Moths Must be Moaning
The theatre is dark besides a few red lights. On one side of the stage there is a small fan, blowing at low speed. On the left we see two actors next to a rack filled with small plastic cups. In each of these a moth was bred. One of the actors opens the lid from a cup and takes out the moth. Gently she lets the moth acclimatise to its surroundings on the tip of her index finger. A very gentle draft from the pheromone lure flows in the direction of the moth. You can see the moth slowly flapping its wings. The flapping soon transforms into an elegant wing movement. In a very characteristic swerving motion it glides and perches onto the pheromone lure. The simplicity of this pure act of nature is subliminal. Very soon there are ten moths on each finger tip. They all take off simultaneously forming a complex synchronous flying pattern, landing together on the lure. The flying moths command the attention of the audience. It’s perfect.
Only this does not happen. It never did.
Moths Must be Moaning is a theatrical experiment exploring the possibility to understand the crisis on the cotton farms from the perspective of its most invasive pest the Pink Bollworm Moth.
*Pink Bollworm moths were not used during the performance instead a close cousin that was not a quarantined specie was used.
with Julia van der Putten and Dr. Emily Burdfield-Steele