Living Exhibit

At home on the farm with our cast. Shot by Iain McKell. Ibiza 2007.

The Rise of The Bionic Dictator

Antonio Lopez Culebras as The Bionic Dictator

For what turned out to be our final summer, we transformed Privilege into CineMANUMISSIONstudios. Splitting the 5-story stage down the middle to represent the two sides of good and evil – grand studio gates and the giant pulsating M in the centre flanked – on one side by The Dominators black vinyl padded façade, jail barred windows, D.I.S.C.O HQ in lights on its rooftop, the army of female dominators in military PVC and like Charlotte Rampling in The Night Porter, the dancers wore men’s trousers, braces without shirts, and military hats – constantly infiltrating the audience, wooing them with lavish attention – on the other side sumptuous red velvet covered The Heartbreak Hotel, home of La Resistance. Red berets, classic underwear. They fought for freedom.

Giulia – Manumission girl, playing the sister of The Bionic Dictator

Polly Fey as General of the Dictators shot by Iain Mckell

We used a company of performers who we loved and trusted. They became part of the Manumission family. Punk couture model Polly Fey above. Famous sex performer Otter below. Joined us year after year. Here Otter playing a man… Lord Otterman. With one of her transexual henchmen…

The Manumission Stage – Story, set design and art direction by Mike & Claire
The Manumission Stage – Story, set design and art direction by Mike & Claire
The Rise of the Bionic Dictator abruptly came to a halt when the club owner chained the venues doors midsummer, never to open them again.

All Manumission shows were written by Mike & Claire.

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A portrait of Mike & Claire by Jerome Ferriere
A Night With Mike Manumission – by acclaimed Italian documentary film director Alberto D’Onofrio.
Cover shoot for Mixmag 25th Anniversary – honoured to be the only non music producers selected to feature on the cover along with a lineup of Mixmag’s favourite artists from the quarter century.
And here with Fatboy Slim, Jon Carter and the crew in the summer of 1997 – for Manumission the Movie.

DJ Magazine cover – in honour of Manumission the Movie