Fast Fashion and Slow Activism
Fast Fashion and Slow Activism: Alison Jeffer’s reflections on Common Wealth’s Fast Fast Slow at the 2023 British Textile Biennial, Blackburn. From October-November 2023, Common […]
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Fast, Fast, Slow
Fast Fast Slow explores the complexity of our personal relationships with fashion, fast fashion, and waste.
An international exploration into our relationship with clothes – we buy too many, we wear once, we wear forever, we use them as urban protection, they make us feel bad about ourselves, they make us feel incredible. Fast Fast Slow is a VIP catwalk experience inviting us to look at consumerism and waste through the lens of fashion. Performed by a cast of untrained models of all ages they tell us their stories, dance, strut and make us laugh, it’s a non-judgemental space for us all to reflect collectively.
Accompanied by video art, choreography, cinematic lighting and an electronic sound score we enter an experience that is at once local and global, personal and political taking us to the clothes mountains of Ghana and back again to the outfit we’re sat watching in to explore the impact of fast fashion and the wide-ranging and damaging dynamics of place and power.
Fast, Fast, Slow showcases concept collections from six co-designers from East Lancashire, UK and collaborators from The Revival in Accra, Ghana, a community-led sustainable design and campaigning organisation. Commissioned by The British Textile Biennial in 2023 and originally staged in Blackburn, an area built on a now almost defunct textile industry where an online fast fashion distributor is a major employer.
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“Bradford-based theatre company Common Wealth really are in a league of their own when it comes to making compelling, visceral work that addresses urgent contemporary issues. Not only do they tackle sometimes challenging themes head on, they also seek to effect social change through their innovative, collaborative storytelling.
Their latest show – Fast, Fast, Slow which explores fast fashion, waste and our complicated relationship with clothes – is a perfect example of their consciousness-raising approach” The Yorkshire Post
Credits
Director – Evie Manning
Creative Producers – Ezra Nash and May McQuade
Designer – Sascha Gilmour
Co-creators – Saba Iftikhar, Carl Walker, Ume Habiba, Eloise Crossley, Aneesah Rashid, Chloe Northlight
The Revival Co-Creators – Kwamena Boison and Yayra Agbofa
Models – Qaraman Mohammed Saidzada, Kelly Semtungo , Stephen O’Hagan, Tabinda Khauas, Lucy Eleanor Williams, Patricia Ann Willo Williams, Falak Raja, Muskaan Khan, Aminah Iftikhar, Caelan Salmon, Safaa-Noor Ithikhar
Film by Director Banini and Crew (Producer – Ibrahim Adu, Sound – Fortunate Ayieb, Camera Assistant – Benjamin Adjei, Drone – Kwame Isaac Ayinsu, Runner – King Faisal)
Where are you Wearing Facilitators – Maleehah Hussain, Susie Edwards
Choreographer – May McQuade
Assistant Choreographers – Kate Cox & Darren Pritchard
Dramaturg – Sarah Thom
Composer and Video Design- Wojciech Rusin
Lighting Designer – Andy Purves
Production Manager – Matt Sykes Hooban
Technician & Video Pro – Conal Walsh
Stage Manager – Kayleigh Chapman
Sound Technician – Tom Robbins
Assistant Producers – Saoirse Teale and Mariyah Kayat
Production Support – Ellie Dennis, Leon Ivic, Rose Dastor, Harry Leadbeater, Amina Sheikh, Susie Edwards, Chels Stoyles, Ume Habiba, Uzma Raziq, Anisah Khan, Susie Edwards
Chaperone – Cassandra Webster
Common Wealth Executive Director – Ali Dunican
Commissioned by British Textile Biennial for October 2023 supported by Bradford Council.