Poignant, inventive, and profoundly affecting, Absence and Presence is a timeless meditation on loss, memory, and the enduring presence of those we love.
When his father's body lay undiscovered for ten days in 1985, Andrew Dawson was left to confront a complex mixture of grief, guilt, and love. Out of this deeply personal experience emerged a work of extraordinary emotional honesty.
More than 20 years after its inception, Dawson revisits his award-winning production, bringing a deepened perspective to a work that will continue to resonate.
Blending moments of tenderness with wry humour, he explores the unique bond between father and son through a powerful language of unspoken intimacy, movement, sculpture, and video, underpinned by an evocative score from Joby Talbot.
Total Theatre Award (2005) Herald Angel Award (2005) The Carol Tambor Award (2005)
Absence & Presence returns to South Street to preview ahead of an exclusive run at The Barbican.
Credits Performance: Andrew Dawson Direction: Andrew Dawson in collaboration with Jos Houben & Graham Johnston Music: Joby Talbot Video: Andrew Dawson, Graham Johnston Lighting: Andrew Dawson, Steven Smith
A co-production with Fabrik, Potsdam 2005
Age guidance: 12+ Running time: 60 mins (no interval)
'Andrew Dawson's astonishing, almost unbearably moving "Absence & Presence"...'
