Dussskk

Produced by Snap-Elastic in association with Mahogany Opera

Dussskk is a musikdrama for neurodivergent teenagers by Claire Eliza Willoughby, specifically created for those who enjoy sound and seek sensory aural experiences. The piece will be a hybrid of gig / choral concert and immersive Gesamtkunstwerk – “a total work of art”. The piece has been inspired by difficult transition periods, emotional shifts and the magic of the inbetween.

Dussskk will be an immersive, kinaesthetic and aural experience with many facets of the performance - lighting, sound, costume and movement - coming together to envelop the audience, who can move amongst the performers. It will feature 5 singers and will use the full range of vocal expression - from breath sounds and ugly, crunchy vocals to choral singing.

Following on from Claire Eliza Willoughby’s time as a Jerwood Fellow with Oily Cart and Imaginate, this piece is a culmination of 2 years of research and training in how to make sensory work with and for young disabled audiences. It draws from her time training with the Meredith Monk Vocal Ensemble in New York, mentoring as part of her Fellowship with Hannah Tulliki and her work co-creating Roll Up!, our Snappy Opera made with, by and for disabled children. Dussskk has been awarded the highly competitive Jerwood New Work Fund 2023, which will go towards the development and presentation of the piece in 2025.