Composed by Jasmin Kent Rodgman
Lyrics by Shakespeare & Jasmin Kent Rodgman

Lead Vocals: Alexandra Ferrari
Backing Vocals: Alexandra Ferrari

Recorded by Oli Soames at RSC Studios
Mixed by Jasmin Kent Rodgman

Written for the 2023 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Julius Caesar. 

Directed by Atri Banerjee.

Ghosts (RSC - Julius Caesar 2023)

'The Last Bit of the Moon' is a semi staged choral prologue to accompany Ralph Vaughan Williams' 'Riders to the Sea'. Read more about it here: https://www.operaupclose.com/riders-to-the-sea

The Last Bit of the Moon

Recorded at STRIKEFEST

In the words of Malcolm X: “The Palestinian struggle is not just a cry for justice, it’s a blistering battle for the most fundamental human rights that every living soul on this planet should inherit by birth  right. It is an unyielding resistance against the oppressive suffocating grip of occupation and the callous denial of the most basic human dignity. The struggle for justice in Palestine must be a universal fight, a resonating echo of the battles raised by oppressed people across the globe. It’s a battle we must champion, a torch we must carry and a legacy we must honour.
Thank you and F R E E  P A L E S T I N E"

If you enjoyed this set we kindly ask you make a donation to one or both of the below: 

Randa's fundraiser to support her family in Gaza: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-randas-family-in-rafah?viewupdates=1&rcid=r01-173765100174-2a9d002cd9aa11ef&utm_medium=email&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_email%2B1137-update-supporters-v5b

Medical Aid for Palestinians: https://www.map.org.uk/?form=FUNWUFNAGRA&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21133725984&gbraid=0AAAAAChbIjJdKMx2RwdAd_pZm1VYrxvRu&gclid=CjwKCAjwi-DBBhA5EiwAXOHsGaWz_Fc-If8NRvqa_LdlAZuOddPQsMB-O3AblVNoSnw6s8G6BTglpBoCMB0QAvD_BwE

Dub Athlete b2b Niknak @ Venue M.O.T

'last dance' is a love letter to queer nightlife in Manchester. Back when I was out clubbing several times a week, you could quite easily arrive at a club alone, knowing there would be someone there you knew, or, if not, it was guaranteed you would be temporarily, though lovingly, swept up into somebody’s social circle.

Whilst composing this piece I can distinctly remember my last and penultimate club experiences. Both experiences featured a moment of solitary dancing - having lost the group I was with - and a succumbing to a growling bass, allowing the sheer density of sound to infiltrate every part of my body. Two memorable fleeting moments of carefree ecstasy.

However, this ecstasy is hard won in 'last dance'. There are glimpses where the groove settles, but mostly the pulse fluctuates creating a sense of momentum, yet without a fixed beat to latch on to. The piece doesn’t necessarily attempt to recreate the ecstasy of the club floor, but, instead, is a reflection on it. Whilst there is a very loose narrative, and outlines of characters, in this work, denoted by particular soundworlds and instruments, the listener is invited to find their own path through the piece, whether that is narrative driven or not.

Here are two excerpts from the piece as performed by the Britten Sinfonia at Milton Court, Barbican, London on Tue 25 Mar 2025.

last dance (excerpts)

Blwurp

These two pieces were co-created with individuals in two prisons in the West Midlands over a period of four workshops in May 2025. Pianist Clare Hammond and I worked with participants to generate musical and conceptual ideas for these pieces for a performance to family and friends in July of the same year. Clare later toured these works across the UK as part of her 2025-26 concert series. 

Shattered Freedom, Shards of Hope (2025)

Shattered Freedom, Shards of Hope depicts a prisoner's journey. Regardless of our situation, freedom is fragile. Once it is shattered, it takes work to rebuild a life from the shards.

This piece was co-created by participants at HMP Featherstone over four workshops with composer Michael Betteridge and pianist Clare Hammond in May 2025. The project was supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, as well as grants from The Gloucestershire Piano Trust, The Marchus Trust and Leigh Day Solicitors. We are grateful to Staffordshire Prison Libraries, Changing Tunes, and Theatre in Prisons and Probation for their support and encouragement.

Internal Victories (2025)

Co-created by participants at HMP Oakwood and Michael Betteridge

Internal Victories incorporates sounds from participants' experiences of prison which were then modelled using graphic scores and translated into sound at the keyboard. Participants created chords on glockenspiels that were woven into the fabric of the piece and collaborated to structure a musical narrative. To represent the interests of the group, we melded two distinct musical styles together in this piece – drill and a folk-inspired melody.

The men wished to show that, while there is a great deal of darkness in prisons, it can also be a place of resilience, transformation and hope. Music can be a tool to build community regardless of setting, and the group wanted to acknowledge how their diverse range of ages, ethnicities, and experiences influenced this work, helping them forge connections with other participants whom they might not have met otherwise.

This piece was co-created by participants at HMP Oakwood over four workshops with composer Michael Betteridge and pianist Clare Hammond in May 2025. The project was supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, as well as grants from The Gloucestershire Piano Trust, The Marchus Trust and Leigh Day Solicitors. We are grateful to Staffordshire Prison Libraries, Changing Tunes, and Theatre in Prisons and Probation for their support and encouragement.

1. Shattered Freedom, Shards of Hope

Contemporary classical x electronic x sound art // Film, television, theatre, dance, VR, theatre and opera...

Ghosts (RSC - Julius Caesar 2023)

Jasmin Kent Rodgman

Related tracks