After Hunger
Expanded Opera | Sculpture | Metal | Installation
RCA Garden House, July 2024
A 5 act thespian noise opera featuring tape loops, monologue and metal sculpture intrumentation.
1. By the Light of the Moon.
2. A Vengeful Bug.
3. Hunted.
4. Apathy in Blue.
5. Once a Boy Always a Tree.
"After Hunger” is a collaborative project created by Ushara Dilrukshan and Sonnie Carlebach, presented as a
five-act performance interpreted from literate works. The project offers a perspective on the
cyclical nature of life, exploring themes of change and metamorphism akin to a caterpillars
transformation. Metamorphism consists of a complete reorganisation of the body structure,
breaking down form and rebuilding. This transformation is intricate and complex, highlighting
profound changes that occur, paralleling the complex emotional journey of survivors who navigate
a multitude of evolving feelings. Our exploration begins with the butterfly’s navigation of
accumulated pain, mirroring stages of questioning, vengefulness, grief, apathy and acceptance
faced by survivors.
Drawing inspiration from the “Visual Arts Opera” curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, and building on
months of performances as a collaborative duo, Cell Deletion 11, the work integrates elements to
create a multidimensional narrative experience that challenges and engages the audience on
multiple sensory levels. The performance employs immersive storytelling techniques,
monologues, symbolic sculptures, noise instruments and instrumentation. Its an “exhibition,
structured not as a progression of physical objects, but around the notion of time itself”.
The acts are structured as follows:
ACT 1: In the light of the moon
Symbolic installation work created by Sonnie Carlebach, modified by both parties utilising drift
wood and seaglass, in addition to crafted white-noise instruments, are utilised to introduce key
themes within the initial monologue written by Sonnie. Sparse Cello instrumentation aids to builds
questioning tension as audience viewers embark on the performance journey.
ACT 2: A Vengeful Bug
Central to this act are metal noise sculptures depicting a deformed bug, including a “bug mask-
gong” and “metal arm-extensions”, designed by myself, welded and formed by myself and
Gabriel Dubin. Inspired by immersive performances, building on 333’s use of noise sculptures,
and Merdasecs bodywork, the sculptures feature harsh, unpolished finishes that evoke a sense of
rawness and pain, mirroring the discomfort and violence. The very act of hearing generated
sounds induces discomfort, further reinforcing the themes of struggle and transformation.
ACT 3: Hunted
An Aria, composed using poetry, transformed into nonsensical lyrics through oulipian methods,
shifts the focus to pure emotion, expressing pain and a sense of hopelessness. Complimenting
this auditory experience is a butterfly net sculpture by Sonnie Carlebach, reinforcing themes of
metamorphosis while expressing ideas of entrapment evoking the solemnity of a church setting
almost symbolising a plea for help, further fostering a deep emotional connection.
ACT 4: Apathy in Blue
Sonnie Carlebach’s piece employs guitar and tape manipulation, utilising two cassette players-
one looping, one recording- to create a large build up in feedback. This process transforms a
beautiful acoustic sound into something dark and haunting, mirroring the progression of domestic
abuse, initially sweet, then manipulated into a distressing, inescapable loop. The performance
unfolds adjacent to the bug skeleton sculpture, further symbolising the pervasive link to abuse
and pain.
ACT 5: In the light of the moon
The work culminates in with a final monologue written by Sonnie Carlebach “Once a Boy, Always
a Tree”. The monologue allows final thoughts of the journey experienced to be expressed before
ending in the exact same position as we started in.