Lake Studios Berlin

A collaboration between choreographer Beatrix Joyce and performer Marcos Nacar on the exploration of two characters: “the troubled Saint” and “his faithful Assistant”.  

Narrator: “Saint M, a young man in his thirties, wearing a long robe, is taking an afternoon break in a small, medieval Spanish town. Temperature is 32 degrees. Saint M says it’s hot.”
Saint M: “It’s hot”
Assistant: “What’s on your mind, Saint M? Are you losing faith?”

Drawing on canonical, religious figures from medieval history, the artists create a modern-day, flawed equivalent of a saint in the character of “Saint M”. Saint M considers himself a martyr, a man with a holy mission, who by means of inexplicable visions has been chosen to lead the people towards salvation. He has an important message for the world – but no one seems to be listening. Meanwhile, “the Assistant”, inspired by today’s AI assistant crossed with an athlete’s personal trainer, shapeshifts between the roles of secretary, interviewer, therapist, coach, follower, fan. They pledge to serve their master in every way they can, in the name of “the cause”.  

The artists explore these two characters in the mediums of choreography and sound, drawing the material from dance improvisations, physical endurance experiments, forays into imagination and memory, medieval choral singing and deconstructions of pop songs, such as “Halo” by Beyoncé (2009). With self-invented performative tasks, such as employing interviewing techniques or training the eyeballs, they question form. Maneuvering in the domain of new performance, they seek to challenge established power dynamics between director and performer. By means of assuming the character of “Assistant”, the director positions herself at the service of the performer and, by extension, at the service of the audience.  

At the core of the research is therefore a questioning and queering of the gaze: who is looking at whom? Who is in control of the gaze? And who do we look to, in our time of need?

This power play and the exposure of the social dynamics within the Saint–Assistant relationship are instrumentalised to address today’s crises that unsettle our souls: the loss of faith in the future and in humanity, the role of the artist in a world falling apart, the invasion of artificial intelligence, and the questioning of the need for the sacred, the holy, and the divine in a cynical, post-truth present.

A Letter: from the Assistant to Saint M

Dear Saint M,

I just want to start with apologising for putting you through a rather uncomfortable process.
As your assistant, I am curious about everything about you, which – when you ask – leads me towards suggesting a broad range of answers.
So far, our work together has been very open, because how could I ever pin you down? Put you in a box? Your very nature defies categories.
This suits me well as I am allergic to labels – as soon as I know what something is, I have an immediate, urgent desire to move on. Like there’s a need to defy classification, for fear of committing to something I will not like tomorrow or simply get bored of. Or worst of all – that I will be associated with it and referenced on-and-on by my peers.
Perhaps this is the work. Learning to let go of identity, while establishing it.
Your identity is clear to me. You are all that is good, that is sound, that is perfect in this world. You give yourself to a higher cause every day. You choose to live for the sacred, you sublimate your humanity by doing so.
Oh Saint M, if only you would know how much I adore you.
You are my saviour. It’s like I’ve been awakened. I’ve got my angel now.

With humility, forever in the dark,

Your Assistant B.

Seven voices of divine inspiration, through the ages  

It’s like I’ve been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin’
It’s the risk that I’m takin’
I ain’t never gonna shut you out   Everywhere I’m lookin’ now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
Baby, I can see your halo
You know you’re my saving grace  
– Beyoncé, “Halo”, 2008

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody  
– Bob Dylan, “Gotta Serve Somebody”, 1979

Sometimes feel like throwing my hands up in the air
I know I can count on you
Sometimes I feel like saying, “Lord, I just don’t care”
But you’ve got the love I need to see me through  
– Candi Staton, The Source, “You Got The Love”, 1991

I was born long ago
I am the chosen, I’m the one
I have come to save the day
And I won’t leave until I’m done
So that’s why you’ve got to try
You got to breathe and have some fun
Though I’m not paid, I play this game
And I won’t stop until I’m done  
– Lenny Kravitz, “Are You Gonna Go My Way”, 1993

 It’s hot to feel the rush
To brush the dangerous
I’m gonna run right to
To the edge with you
Where we can both fall far in love
I’m on the edge of glory
And I’m hangin’ on a moment of truth
I’m on the edge of glory
And I’m hangin’ on a moment with you
– Lady Gaga, “The Edge of Glory”, 2011

 Lord I’ve been broken
Although I’m not worthy
You fixed me
I’m Blinded By Your Grace
You came and saved me  
– Stormzy, “Blinded By Your Grace”, 2017

Let the love, set me free
Close to you is where I wanna be  
– Sault, “Glory”, 2022

Saint Augustine, The Beautitudes, 393 AD

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy 
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.