A sneak preview of 'The Life and Death of Marina Abramović'

A piece of theatre dedicated to the life and imagined death of Marina Abramović will premier at the Manchester International Festival (MIF), although Abramović will not be playing herself. Instead, Abramović will assume the role of her disciplinarian mother for the six performances, while 12 performers wearing latex masks will play Abramović.

The Life and Death of Marina Abramović is directed by Robert Wilson and also stars Willem Dafoe, and focuses on Abramović's intimate life-stories rather than past performances and was especially commissioned by MIF and Teatro Real, Madrid, where the rehearsal scenes in this gallery took place. 

Abramović is a pivotal artist who pioneered the use of the body in art, exploring her physical and emotional limits. The production features original songs, written and performed by Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons), and will no doubt be a provocative blend of theatre, art and music.