The performance 'Between Two Tides', staged by researchers from the University of Hull in May 2024, considered the intertwined histories of humans and nature along the South Holderness coast, a region grappling with the impacts of climate change. This site-specific performance addressed critical environmental concerns—such as rapid coastal erosion, the destruction of dunes and habitats, tidal surges, and shifts in sediment transportation—all of which are reshaping the South Holderness landscape. These environmental changes are exemplified by the retreat of humans from the Spurn Peninsula in 2023, which marked the second such abandonment in recorded history. Focusing on the threatened communities of Easington and Kilnsea, the performance emphasised the direct threat of erosion, which occurs at alarming rates of four to ten meters annually, and which is unmitigated by government protective measures.
Situated near Beacon Lagoons, a UK Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Between Two Tides became a reflection on the vulnerability of such landscapes. The performance foregrounded the critical role that human actions and climate-induced shifts play in the degradation of environments that sustain rare species and ecosystems. Drawing on the work of environmental philosophers Michel Serres and Bruno Latour, the performance articulated the need for a conceptual shift in human-nature relations. Serres’ critique of traditional contract theory, which isolates human society from nature, and Latour’s advocacy for the inclusion of non-human actors in political and environmental discourse, provided the theoretical underpinning for the project. These ideas challenge anthropocentric views by suggesting that nature is not merely an object for human exploitation but a subject with its own agency and legal rights.
Drawing from Latour’s theory of 'multinaturalism' and his call for an inclusive, non-hierarchical approach to environmental politics, the performance sought to destabilise the entrenched separation between human and non-human actors. By bringing these entities into a shared, dynamic relationship, Between Two Tides served not only as a form of artistic expression but as a vehicle for environmental advocacy. The collaborative creation of the performance, which blended poetry, choreography, and site-specific scenography, was a manifestation of the theoretical principles explored by Serres and Latour, and it highlighted the pressing need for radical ecological action. Through this immersive experience, the performance invited its audience to reconsider the boundaries of human responsibility and the interconnectedness of all life forms in the face of climate crisis.
Choreography: Ellen Jeffrey, Archie Hubbard
Dramaturgy and Concept: Christian Billing
Music: Mark Slater
Direction: Archie Hubbard, Josh Poole
Script: Christian Billing, Becky Spencer, Chloe Waddington
Scenography: Maya Carpenter
Production Management: Natalie Driffill, Sophie Hipperson, Georgia Hopton
Costume Design: Emma Drury, Billy Johnson
Costume Construction: Maya Carpenter, Natalie Driffill, Billy Johnson, Sam Sylvester-Allan
Performers: Ella Batchelor, Oliver Blanchard, Kain Carey, Archie Hubbard, Kieran Pickering, Sam Poole, Becky Spencer, Zack Sultana-Bartlett, Adam Traynor, Chloe Waddington, Ryan Wilson
Photography: Steve Baxter
Film and Cinematography: Hinterland Creative
Citation
Billing, C. (2024). Between Two Tides: A Practice Research Performance on the South Holderness Coast. [Live Performance]. 9 May 2024 - 10 May 2024
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Files
Between Two Tides - Making Of (Documentary)
(2.9 Gb)
Video
Between Two Tides (9-minute film version - NO SPOKEN WORD)
(1.3 Gb)
Video
Between Two Tides (Spoken Word Script)
(115 Kb)
PDF
