the vacuum cleaner

Presented by Word of Warning, Guiness Northern Counties + Z-arts
during Domestic

####In Brief
The Metropolitan Police call him a “Domestic Extremist”. The NHS have described him as “highly disturbed”, and labelled him with Borderline Personality Disorder. “A real and present threat to the safe running of our lawful business” is how E.ON described him at the Royal Courts of Justice.

He prefers the term “Mental”.

An autobiographical performance by artist-activist, the vacuum cleaner.

Please note: this show contains material that some people may find upsetting and is not suitable for those under the age of 16; this is a show for maximum 18 people, lasting approximately 50 minutes.

####Venue + Booking Details
ALL PERFORMANCES ARE SOLD-OUT
(Day One: Friday 8 November 2013, 8pm)
(Day Two: Saturday 9 November 2013, 4pm + 8pm)
Venue: Cooper House, off Boundary Lane, Manchester, M15 6DX — a 5 minute walk from Oxford Road (Aquatic Centre/RNCM), with a bus stop right outside for no’s 53, 85, 86, 99, 101, 104, 105, 108, 109, 112, 250, 253, 263 & 291.
LIMITED CAPACITIES, BOOKING ESSENTIAL:
Tickets: £6/4, can be booked online; a fee applies.
Tickets: £6/4, can be reserved over the phone: 07581 299 439 (leave a message + we’ll get back to you).

####Access Information
As a sited event, Domestic presents a number of access challenges. The flat Mental takes place in is level access, but doorways are narrow and wheelchair access may not be possible dependent on width. If you are a wheelchair user planning to come please contact us asap on 07581 299 439. Seating is on floor cushions, though a chair will be provided on request.
Spoken word based, it contains material some people may find upsetting.
Age advisory: 16+
For specific age and access information please email info@habarts.org or call 07581 299 439.

####More
After ten years of being an outlaw and inpatient, notorious artist-activist the vacuum cleaner (famed for hijacking the Starbucks logo, parodying the Olympic twitter account and causing a minor riot by giving away 100,000 one cent Euros of free money) presents an autobiographical performance told through his psychiatric records, police intelligence files and corporate injunctions — all collected through the Data Protection Act.

Mental is James’ first autobiographical show, contrasting official language(s) against poignant and darkly humorous personal recollections. Spanning 13 years of his adult life, the show describes his experiences of severe and debilitating mental illness, suicide, social isolation, stigma, and police and corporate surveillance because of his activism and art.

“Although the show is intense, many of the taboos within the show need to be talked about. For example, the high rates of suicide in men under 35, current undercover police operations and the length that big business will go to silence its critics.”

Held in the intimate setting of a bedroom, a limited audience are invited to join him under an oversized duvet. Accompanied by an OHP and vinyl records, James provides a welcoming environment for you to explore his pertinent experiences of the dynamics of power.

####Who is he?
the vacuum cleaner is an art and activism collective of one. Through site-specific performance, street-based intervention and film, the vacuum cleaner empowers his audience to address socio-political issues including consumerism and mental health discrimination. From one-man shows to large-scale participatory actions, his approach is variously subtle and extreme, but always candid, provocative and playful.

He is an Artsadmin Associate Artist. His work has been commissioned and exhibited internationally, including at Tate Modern, ICA, Fierce Festival, the Centre for Contemporary Art Glasgow, the Liverpool Biennial, the Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), Wooster Collective (USA), Anti Festival (Finland), Centre d’Art Contemporain (Switzerland), Hebbel-Am-Ufer, Tanztendenz (Germany), Khoj Live 08 (India). His films have been commissioned by BBC4, Channel 4 and Arte.

####What people have said about him

One of the most powerful portraits of creativity and depression I’ve ever seen
Realtime Arts

####Credits
Directed by Perrier Award ‘Best Newcomer’ Kim Noble.
Supported by Artsadmin and In Between Time; supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Domestic is produced by hÅb; supported by Guinness Northern Counties, Z-arts + City Response Ltd.

####Websites
www.thevacuumcleaner.co.uk | @vacuumcleaner