The Dirty Work
In Development
Peek behind the velvet curtain of The Dirty Work, a new solo performance by Jo Bannon.
Blending the tricks of the trade – a white rabbit, a magic wand, a puff of smoke – with her lived experience of visual impairment, Bannon invites you to glimpse a world where truth and illusion, performance and reality converge. Through delicate choreography and magician’s patter, which reveals more than it conceals, she unveils the invisible labour that shapes how we navigate the world - balancing effortlessly between what is seen and unseen.
Through a crip* lens and with a trick up her sleeve, Bannon reveals “the dirty work” that often goes unnoticed on stage and in everyday life. This isn’t just a magic show; it’s a meditation on visibility, disability, and the unseen labour we all perform.
Say “white rabbit” three times, and see the magic unfold before your very eyes!
*Crip is a political and cultural identity embraced by some disabled people.
Credits
Created & Performed by Jo Bannon
Text by Jo Bannon and Gemma Paintin
Director Gemma Paintin
Sound Designer Dinah Mullen
Set and Costume Designer Katherina Radeva
Lighting Designer Chris Copland
Magic Consultant Augusto Corrieri
Audio Description Consultant Charlotte Whitten
Original Development with MAYK
Photography by Paul Samuel White
Production Manager Froud
Technical Stage Manager Harry Evans
Producer Amanda Fawcett
Commissioned by Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Cambridge Junction, The Place & Tramway. With additional support from Fabric and Horizon. Supported using public funds through Arts Council England.
The Dirty Work is part of Blind Magic: A triptych of artworks exploring the performativity of visual impairment. A film Passing, an installation Sleight of Hand and live performance The Dirty Work created by Jo Bannon.
Coming Soon!
The performance will premiere in June 2026
If you would like to discuss how you can be involved please contact Jo’s producer at info@jobannon.co.uk