In Loco Parentis
VDT on Stage
2020
“Vitally important social messages way beyond the parameters of theatre and dance” DanceTabs
Critically acclaimed for translating real-life testimonies into beautifully crafted performance work, Vincent’s In Loco Parentis sheds light on the extraordinary resilience of care-experienced young people, demanding that their stories be seen and heard.
Three adult and two extraordinary young performers combine movement, strong visual imagery and spoken word to explore the cycles of rupture and repair that drive children into care. The work exposes the emotional impact that foster care and adoption has on young people’s lives and reflects on everyone’s need to feel safe and to belong.
Age Guidance 14+
“Agonisingly visceral and often beyond words” – The Psychologist
PAST TOUR DATES
03 March – Connaught Theatre, Worthing
06 March – Civic Theatre, Barnsley
12 March – The Quarterhouse, Folkestone
17 March – The Arts Centre, Ormskirk, nr Liverpool CANCELLED
26 March – Pavilion Dance South West, Bournemouth CANCELLED
28 March – The Place, London CANCELLED
31 March – Theatre Royal, Portsmouth CANCELLED
DISCUSSION EVENTS
We run informal discussion events with invited specialist guests from the care sector and arts world before or after the show at each venue. You can find out more about the socially engaged practice that created the show and how the themes of the work apply to the real world.
All discussion events are included in the ticket price.
WORTHING THEATRES – Premiere 3 March
How do societal issues influence the nature of our care system, and how can therapeutic approaches in all of our care professions help to heal early developmental trauma in children. With special guests:
Bobbie Farsides – Professor of Clinical & Biomedical Ethics, Brighton & Sussex Medical School
Louise Michelle Bomber – Director of TouchBase, an organisation that supports children and young people recovering from and living with past trauma.
Context
In Loco Parentis is the latest of a series of works that explore the impact of our adult world on young lives. This new production comes as the 4th in the series, including Virgin Territory (2016), Shut Down (2017) & Art of Attachment (2018), all critically acclaimed for translating real-life testimonies into beautifully crafted performance work. In Loco Parentis is the partner piece to Art of Attachment, which saw Vincent collaborating with women in recovery from substance misuse, some of whom had been separated from their children.
Throughout 2019 VDT underwent a period of research and collaboration with care-experienced young people and the adults in their lives. The company’s creative methodology unpacks and captures the emotional labour and lived experience of participants, then translates thoughts and contributions creatively into live and film work. The participants’ voices will feature front and centre as the main driver of the show, intending to challenge, provoke and stimulate public debate amongst contemporary audiences.
Read the Press Releases to find out more:
Press Release (2019)
Press Release (2020)
“What gives Vincent’s work its power is that it is born not of hot-housed theory but of lived experience. It comes from the heart and that’s not always a pretty place.” – The Observer
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
We have a fabulous collection of short films that describe the show, the research process with care experienced young people, the creative methodology used in the studio, the themes of the work, what audiences can expect.
Director's Note
Read Charlotte Vincent’s Director’s Note here
INTERVIEW WITH CHOREOGRAPHER
Q: As an artist, what drives your exploration of these challenging societal issues?
A: Equality, mostly. The need for understanding and compassion rather than judgement. The need for young people to be heard. If I can use the platform I have for any of that then I’m in. In the past 5 years the company’s work has integrated the voices of marginalised people through our performance and social engagement work to encourages experiences, stories and narratives that usually remain hidden to come to the surface…
Read the full interview with Charlotte about In Loco Parentis
Reviews / Articles
COMMISSIONERS
In Loco Parentis Premiered at Connaught Theatre, Worthing and toured UK venues in Spring 2020.
VDT is a National Portfolio Organisation, funded by Arts Council England. In Loco Parentis was co-commissioned by Worthing Theatres and PDSW.