Imitating the Dog: All Blood Runs Red

The extraordinary true life of Eugene Bullard.

This is one of history’s overlooked true stories. This is a name that should be known, a story that must be told.

This is a story of hope.

Runaway, circus entertainer, boxer, night club owner, World War One fighter pilot, jazz drummer, spy, civil rights activist – Eugene Bullard’s extraordinary life story traces many of the twentieth century’s most important moments.

Born in Georgia, USA, and forced to flee the segregation of his homeland, Bullard sought acceptance in Europe during a period of turmoil and social change.

He was one of the first black fighter pilots, he worked with Josephine Baker and Duke Ellington, and knew Hemmingway and Picasso. Wounded in World War 2, he then spied against Hitler’s regime, and yet, Bullard ended his days as a lift operator in New York’s Rockefeller Center.

imitating the dog bring their unique story-telling techniques to bear on this forgotten story, told through the lens of the modern-day experiences of a young black actor. With inspirational stagecraft, digital wizardry and original songs, All Blood Runs Red is an intimate show that breathes the history of the 20th century into life, into now.

Credits: An imitating the dog production Created by Morgan Bailey, Pete Brooks, Simon Wainwright and Andrew Quick.