SLAVE Conference November 24, 2010

The University of Salford and Feelgood Theatre Productions have teamed up to organise an interdisciplinary conference that will explore the various literary, cultural and societal questions raised by Feelgood’s production of Slave – A Question of Freedom, adapted from Mende Nazer’s critically acclaimed autobiography Slave (Virago). The conference will include contributions from a range of speakers including:

Mende Nazer (author of Slave)
Damien Lewis (documentary filmmaker and co-author of Slave)
Caroline Clegg (director of Slave – A Question of Freedom)

The conference is aimed at academics, practitioners, students, community groups and members of the public. Core to the event will be interdisciplinary panels on Testimony and Performance, which will be followed by a closing plenary panel with Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis, hosted in the Compass Room at the Lowry Theatre. Conference delegates will also attend the matinee performance of Slave at the Lowry’s Quays Theatre.

In addition, the conference will highlight the work of community groups that are involved in areas such as asylum and the use of drama and performance to express personal experience. The conference will include a short performance by Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST) in collaboration with Community Arts North West (CAN).

Albert Einstein once observed, ‘The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources’. Verbatim or testimony theatre aims to do the opposite and acknowledge the roots of the story in real life. This conference will explore the complex relationships that exist between eyewitness accounts, storytelling and public performance.

The conference costs £68 and tickets can be booked from the box office on 0843 208 6000 or via The Lowry website.

Official Website: http://www.salford.ac.uk/events/details/1236