451 City: The Cult of K*NZO

On 5 November 2016, Paula Varjack found herself queuing at 4am, outside of a shopping centre in East London for the collaboration between the high end designer KENZO and high street label H&M. Five hours later, she and twenty others were given ten minutes to shop a cordoned off section of a store. After paying at a till staffed by cheering applauding sales assistants, she emerged carrying the largest shopping bag she had ever carried, in a complete and total daze. What had just happened? What was it about KENZO?

The Cult of K*NZO is a solo performance combining storytelling, videography, sound design and choreography, to playfully explore one woman’s life-long desire for luxury, the ways in which luxury brands create that desire, and the journey of one man’s dream to become a fashion designer. Across all of these stories are outsiders, the tension between inclusion and exclusion, and the mysterious allure of high end. Why do we want the things that we want? What’s in a brand?

This production contains a chase lighting sequence. Age restrictions: 12+

451 City is a bi-monthly showcase of local, national and international spoken word, plus the opportunity for you to share your words in the open mic.

Hosted by Ricky Tart.

The Cult of K*NZO is co-commissioned by Camden People’s Theatre and Battersea Arts Centre. Developed at Barbican Open Lab, ARC, Live Art Bistro, The Marlborough, The Bikeshed, Poplar Union and rehearsed at Old Diorama Arts Centre. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.