Mortui by Unseen

In their final piece for the Undergraduate Theatre and Performance Degree Shows, Zachary Smith, Jake Woonton and Vivian Alsadah push the boundaries of what can be shown in front of a theatre audience.

A man in white trousers backflips on a mattress, a woman stands and watches closely — A still from the dress rehearsal of Mortui

Mortui was devised by Smith, Woonton and Alsadah, performing under the company name Unseen. It tells the story of a couple who use violence for sexual pleasure and the man held as their captive. Weaving theatre, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and wrestling, it challenges the audience’s tolerance for violence in entertaintment.

We want the audience to question what they know about entertainment. We want them to walk away stirring about what they saw and think about other violence in entertainment that they have seen.

Zachary Smith

A man stands on a white box on stage, the stage lighting is blue

A man is covered in blood crouching on the floor of a stage he has his back to the audience

They use MMA and wrestling techniques in a stunt-filled show, alongside the stark visuals of a bright white set which becomes gradually more blood-stained as the violence against the captive man intensifies.

Unseen developed the piece for TAPOUT 25, a two week programme of diverse innovative and timely performance work from the Graduating Classes of BA Drama and Theatre Arts and BA Drama, Performance and Society at Goldsmiths. The 2025 festival invites audience and artists to reflect on the lingering imprints left behind by our identities actions and experiences.