Rosana Cade (they / them) is a renowned queer artist based in Glasgow. Their practice straddles experimental theatre, live art, cabaret, film, children’s performance, site responsive and socially engaged practices. The form of their work is devised in relation to the context or inquiry they are responding to. They enjoy experimenting with audience perspective, and creating multi-sensorial live experiences. They see the act of creating live performances as practising imaginative world building, taking us beyond normative ways of seeing towards expansive new possibilities.
Rosana is known for some of their intimate performance work, such as My Big Sister Taught Me This Lap Dance, Drag Mother, and their highly acclaimed participatory project Walking:Holding, which has been touring the world to over 40 locations since 2011, and was made into a creative documentary in 2018 funded by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation.
They are one half of Cade & MacAskill with their life partner Ivor MacAskill, with whom they created Moot Moot, part of The British Council and Made in Scotland Showcase at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019; and their award-winning show, The Making of Pinocchio, commissioned by Tramway, Fierce, Kampnagel, and Viernulvier, with support from LIFT, Attenborough Centre for Contemporary Arts and Battersea Arts Centre, premiering in 2022 and continuing to tour internationally.
Rosana’s work has been shown extensively across the UK and Europe, as well as touring to Asia, North America and Australia. They've worked with a range of venues and organisations including Gessnerrallee in Zurich, Auawirleben in Bern, Teatro Maria Matos in Lisbon, Frascati in Amsterdam, Tanzquartier in Vienna, Mousonturm in Frankfurt, Beursschouwburg in Brussels, Sophiensaele in Berlin, The National Theatre in London, The National Theatre of Scotland, Festival Trans Amérique in Montreal, The Bentway in Toronto, Arts Centre in Melbourne.
Rosana is the co-founder of Glasgow Buzzcut, an organisation that supports live art and experimental performance in Scotland.