Near Gone is a heartfelt story about survival.

Two performers have a difficult story to tell. They come on stage and launch themselves into an hour long attempt to put into words the utterly unspeakable.

Delivered in English and Bulgarian, with fantastic gypsy-inspired music, this performance fills an empty space with two performers and 400 fresh flowers. It transforms you too, your sense of what it is to be a mother, a father, a child. And you’ll leave more fully alive than ever.

Near Gone is a Colchester Arts Centre co-commission supported by Arts Council England and The Point, Eastleigh. The work is currently under development and will be available for touring from Autumn 2013.

Near Gone won the inaugural Pulse Fringe Suitcase Prize on 31st May 2013. Read more about it here! We are delighted!

• Devised and performed by Katherina Radeva and Alister Lownie
• Dramaturgy by Charlotte Vincent
• Additional direction by Charlotte Vincent

We are currently compiling a tour for Autumn 2013 and Spring 2014. More details will be announced shortly.

Responses to work-in-progress showings

“Near Gone is Kat and Alister at their finest. See it, book it and here is a little tip - don’t leave before the clapping starts (as there is a gem of an ending) ” Sheila Ghelani- Artist

“I want to know more… I want to see more … But I am frightened of what I might see and find” Audience member at The Works showing, Brighton Dome

“Beautiful. Felt very drawn in the language translation and in the emotion. Loved the repetition that was both comic and poignant in its avoidance. I love how she sends him outside the space when its too hard to share. How we are drip fed the scenario and story. Very evocative story telling” Audience member at The Works showing, Brighton Dome

“Really drew the audience in and we wanted more- what happened to her sister. very exciting and enticing!” Audience member at The Works showing, Brighton Dome

“I fell in love with the dance, I pictured and felt the carefree energy of the little girl playing, and felt the exhaustion of the woman after as she tried to tell/ not tell her story” Audience member at The Works showing, Brighton Dome

‘Using simplistic devices and deconstructing the theatrical elements, Near Gone presented a humorous, meditative and playful account of our relationship with loss, grieving and the trivialities of death. The work and subject matter, although knowingly articulated, had a strong human quality to it and as a viewer you felt very much part of the process of presentation. We look forward to seeing the work being developed over the coming year.’ –Daniel Whitehouse, Next Generation Producer , Midlands Arts Centre

Photos taken by Alma haser

We’re grateful to all the venues who have supported this work as it developed. There have been in-progress showings at:

• Emergency Accommodation, Manchester- October 2011
• ChaChaCha, Chisenhale Dance Space- June 2012
• Under Construction, The Basement, Brighton- October 2012
• Under Construction, The Gulbenkian, Canterbury- November 2012
• Pilot, Warwick Arts Centre- November 2012
• The Works, Brighton Dome- April 2013
• The Point Eastleigh – May 2013
• Pulse Fringe, Ipswich – May 2013