Milk Presents Tackles the Minotaur Myth in BULLISH

Co-created by Lucy J Skilbeck and an ensemble of queer, trans and drag performers, Milk Presents is set to tour its cabaret-inflected take on the myth of the Minotaur. BULLISH uses the Ancient Greek myth to explore contemporary identity and our fear of otherness. BULLISH premiered at Camden People's Theatre last year as the headline show in the venue's Come As You Are Festival of trans, non-binary and gender queer theatre. Some of the tour dates are part of a Come As You Are Festival tour (highlighted in listings) and will have additional shows and talks programmed alongside.

BULLISH is the story of Theseus and the Minotaur re-molded and transformed by Milk Presents. A gender fierce ensemble of hopers and renegades pass, pack and blag their way out of the Labyrinth, re-defining the myths that shape our identity. The Minotaur, a creature who is half-man and half-bull, lives alone within a complex and cavernous Labyrinth. That is until Theseus arrives, a young warrior set on killing the minotaur at all costs. A tale of treachery, power and love, hell bent on not taming the minotaur within.

Lucy J Skilbeck was the Genesis Future Director 2017 at the Young Vic where they directed Chekov's The Bear/The Proposal. Skilbeck was the BBC Performing Arts Fellow for Derby Theatre 2013 and the recipient of the BBC Legacy Fund 2015. Directing credits for Milk Presents include Milk Presents Self Service, A Real Man's Guide to Sainthood, Bluebeard: A Fairytale for Adults and JOAN (their debut play as writer).

Milk Presents are Ruby Glaskin, Adam Robertson and Lucy J Skilbeck. The company's work often explores gender using stories from history and mythology. Their work fuses cabaret and new writing in an accessible and joyful way. They are an associate company at Derby Theatre and the Bush Theatre in London. Their drag king play about Joan of Arc, JOAN, won a Scotsman Fringe First Award, The Stage Award and Spirit of the Fringe Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016 before touring and playing the Fringe again in 2017.

Speaking about the production, Lucy J Skilbeck said, "The minotaur exists in the spaces in-between - residing not above ground but not too far below, a being part bull, part person, and it is this slippery in-between state that first drew me to the myth of the minotaur as a way of talking about and exploring gender identity. I'm so excited to take the show on tour and for it to find itself in new spaces with new audiences across the country."

Speaking about the production, Co-company director Adam Robertson said "As a company we continue to develop the way we talk about gender on stage and working on BULLISH has opened up new avenues. We've developed a photography exhibition with our cast that celebrates the plurality of gender which will tour alongside BULLISH to all the venues and will open up the myth in a new way for our audiences.

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