HIGH STEAKS is a show about labia, labia-shaming, cosmetic surgery & fundamentally, body lovin'.

Award-winning, queer performer, ELOINA, hangs two beef steaks from her labia, butchers them up & sizzles them on a grill.

And...her mum is in the show.

Seamlessly melding performance art and comedy clowning, HIGH STEAKS discusses rising demands in young people for labiaplasty - plastic surgery to make the labia smaller/more symmetrical. Through live conversations with her mum and recorded interviews with labia-owners, HIGH STEAKS is a call for increased visibility of varied vulvas and a celebration of our vulvas in all their shapes & sizes.

Age guidance: 18+

Content Warnings: Full frontal nudity, strong language, handling & cooking of raw meat, discussion of genital surgery, discussion of self-harm, depictions of real mother-daughter relationships

We are so pleased that you are coming to watch one of our performances of HIGH STEAKS. We want to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible seeing the show, so we have put this document together to let you know what to expect. If you haven’t been to a performance like this before, it is normal to have questions about the show and what will happen.

The information in this guide relates to a performance of HIGH STEAKS, of which are not currently BSL interpreted, relaxed or captioned. There will be information about these types of shows separately.

We really hope you enjoy the show!

DETAILS

• Run time: 1 hour and 15 mins max

• Age guidance: 18+

• Content Warnings: Full frontal nudity, strong language, handling & cooking of raw meat, discussions of surgery and body dysmorphia/shame, discussions of sex, genitalia, bodily fluids and sex work

• No video, photography or any documentation of the show/performance is allowed

• Live flame on stage

• There will be some audience interaction which includes somebody coming on stage and drawing Eloina. This is an invitation and you are encouraged to only do this if you would like. There is no pressure!

BEFORE THE SHOW

When you arrive, there will be a member of our team standing outside or close to the space where the performance is happening, who will be there to greet you and sell merchandise, ahead of the performance. We will be selling temporary tattoos which you will be able to purchase, should you wish, using cash or a card on our iZettle machine which is a singular contactless payment.

The venue staff will be responsible for announcing when the house is open.

When you enter the theatre space, the lights will be dim and there will be pre-entrance music playing at a moderate volume. Members of the front of house staff will be around to help you find your seat. We encourage vulva owners, queer and trans+ people to the front if they would like to be and if the front row is accessible.

DURING THE SHOW

The lights will go down, the entrance music will be turned off, and the show will begin.

Eloina, the performer in the show, will enter and this will be notified by a spotlight that lights her on stage. The beginning is clown-filled and light-hearted to encourage a welcoming and open space where we are allowed to laugh.

Latecomers will be permitted into the show from any time up until 15 minutes after the show’s start time. Latecomers after 15 minutes will not be admitted. Audience members will be able to leave the space if they need throughout the performance however, they will have to sit on the back row upon re-entering to ensure that the performance is not disrupted.

Throughout the show, sounds will be played at a moderate volume. This includes recorded voice notes/voice overs and songs/music. House lights will not be turned on during the performance meaning there will be spots of blackouts and some dimly lit lighting states of which you will be able to see the performance, and less your surroundings.

Kitchen knives and sharp utensils are used to cut and flatten raw meat. This meat is later cooked in the show. The auditorium will smell like cooking meat.

Eloina will be fully nude during the show.

AFTER THE SHOW

The end of the performance is marked when Eloina leaves the stage.

Birthed, Created, Performed & Produced by ELOINA

Directed by Louise Orwin

STAR OF THE SHOW - Mama (Annie Haines)

Developed with PARL (Performance Art Research, Ljubljana), Queen Mary University of London, Jackson’s Lane, Camden People’s Theatre

Outside Eye Frankie Thompson

Sound Design by Sammy Metcalfe & Louise Orwin

Sound Design Consultancy by Liv Lynch

Technical Stage Management by Roshan Conn

Safeguarding Management by Joe Iredale

Set Design by ELOINA & Joe Iredale

Lighting Design by Lily Woodford-Lewis

Producers ELOINA, Beth Sitek and Millie Wood-Downie

With loving thanks to

MAMA

Joe Iredale, The Sisterhood, Andy's Dad’s Accordion & Queen Mary University of London

With super special thanks to

Paula, Posey, Rosa, Porscha, Alice, Casey, Justine, Alex, Dani

& those who will remain anonymous

for sharing your beautiful stories with this show