Dead body wanted to star in show
A theatre group is looking to cast a dead body in the leading role of its next production.
A terminally-ill person is being sought by 1157performancegroup to star in Dead: You Will Be, which aims to challenge taboos surrounding death.
The group has written to hospices across the UK in the hope a patient will agree to donate their body.
An embalmer has been consulted on the best way to preserve the body for the full 24-night run in London.
Jo Dagless, one of the group's artistic directors, said having a dead body was fundamental to the performance which explores the modern-day taboos surrounding death and dying in modern Western cultures.
Dying myths
She said: "It is about a kind of contact with death that is more than just a philosophical and conceptual experience.
"Death is something we all inevitably have to face.
"We are really trying to dispel the myths around death."
Ms Dagless said the group had written to 50 hospices around the UK in the hope someone will agree to donate their body for the performance which is due to begin in mid-May.
She said: "We haven't had a response from any of the hospices yet, but we have had a couple of fit and healthy people come forward to offer their services in the event of them having an accident or whatever.
"You never know when your time is up so we are accepting them in case anything does happen."
Dead: You Will Be is due to begin on 11 May at Space 44, in Hackney, east London.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...ts/3557121.stm