LONGITUDE / Elastic Future & Hellicar & Lewis (US/UK-2014)

As the inaugural project of the BBC’s The Space, digital theatre pioneers elastic future, playwright Tim Wright, and an artistic team based in Barcelona, Lagos and London presented a new international and interactive performance experience using the widely available, free-to-access networks and social-media platforms we use every day. Harnessing Google Hangouts as a digital space for performance, Longitude provided a new way to experience live international performance.

Following three countries around the Greenwich Meridian, the drama unfolded online over three weeks about the impending global struggle to corner the market in fresh water and make a killing from climate change.

Viewers could join AWASH Academy’s ‘Record of Change’ movement by sharing photos or videos of signs of climate change, big or small, in their area using the hashtag #AWASH.

Episode 1
City analyst Nerida Thomson has dug up an amazing prospect in Lagos, Nigeria, where a desperate need for water could end up netting Nerida millions – but only the strange leaders of the Academy of Water and Spiritual Healing (AWASH) have the connections to make it happen.

Episode 2
A deal with the Academy is struck, and Amenawon’s plan to bring a huge shipment of water to Lagos is within reach. But who can you really trust when millions of pounds are at stake?

Episode 3
London and Lagos are waiting for their ships to come in, and Barcelona is pulling the strings. Will the water conspiracy succeed? Or is too much to hope that five people can change the world.

Longitude Q&A
With Liat Clark of Wired Magazine and the creators of Longitude online via Google Hangout for the LIFT 2014 festival.

elastic future:  Erin Gilley, Marc Blinder
Barcelona creative team: Cris Blanco, Aimar Pérez Galí
Lagos creative team: Ifeoma Fafunwa, Toyin Oshinaike
London creative team:  Emily Altneu, Kiron Chakraborty, Tim Wright, Hellicar & Lewis

Complementing the online performances, Longitude included a gallery installation by Hellicar & Lewis at Watermans throughout June and July.

Commissioned by LIFT, Abandon Normal Devices, British Council Nigeria and Watermans in partnership with Google Art Project. Commissioned as part of the Imagine 2020 network, with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union.