Are You Behaving Yourself Suzette

Are You Behaving Yourself Suzette was our very first show, created by Nina and Lucy as their dissertation project at Bristol University in 2002. It went on to be performed at the Tonight, Matthew, I Am… platform at Arnolfini, at Green Room in Manchester and finally at the National Review of Live Art in Glasgow. We also performed the show at Seymour’s Family Club as part of The Flaw Set.

Suzette was about Lucy and Nina’s mums. It was also an exploration into the style of contemporary performance – an attempt to create something generous, friendly and warm-hearted – a kind of reaction against the rather serious, obtuse work that was around at the time.

It also marked the beginnings of what was to become The Special Guests’ style – a haphazard DIY aesthetic, a sense of humour, games of one-upmanship, and the use of music which pulls on the heart strings.

Suzie and Matthew eventually had cameos as lighting operators in the show, but even though all they had to do was turn a light on and off, they still got it wrong.

Devised and performed by: Lucy Cassidy and Nina Wyllie

2002
22 February: National Review of Live Art, The Arches, Glasgow

2003
15 June: The Flaw Set, St Bonaventures, Bristol

“Existing somewhere between the Glee Club, Forced Entertainment and the early days of French and Saunders, Suzette was a witty, touching and clever performance about mother/daughter relationships and about performance itself.” Lois Keedan, Live Art Development Agency