Title (2) File type Publiseringsdato Download
Review of Kate Pendry's production Dead Diana: Decade (2007) pdf September 3, 2007 Download
Sesongprogramkatalog Black Box Teater høsten 2007. pdf August 2007 Download

Dead Diana: Decade

Dead Diana: Decade (2007) by Kate Pendry was a production opening exactly ten years after the death of the real Princess Diana of Wales in a car accident in Paris. In a dark and naked room, with a spotlight as the only source of illumination, the audience got to meet Kate Pendry herself in the role of the resurrected princess, called back from her celebrity hell in Paradise.

Information

(Objekt ID 9131)
Object type Production
Premiere August 31, 2007
Produced by
Coproducers Black Box Teater
Audience Adults
Language English
Keywords Performance, Theatre, Biographical theatre, Monologue
Running period August 31, 2007  

Requirements to venue

Blackout No
More

Kate Pendry created the concept Dead Diana already in 1997, as a reaction to the celebrity hysteria surrounding the death of Lady Diana. Until 2007 Pendry had performed a first and shorter version with great success all over Europe.

Dead Diana: Decade was a production exploring the celebrity obsession of the human, the hunger for eternal youth and an increasing culture of fear. Kate Pendry reflects over what has happened with society during the ten years since Princess Diana died. A decade during which the world had witnessed some of the most marked changes in modern history: The digital revolution, the change of millennia and the aftermath of September 11th.

The Dead Diana concept in 2007 also included a radio program broadcast by RadiOrakel (The Dead Diana Corporation World News aka The DDC News), a website and an industrial spoken-word CD. 

Dead Diana: Decade was supported by Arts Council Norway.

Contributors (4)
Name Role
Kate Pendry – Concept/Idea
Kate Pendry – Direction
Per Platou – Sound design
Kate Pendry – Actor
Performance dates
September 12, 2007Teaterhuset Avant Garden Show
September 11, 2007Teaterhuset Avant Garden Show
September 9, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
September 8, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
September 7, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
September 6, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
September 5, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
September 4, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
September 2, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
September 1, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Show
August 31, 2007Lille scene (Marstrandgata), Black box teater Worldwide premiere
Press coverage

"And so the dead Diana of Pendry’s function all through the performance. She builds up and breaks down. She has us laugh when admitting, giggling, that «I did suck cock», she caresses our necks, before she stabs us in the back, between the shoulders, with harsh accusations. From the other side she both loves and despises us «little humans». It is an extremely thorough and fun, political and hard-hitting performance which never becomes predictable. Pendry asks the important questions, but she offers no correct answers, except from insisting there is no salvation in dead princesses. If I only get one chance to end a review with an insisting «see it!» this year, I will use it now."

Orre, Annette (03.09.2010). Review titled Kraftverket Kate* (The Power Plant Kate). Dagsavisen, dagsavisen.no, 16.11.2010, http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/article313390.ece

*Not yet translated into English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.