Paula Varjack presents Nine Sixteenths

Nine Sixteenths is both a nostalgic look and a critique of early 00’s pop culture and the media which derailed the career of Janet Jackson after a wardrobe malfunction that took just nine sixteenths of a second.

In 2004, in the SuperBowl halftime show finale, 23 year old Justin Timberlake ripped off 37 year old Janet Jackson’s top. Her breast was exposed on screen for nine sixteenths of a second. A pop icon and role model for many black women, and an outspoken ally for the LGBTQ community, the moment derailed Jackson’s career for many years, while Timberlake’s thrived.

Varjack’s work allows for the reclamation of the pride and power that Jackson held

-Reviews Hub

Who was invested in the backlash? What does all this have to say about the demographics of who controls the media, and the ways in which black women are scrutinised in the public eye?

From THE MALFUNCTION to THE AFTERMATH and a celebration of RECLAMATION, Nine Sixteenths is a journey through 3 acts, exploring themes of representation and pop culture with a nostalgia for the early 00’s, and the hopes and dreams of 4 black female performers through a visual variety of devised theatre, dance and lip sync.

Show Information

Date & Times: Wednesday 18th February | Doors open 7.30, performance begins at 7.30pm

Suitable For: 12+

Run Time: Approximately 70 minutes

Tickets £10.00, £8 concessions/students (+ booking fee)

Content warnings: Contains strong language and references to sexism and racism

Accessibility: This performance contains integrated BSL by Vinessa Brant.

The venue is all based on the ground floor and so accessible for most wheelchairs. We have some limited disabled parking and an accessible toilet. If you have any specific access needs or would like more information, please call us or email so we can ensure your visit is as enjoyable as possible.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Proteus Theatre Company