At North Shields’ iconic Fish Quay on 25 October, Se Gæst | The Guest takes on a new resonance in a community shaped by the sea and centuries of trade and migration.
This powerful new production, exploring national identity, belonging and community, will tour across the North East and beyond this autumn. Created by acclaimed choreographer and theatre-maker Anthony Lo-Giudice, Se Gæst | The Guest fuses dance, live music and storytelling to pose urgent questions about who we are as a nation – and what it truly means to belong.
Anthony Lo-Giudice is a North East-based artist recognised for his emotionally charged and visually striking productions that place people, place and identity at their heart. His work has toured nationally and internationally, often rooted in the landscapes and stories of the North East. Se Gæst | The Guest marks his most ambitious project to date, developed in collaboration with communities across the country.
The production tells the story of a young boy who washes ashore in England, forcing a fractured community to confront its ideas of tolerance, blame, nostalgia, and the realities of a rapidly changing world. Drawing on interviews and real conversations with people across England, the piece reflects the country’s complex and often conflicting emotions around identity and belonging.
“This work is about listening – to the uncomfortable, the conflicted, and the tender truths of what it means to be from somewhere, or to arrive there. Through movement, story and music, we’re asking: who do we become when we stand together?”
– Anthony Lo-Giudice
Rich in original music, physical performance and raw storytelling, Se Gæst | The Guest is both deeply personal and boldly political. It invites audiences to reflect on their own place within a shifting national narrative, asking: who are we, where have we come from, and where are we going – together?
North Shields Fish Quay – 25 October, 3.00pm
Tickets: Eventbrite.co.uk – £15 (+£1.96 booking fee)
Ahead of the main performance, audiences will enjoy a special pre-show presentation by Mouths of the Tyne Community Choir, North Tyneside Youth Dance, and Helix Arts’ Falling on Your Feet dance company for over-65s.
Together, these groups form an intergenerational cast of 50 performers, ranging in age from 8 to 85, who will premiere This Boat Must Hold Us All. The piece has been devised in collaboration with composer Bridie Jackson, choreographer Anthony Lo-Giudice, and the performers themselves, who have contributed original lyrics and movement inspired by the cultural identity and coastal landscapes of the North East.
Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support and The Fishermen’s Mission, with the final amount announced before the event begins.