Numbers by Will Nelson

Initially I planned to create something uplifting about responses to the pandemic and then, all of a sudden my life was turned inside out by my Dad dying suddenly at the age of 64.

This piece is about the ‘Admin’ of death in a capitalist society. How very quickly, the details and complexities of someone’s life are reduced to a set of figures and a balance sheet which have to be reconciled before you are able to actually grieve for the person. 

Dealing with a death in the late stages of the pandemic, though, has added an extra layer of complexity and some entirely new figures to grapple with.

Numbers tries to show how I tried to do this and also suggests some of the unintended consequences to a very necessary pandemic response.

Will Nelson is…

Will Nelson is a Greater Manchester based academic and theatre maker, currently working at The Arden School of Theatre in Manchester having previously worked extensively in Lancaster and Morecambe. His current interests are in the intersectional nature of performance and is doing work on exploring the relationship between professional wrestling, performance and politics. 

Contact:

Instagram/Twitter: @brechtianbrawls

Podcast: Arden AYUPP available on all major platforms