In the Dark is a live performance installation and political activation for public spaces after nightfall, created by Leah Shelton and Lisa Fa’alafi (Polytoxic). It is an agitation and reclamation around agency, voice, and holding space.

This new work in development is influenced by Fiona VeraGray’s writings in ‘The Right Amount of Panic — How Women Trade Freedom for Safety’ which explores how much energy goes into avoiding sexual violence. The labour that goes into feeling safe tends to be largely unnoticed, even by women and others undertaking it themselves, let alone the wider world.

In the Dark will eventually combine text, visual projection and sound with physical performance, in a continuation of Polytoxic’s past site-specific art collaborations such as Trade Winds and Privacy Settings. During Adhocracy, Polytoxic will interrogate the concept, develop new visuals, and experiment with performance content.

Image: Alinta Krauth

FULL PROGRAM AVAILABLE HERE