).

Choreographer / Director:     Léa Tirabasso
Associate Producer:       Hattie Gregory
Dancers:      Rosie Terry Toogood, Jennifer Dubreuil, Joachim Maudet, Alistair Goldsmith
Composer:    Martin Durov
Project Manager:        Mathis Junet
External eye / Dramaturge:     Guillaume Pigé
Scientific Advisor:      Adeola Olaitan
Scientific Advisor:     François Eisinger
Philosophy Advisor:      Thomas Stern

Commissioned by
The Place London (UK)

Co-produced by
Kinneskbond, Mamer (LU)

Supported by
GFTA, Arts Council England
Choreodrome, Touch Wood via The Place London (UK)
Dance-City, Newcastle (UK)
Wellcome Collection (UK)
​Special thanks to Charity Eve Appeal (UK)
Fondation Indépendance (LU)
TROIS C-L, Centre de Création Luxembourgeois (LU)

Future work in progress showcases  
   March 2018, 3rd, Banannefabrik Luxembourg (LU) >> BOOK HERE << 
​   August 2018, 17th, Dance City, Newcastle (UK)
   August 2018, 24th, The Place, London (UK)
Past showcases
   September 2017, Touch Wood, The Place, London (UK)
Past ACTIVITIES around the Research and Development - SEPTEMBER 2017
Thursday 21st September 2017, 7pm - The Wellcome Collection, London
Conversation: Gynaeco-oncology, Philosophy and Dance. Can Science and Philosophy inform the making of a dance piece?
With Adeola Olaitan (Consultant Gynaeco-Oncologist, clinical lead of the Gynaecological Cancer Centre at UCLC), Thomas Stern (Senior Lecturer at UCL) and Léa Tirabasso (Choreographer).
Where? The Reading Room - Wellcome Collection


Thursday 28th September 2017, 7pm - The Wellcome Collection, London
Lecture: Disgust, Disease, Body - Illness
Led by Thomas Stern (Senior Lecturer UCL) followed by a facilitated discussion.
Where? The Reading Room - Wellcome Collection

R&D VIDEO >>  THE MAKING AND THE RESEARCH AROUND The Ephemeral life of an octopus
By Danilo Moroni

R&D Pictures: Danilo Moroni