The Cassandra Complex

When:

April 2016 – present

What:

Cassandra is an interactive, autonomous fortune telling machine.

She was inspired by the 1970’s arcade machine Morgana by Baccus Games Inc.

The impetus to create her comes from a long-standing interest in the mechanisms and power of belief.

Some of the questions driving her development were:

How are our beliefs formed?

Through what processes are our beliefs preserved?

To what, or whom, do we grant authority to shape our beliefs?

Using traditional fortune telling techniques Cassandra provides unique readings in response to individual visitors.

How closely her readings confirm, or predict, stories about an individual’s sense of self is the space where the the work comes to life.

Appearances:

The Gallery, Stanhope Street, Liverpool. 1st-3rd April 2016. Part of the Threshold Festival

Hub Artists Studio, Elevator Buildings, Liverpool. 10th-15th July. To coincide with the opening week of the Liverpool Biennial

Port Eliot, St Germans, Cornwall. 28th-31st July. Exhibited as part of the Science thread at the Port Eliot Festival

Red Brick Vintage, Cains Brewery Village, Liverpool. 29th October 2016. Telling fortunes at Tinderbox Fair

Central Library, Liverpool. 24th June 2017. Presented as part of Liverpool MakeFest

Production team:

The Cassandra Complex is a work of collaborative, technical theatre. The team who brought her to life are:

Jen Allanson: Chief Wrangler. R & D. Script development. Stage, Set & Props.

Simon Lock: Chief Technical Wizard. Invention. Gadgetry. Installation. Performance

Lesley Peate: Assistant Technical Wizard. Stage, Set & Props. Installation

David Allanson: Assistant Wrangler. Research. Installation. Logistics

Jane MacNeil: Videographer. Documentarian. Social Media

Mary Pearson: Performance & Improvisation

Frank Moore: Cabinet Builder

Ken Bullock: Sign Writer

Jacqui Lovgreen: Inspirational conversations. Stage, Set and Props.