Press room

Following an acclaimed run as part of London International Mime Festival 2019, the Barbican brings back The Wedding by physical theatre company Gecko, for one week only in June.

A nine-strong ensemble take audiences on a journey which begins in a dystopian world in which everyone is a bride, wedded to society, and ends with a thrillingly tribal and rhythmic finale promising revolution and hope.

With intricate choreography, provocative narratives and vivid symbolism, The Wedding calls into question the union between state and individual, amid a flurry of white dresses.

UK-based Gecko set stages alight with their large scale, extravagantly choreographed shows. Led by Artistic Director Amit Lahav, the company’s spectacular performances use minimal dialogue and confront important themes, specifically looking at community and isolation in The Wedding.

The cast is: Madeleine Fairminer, Vanessa Guevara Flores, Saju Hari, Wai Shan Vivian Luk, Mario Patrón, Ryen Perkins-Gangnes, Uroš Petronijević, Miguel Hernando Torres Umba, and Kenny Wing Tao Ho.

Tickets for The Wedding go on sale on Wednesday 23 March to Patrons, Thursday 24 March to Barbican Members and on general sale on Friday 25 March.

Founded in 2001, Gecko are currently creating their eighth stage production, commissioned by the National Theatre, exploring themes of racism, family, migration, and home. The company have a deep interest in human beings and the extraordinary and challenging journeys to express feelings and emotions in society. Their work is made by and for people from a multitude of cultures in an attempt to represent everyone, regardless of age, gender and background. They use multiple languages to tell universal stories through movement and emotion, sound, lighting and set design to explore and reflect issues relevant to modern audiences.

Gecko’s Creative Engagement programme supports the company’s artistic output, inviting performers, teachers, professional artists, students of theatre or dance and the public to bravely and open heartedly delve into new worlds of connection, imagination and discovery through creativity and play. It provides an opportunity to explore the techniques and processes used to create and perform work in a safe and supportive environment to express, heal, be vulnerable, nurture empathy, uncover truth and foster deep relationships. The company is featured on the A-Level, GCSE and International Baccalaureate drama/dance syllabi and is included in educational textbooks for both students and teachers.


Listings information

The Wedding
Gecko
UK
Created by Amit Lahav
Design by Rhys Jarman
Lighting by Joe Hornsby
Sound by Jonathan Everett
Original Music by Dave Price
Associate Director Rich Rusk
Costumes by Gayle Playford
Produced by Rosalind Wynn
Trumpet: Tom Allan
Double Bass: Sam Burgess
Guitar: Ben Hales
Oud: Frank Moon
Clarinet: Dave Shulman
Double Bass/Bass Guitar: Jon Thomas
Vocals/Krar: Temesgen Zeleke
Cast: Madeleine Fairminer, Vanessa Guevara Flores, Saju Hari, Wai Shan Vivian Luk, Mario Patrón, Ryen Perkins-Gangnes, Uroš Petronijević, Miguel Hernando Torres Umba, Kenny Wing Tao Ho
Tue 7–Sat 11 Jun 2022 (5 performances)
Barbican Theatre
7.45pm 
1 hour 20 mins/no interval
£16–38 plus booking fee
Age guidance: 14+
Press night: Tue 7 Jun 2022, 7.45pm
Post-show talk (BSL-interpreted): Thu 9 Jun 2022

Presented by the Barbican in association with London International Mime Festival