Common Salt, a performance around a table – a ‘show and tell’ which explores nature, empire and memory, comes to the University of Glasgow during Black History Month.

It explores the colonial, geographical history of England and India taking an expansive and emotional time-travel, from the first Enclosure Act and the start of the East India Company in the 1600s, to 21st century narratives of trade, empire and culture.

Reflecting on their acclaimed ‘table-top’ performance Common Salt, the two makers Sheila Ghelani and Sue Palmer defined it as: "A retelling of several invisible entangled histories: a hedge seeded across India by the British to collect a cruel salt tax; the life of a female naturalist called Eliza Brightwen; our research journey; enclosures; what the UK’s wealth is built upon; where some of the collections we stare at in museums come from."

As part of Black History month, the College of Arts & Humanities, The Hunterian and Theatre Studies are hosting:

  • Performances of Common Salt on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 October, 2023;
  • A free public workshop at the Kelvinhall between 2- 4pm on Thursday 12 October;
  • A public symposium on Friday 13 October between 2 - 4.30pm on Friday 13 October. The symposium will include responses from historians, scholars, curators and beyond including Peggy Brunache, Andrew MacKillop, Zandra Yeaman, Gonca Yalcin, Deborah Dixon, Suchitra Choudhury and Stephen Mullen.

 

 


Common Salt Public Performances 

Performance 1

Date: Monday 9 October 2023 

Time: 15:00 - 16:30 BST

Location: The Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow

Tickets: £8 (or £6 concession): General Public Tickets booking page 

 

Performance 2

Date: Tuesday October 2023 

Time: 12:00 - 13:30 BST

Location: The Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow

Tickets: £8 (or £6 concession): General Public Tickets booking page 

 

Workshop - Thursday 12 October 14:00 - 16:00 BST 

Tickets are free but must be booked online: Workshop booking page

 

Symposisum - Friday 13 October 14:00 - 16:30 BST

Tickets are free but must be booked online: Symposium booking page

 

First published: 20 September 2023