Running on Cargo

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Rule Britannia-





Rule Britannia is an audio-visual performance piece in which the everyday sounds of making tea are captured in a live setting and manipulated to create a narrative mapping the tea’s journey from grower to consumer. This imagined narrative contextualises the product in relation to wider social, political, historical and environmental forces. The piece ‘de-simplifies’ the act of drinking tea, exposing it to be an activity inseparable from imperialism, exploitation, ritual, relaxation, politics, patriotism and privilege. The piece culminates in tea being distributed to the audience creating a participatory environment which places audience members as active characters within this narrative.This piece was featured on Radio 3’s In Tune program with Sean Rafferty in 2019.