59th, 60th, 61st, 63rd, 64th, and 65th Performances of the 134th Annual Season International Theater Series

Transcription

1 UMS PRESENTS The Animals and Children Took to the Streets Written and Directed by Suzanne Andrade Film and Animation by Paul Barritt Created by 1927 Wednesday Evening, April 10, 2013 at 7:30 Thursday Evening, April 11, 2013 at 7:30 Friday Evening, April 12, 2013 at 8:00 Saturday Afternoon, April 13, 2013 at 2:00 Saturday Evening, April 13, 2013 at 8:00 Sunday Afternoon, April 14, 2013 at 2:00 Performance Network Ann Arbor 59th, 60th, 61st, 63rd, 64th, and 65th Performances of the 134th Annual Season International Theater Series Photo: Production photo of 1927 s The Animals and Children Took to the Streets. 25

2 1927 winter 2013 ums Writer and Director Suzanne Andrade Film and Animation Paul Barritt Music Lillian Henley Costume Design Esme Appleton, Sarah Munro Costume Construction Alice Buckingham, Jenny Trent, Imogen Walker Animation Assistant Derek Andrade Performers Sue Appleby, Lewis Barfoot, Eleanor Buchan Voice of the Caretaker James Addie Production Manager Steve Watling Producer Jo Crowley Originally performed by Suzanne Andrade, Esme Appleton, and Lillian Henley. The Animals and Children Took to the Streets is approximately one hour in duration and is performed without intermission. Following Wednesday evening s opening night performance, please feel free to remain in your seats and join us for a post-performance Q&A with members of the company. The Saturday evening performance is sponsored by Susan and Richard Gutow. The School Day Performance is sponsored by David and Jo-Anna Featherman. Media partnership is provided by Between the Lines and Michigan Radio 91.7 FM. 26

3 small bites be present 1927 s first production, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, was a critically lauded breakout success at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe, winning five awards. In the wake of the massive success of Between the Devil and the rigors of its world-wide tour, 1927 found themselves battling a creative sophomore slump of sorts when it came time to start work on their next production, which would later become The Animals and Children Took to the Streets. A visit to the Chungking Mansions in a cramped, 17-story, mixed-use residential and commercial structure spanning five blocks in Hong Kong served as an initial inspiration for The Animals and Children Took to the Streets. The Company recently premiered a large-scale production of The Magic Flute in collaboration with the Komische Oper in Berlin in November artists is a London-based performance company that specializes in combining performance and live music with animation and film to create magical filmic theater! Celebrated at home and overseas, 1927 was founded in 2005 by writer, performer, and director Suzanne Andrade and animator and illustrator Paul Barritt. In 2006, performer and costume designer Esme Appleton and performer, composer, and musician Lillian Henley joined and in 2007 producer Jo Crowley began collaborating with the company. All four creative members of 1927 come from different artistic backgrounds, and it is the collaboration and complete integration between these various disciplines that has paved the way for the company to create its innovative and original work cut their teeth on the London cabaret scene. The Company performed the beginnings of their debut show in cabaret venues, spoken word nights, and comedy clubs and supported major cabaret acts and bands, including The Dresden Dolls at the Roundhouse London. In 2007, 1927 premiered its debut show Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea was immensely successful, achieving critical acclaim, multiple sellout seasons and winning five Industry Awards (Herald Angel, Fringe First, Arches Brick, Carol Tamber, and Total Theatre Award). Following the success and unprecedented demand which followed their Edinburgh debut, over the course of the last four years 1927 has presented the show in two sell-out London seasons, toured to venues and festivals in every region in the UK and across the globe to major international theaters and arts festivals including PS122 and Under the Radar in New York, Sydney Opera House, Malthouse Theatre 27

4 1927 winter 2013 ums Melbourne, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Perth Festival (Australia), Spoleto Festival (USA), Uijeongbu Music Theatre Festival (Korea), Singapore Festival, Mladi Levi Festival (Slovenia), Dublin Festival, Belfast Festival, Macau Festival, Hanover Festival (Germany), and the New Zealand Festival. Along the way, the company has steadily developed a huge following of dedicated supporters and has been garnered with critical acclaim, sell-out runs, two New York Drama Desk Award Nominations and won the Peter Brook Empty Space Award for Best Ensemble in In 2010, following over a year of making, buried away in their studio in East London and research, development, and work-in-progress performances in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newbury, and Chichester, 1927 premiered its second production The Animals and Children Took to the Streets in Australia at Sydney Opera House and the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne. The show had its UK premiere at BAC in London in December 2010 and January 2011, garnering widespread critical acclaim, and winning the 2011 Off West End Award for Best Entertainment. In 2011 and 2012 the show toured to Australia, China, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, France, Nigeria, Croatia, Ireland, France, and the US. In the UK it was presented at Holt Festival, Latitude Festival, was selected as part of the 2011 British Council Edinburgh showcase and in London was presented at the National Theatre in December 2011 and January The show returned to the National Theatre in December 2012 and January 2013 where it was presented for a second month-long repertory season in the larger Lyttelton Theatre also recently collaborated with the Komische Opera in Berlin, Germany to create a new production of The Magic Flute which premiered in November 2012 and will be running in rep until July In will be growing as it begins working with a new cast to tour The Animals and Children took to the Streets across the UK and internationally for an 11-month tour, visiting Hong Kong, Jordan, France, Switzerland, the US, Spain, China, Israel, Holland, Russia, Latvia, Ireland, Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Azerbaijan, The Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, and Malta. In 2013, 1927 will begin to develop a new production for premiere in is based in London and is an Associate Company of the Young Vic Theatre. Suzanne Andrade (Writer and Director, 1927 Co-Artistic Director) writes and directs 1927 s work. Before forming 1927, Suzanne was commissioned by the BBC to write a play for the West Yorkshire Playhouse. The results were not particularly good, which encouraged Suzanne to turn away from traditional script writing and try her hand at comedy and poetry. She faired marginally better and won several small-scale stand-up comedy competitions before moving to London and establishing herself as a performance poet. After appearing on Radio 3 (Mixing It, The Verb) Suzanne met Paul Barritt. The pair created several small shows involving her poetry and his projections. They gained a cult (small but loyal) following. Suzanne has created all of 1927 s shows and most recently collaborated with Paul as 1927 to co-conceive a new production of The Magic Flute at the Komische Opera Berlin, which she co-directed. She is currently writing 1927 s new show for 28

5 2014. Suzanne is mainly consumed by 1927 but she occasionally pops up at the odd storytelling gig. Paul Barritt (Film, Animation, and Design, 1927 Co-Artistic Director) illustrated and animated The Animals and Children took to the Streets. Before forming 1927, Paul worked as a freelance illustrator and animator. Paul has exhibited his artwork in various galleries and has also made several stand-alone films, all of which are distributed internationally, appearing in film festivals throughout the UK and Europe. He won an award at the Darklight Film Festival for his short film Shed. Paul has co-created all of 1927 s shows and most recently collaborated with Suzanne as 1927 to co-conceive a new production of The Magic Flute at the Komische Opera Berlin, for which he created full-scale animation and film. Paul is currently developing visual content for 1927 s new show for Paul is also a lecturer in animation and illustration at Middlesex University. For more information on Paul, please visit Esme Appleton (Co-Creator and Co-Costume Designer, 1927 Associate) is an essential part of 1927 s creative process. Not only does she perform the main role in each 1927 show, but she is also incremental in brutally editing scripts, neatening scenes, conceiving of ideas, adding interactive moments, being an assistant director, and liaising with Suzanne on initial scripts and Paul on aesthetic ideas. Many of the interactive motifs that have become 1927 s trademark stem from Esme, who has an uncanny ability to think in terms of both live action and animation. Currently in demand to appear in many a film project, Esme s interests outside of 1927 are playing the musical saw and guitar, pixilation, voice training, and perfecting her own peculiar brand of naturalism. Esme is with the Conway Van Gelder agency and would give her right arm to be in a Shane Meadows film. Lillian Henley (Composer) as both a musician and a performer is the sort of intuitive collaborator that one dreams of working with! Lillian s rather unique skill lies in being able to translate sketchy thoughts and rough ideas into amazingly catchy melodies. Her piano scores hold 1927 s shows together, are hugely atmospheric, and range in sound from classic silent film to Kurt Weill. Lillian not only composes the scores but also performs in 1927 s shows, at times singing, playing piano, and changing costumes all at once! Outside of 1927, Lillian is currently composing an album and is a core performer of Ragroof Theatres tea dances. You should see her rhumba. She has scored a number of silent films for the Barbican, Hoxton Hall, and independent filmmakers and is making quite a name for herself as a silent film pianist. For more information, please visit Jo Crowley (Producer) produced The Animals and Children took to the Streets would flounder without Jo. She came on board after Edinburgh 2007 and has since become indispensable to the whole process. Jo is a rare breed of producer indeed, dealing with new shows, touring, finances, funding, control of creative collaborations, dealing with venues, press, promotion, and overseeing and advising on every single aspect of 1927 s work. She is, simply put, a bit of a legend. She s also a bit of a ballerina. Outside of 1927, Jo also produces work be present winter

6 1927 winter 2013 ums with Ridiculusmus Theatre Company, artist Kazuko Hohki, Australian performance trio The Suitcase Royale, and supports and advises a number of independent artists, companies, and emerging producers. Sarah Munro (Costume Designer) is one of the co-founders of the Insect Museum and Insect Circus, with whom she performs and designs. She is a frighteningly creative and clever woman whom 1927 hope to work with in the future. Sarah designed some of the costumes in The Animals and Children Took to the Streets, and helped 1927 realize its own designs and demands. Please see for more information. Derek Andrade (Animation Assistant) assisted Paul with animating Zelda s gang, as well as providing valuable criticism and encouraging words throughout the process. He is a stop-frame animator and film maker who has made music videos for Emmy the Great and worked for RSA films and Future Shorts. For more information, please visit derekandrade. Sue Appleby (Performer) trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama. She has a first class degree in music and drama from The University of Birmingham, with three years of classical singing and piano training at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Sue worked with renowned conductor John Wilson and his Orchestra in The Good Companions for Radio 3, the Rodgers and Hammerstein and Hollywood Proms for BBC TV/Radio, and at Abbey Road Studios. Theater credits include: Three Men in a Boat (UK Tour); Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (UK/European Tour); Mephisto in The Vaudevillians (Les Enfants Terribles); John Godber s adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Hull Truck); Little Women (Duchess Theatre, West End); Cinderella in Into The Woods (Landor Theatre); South Pacific UK Tour; Bobbie Ellis alongside Alison Steadman in Losing Louis (Trafalgar Studios/UK tour) and Lady Macbeth (Shakespeare s Globe). Sue s work as a musical director includes Three Men in a Boat (UK Tour), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea alongside director John Godber, and the West End productions of Cool Hand Luke (Aldwych), Carrie s War (Apollo), Little Women (Duchess) and Anne of Green Gables (Lillian Baylis). She coaches many industry professionals and teaches singing at several top drama schools. For the past six years, she has led the nationally acclaimed jazz band Limelight. Lewis Barfoot (Performer) is a singer, actress, and theater maker. She has been devising, co-creating, and writing songs and plays for theater since She has just returned from touring the US as Kate in Taming of the Shrew with Aquila Theatre. Lewis premiered her debut solo show The History of The Pomegranate in 2011 with Arts Council support at Jackson s Lane. Other theater credits include: Loser (Company FZ, International Mime Festival), Richard II (Old Vic), Hamlet (Old Vic), Hedda Gabler (Bulandra, Bucharest), When Five Years Pass (Arcola), Up The Café De Paris (New Players), Incontinental (Kazuko Hohki Productions), Hidden Birds (Winner of Les Eurotopiques Award, Lille France) and WOLF (Authentic Artist Collective). TV credits include: Pissed On The Job, Whitey Blighty, and Forgiven (C4). Lewis is currently performing all over 30

7 the UK as a solo singer/songwriter and has previously sung with the pop, funk, and folk bands The Fruit People, Geezer, and Rún, enjoying gigs at Glastonbury, Lovebox, The Union Chapel, Bath Pump Rooms, Southbank Centre, Edinburgh Festival, and Folk Festivals all over the UK. She hopes to record her debut album soon. Eleanor Buchan (Performer) trained at Ecole Philippe Gaulier and at Central School of Speech & Drama. Theater credits include La Fille à la Mode (National Theatre, BAC, V&A, Barbican, Theatre Royal Haymarket, and international tour); Put Up Job (Gideon Reeling at Bestival); Terror 2011 (Soho Theatre); Indiscreet (BAC); Broken Down (Theatre 503); Merely Players (SHUNT); The Advice Booth (Forest Fringe at Latitude); Titus Andronicus, Henry VI Parts I, II, and III (The Scoop); Clockwork (Cambridge ADC); Private Lives, The Dead of Night (Sheringham Rep); Things You Said in the Dark (BAC); The Tin Soldier (International Tour); Haozkla (Bedlam Theatre); Your Ex-Lover is Dead (Arches Glasgow); Closer (The Roxy); The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night (CSSD). Film credits include The Eden Project; Me, Jane; Not Waving But Drowning; Ways of Eating; Free Time; Waking Up On The Wrong Side of Bed. Eleanor is part of ArtForEating, a collective that runs performance-based pop-up restaurants and interactive dining experiences. Steve Watling (Production Manager) has been involved behind the scenes of theater since 1986, working at a number of theaters before joining the stage management team at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 1988, which he then left in the mid-1990s to embark on a career in social work. Steve returned to the world of theater in 2007 as a technician, stage manager, and production manager and has enjoyed working with some lovely people and some great companies. Recent work includes Monkey Bars (Chris Goode & Company), Thirsty (The Paper Birds), Rapunzel (BalletLorent), Beauty and the Beast and The Ugly Duckling (Northern Ballet), The Giant & the Bear (Unlimited Theatre), and two years supporting a number of shows at the Edinburgh Festival. This week s performances mark 1927 s UMS debut. Co-commissioned by BAC, Malthouse Theatre Melbourne, and The Showroom (University of Chichester). Supported by Corn Exchange, Newbury. Development support from The Arches, Manipulate Visual Theatre Festival, and Puppet Animation Scotland. Developed with funding from Arts Council England would like to thank: Shelley Hastings and all at BAC. Ben Francombe, Claire Soper, Vince Field, and all at The Showroom and University of Chichester. Stephen Armstrong, Michael Kantor, and the Malthouse Theatre. Virginia Hyam, Pip Sprott, and Sydney Opera House. Nick Giles and Corn Exchange Newbury. Simon Hart and Puppet Animation Scotland. LJ Dodd and the Arches. Warren Dent and Bethnal Green Working Men s Club. Richard Eustace, Jim Leaver, and the production team at the National Theatre. Shoreditch Town Hall. Sue Emmas, David Lan, and the Young Vic. Liz Littlewood and Arts Council England. The British Council for its continued championing of and support for presenting our work internationally. Special thanks to Nick Flintoff, Vicki Pettifer, Steven Barritt, Julian Krispel, Natasha Tonkin, Lucy Brooks, Alexis Bradburn, David Soop, Becki Haines, Coco Jackson, Patricia Shaw, Jonny Aldous, and Naomi Hill. Thanks to everyone who has helped and supported us along the way. For more information, please visit be present winter