Working with a cast of collaborators aged 60 and above – whose desire was forbidden in their youth – Act 3 considers what it means for these feelings to be hidden.

Referencing Kenneth Macmillan’s Bedroom Pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet, the performance unfolds on a mattress, combining surreal visuals with an everyday setting to blur the lines between fantasy and reality.

Act 3 is inspired by queer modernism and the work of photography collective PaJaMa. This collective created scenes of magical realism, featuring New York’s young bisexual or gay artists, dancers, and writers in the 1930s and 1940s.

This is the final instalment in a trilogy of works by choreographer, performer and visual artist Christopher Matthews. Continuing his studies of intimacy between two figures, Act 3 is an exploration of queer desire in later life.

This is a free installation in our front of house areas. Come along from 4.30pm on Wed 10 and 5pm on Thu 11 Apr.

Christopher Matthews is an award winning American-born choreographer, performer and visual artist working from London. His practice is deeply embedded in performing, hailing from a classical ballet and early modern dance training as well as classical and commercial jazz. Matthews utilises these performed and constructed histories at the core of his work, with a concern for how themes and techniques are ways in which one performs. In this way he considers his craft not only a tool to serve an idea, but as something to be investigated.

Thematically, Matthews’ works are intended to be a dialogue with the audience on the subjects of spectatorship, criticism, gender, body image, queerness, working conditions, intersections of the classical and contemporary, icon vs self, pop culture and dance histories.

Matthews holds a BFA from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and an MA in Choreography from Trinity Laban. His​ ​video​ ​and​ ​performance​ ​works​ ​have​ ​been​ ​presented​​ ​internationally, including at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Sadler’s Wells, Art Night 2018, Enclave Gallery, Arbyte Gallery, ]performance space[, Chisenhale Dance Space, MonArt Digital Art, CollectArt, LimaZulu, 4BID Gallery​, Mount Florida Gallery, Castlefield Gallery​,​ Prism Contemporary, ​Millennium, ​Reykjavik Dance Festival, Cent Quatre, MCLA Gallery 51, Villa Empain, ​Loop Video Art Festival, and was just named a 2024 Blue Chip Finalist.

As a performer, Matthews currently works with Trajal Harrell and just wrapped filming on the Wicked film, due out in 2024.

Performers Roberto Ishii, Stephen Rowe, Donald Hutera, Bruce Currie, John Charles Marshall, Andy Newman, Markus Trunk
Studio Management Maya Orchin and Jenna Mason
Dramaturgy Marnie Russell
Costume Repair Ella Yolande Porter