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Ghosts of the Near Future

emma + pj

— ,The Pit
Two people lie on the floor in a dark room. They lie against a mound, which has bright lines coming out of it. They are lit with a purple light.

Following a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, this is an apocalyptic fever dream about extinction with music, storytelling, and live micro-cinema.

Ghosts of the Near Future is a road trip through a vanishing landscape, a haunting collage of miracles and misdirection. The end of the world is a magic trick — are you watching closely?

Combining visual theatre and campfire storytelling, this is a genre-bending journey into a disappearing America. Part warning for the future, part elegy for what we’ve yet to lose.

emma + pj is a UK-based performance duo working at the intersection of theatre, installation, and live art. Their recent work explores humanity in extreme landscapes, creating cinematic, otherworldly environments that invite us to reimagine our place in the world. Ghosts of the Near Future was developed as part of the Barbican Open Lab programme.

Tagged with: Theatre & dance Young Barbican Theatre and Dance Autumn 2023

Running time: 75 minutes, no interval 

Age guidance: 12+ (stylised violence and infrequent strong language) 

BSL-interpreted and relaxed performance
Sat 28 Oct, 7.45pm 
BSL-interpreted by Grace Buckle

Find out more about Accessible Events at the Barbican.

Presented by the Barbican.

Supported by New Diorama Theatre, Arts Council England, City of London Communities and Infrastructure Fund, The Romilly Walton Masters Award, and The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund.

Image credit: Jemima Yong

Creative team

  • Conceived and Performed by Emma Clark and PJ Stanley  
  • Devised by Emma Clark, PJ Stanley, Georgie Hook, and Patch Middleton  
  • Georgie Hook   Sceneographer
  • Patch Middleton   Sound Designer
  • Alex Fernandes   Lighting Designer
  • Pete Rickards for eStage   Production Manager
  • Sam Marshall   Technical Stage Manager
  • Carly McCann   Choreography Consultant

Reviews

  • ‘Combatting fear and dread with good old razzle dazzle and enormous heart‘
    The Scotsman
  • ‘Experimental and ambitious‘
    The Stage
  • ‘‘

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The Pit

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Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

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