presented by The Shed

INDETERMINACY

Saturday 1 February 3.30pm – 4.30pm
£15.00

Tania Caroline Chen piano
Steve Beresford piano and objects
Stewart Lee voice

Indeterminacy was a 1959 double LP on the Folkways label by John Cage and David Tudor. Cage read ninety of his stories, each one, whether long or short, lasting one minute. Unheard by Cage, Tudor simultaneously played the piano and other things in another room.

One day, pianists Tania Caroline Chen and Steve Beresford were listening to this record and decided that they would like to do their own version. They hit on Stewart Lee immediately as the first choice to read the stories. He is an excellent stand-up comedian and is very interested in experimental music.

The trio’s version is usually forty minutes. The players are in the same room but do their best to not hear Stewart’s reading. They play music on and in a piano and use other small sound sources.

This event will highlight the sewage pollution of the River Derwent SSSI in Malton and Norton, North Yorkshire, by Yorkshire Water, North Yorkshire Council and the Environment Agency. To see the data for sewage spills in Malton and Norton, visitmaltonsewer.co.uk

The gig is dedicated to the memory of trombonist Alan Tomlinson (1947 – 2024) who famously performed an improvised trombone solo standing in the Yorkshire Water sewer in Brawby in 2013.

Please note: this is not an extra Stewart Lee tour date. For Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf see York Theatre Royal

Event Date: 01/02/2025 3:30pm

The NCEM is available to hire for anniversaries, birthday parties, wedding receptions, conferences, dinners and musical events.