Shadow of a Quiet Society by Gwyn Emberton Dance, Wales’s most exciting new dance theatre company, returns to delight audiences with their autumn tour.
The engaging dance theatre follows on from the company’s award-winning production My People and brings together an all-female cast of five internationally renowned dancers. Including renowned dancer-choreographers Eddie Ladd and Eleesha Drennan, the ensemble portray a host of intriguing characters conveyed through Gwyn Emberton’s distinct choreographic style and sense of theatre.
Gwyn has unearthed many incredible stories of the long-forgotten people from his hometown, Montgomery a small town on the Welsh border and forged as epic work. He said, “This dance theatre is about what happens when the people of a small community all have big ideas about who they are but perhaps they shouldn’t”.
Stories range from a host of internationally acclaimed British artists such as Edward Detmold, composer Peter Warlock and metaphysical poets George Herbert and John Donne, who were everyday eccentrics either born and raised in Montgomery or who lived in the town, or simply wrote about it.
Other incredible stories that have fed into the work include Quakers being expelled from Montgomery and the rest of Mid Wales to the United States, Napoleonic prisoners of war held captive in towns along the Welsh border and Counter Culturists, including famous London models and aristocrats, turning up unannounced in the town and turning it on its head.
With leanings towards the absurd Shadow of a Quiet Society has been described as being ‘fascinating to behold’.
Gwyn added, “Audiences don’t need to know any of the stories, as this original piece of work is about any community with big personalities that we can all identify with. It promises to entertain and enthrall, with the audiences leaving and asking if their own ideas affect the people that surround them.”
Shadow of a Quiet Society is the second co-production for the company with one of Wales’ leading cultural centres Aberystwyth Arts Centre and follows on from the award-winning success of their previous work My People. The creation and tour is supported by Arts Council Wales, Arts Council England and The Riverfront.
In addition to the handpicked cast, the company has brought together a creative team consisting of some of the UK’s and Wales’ leading designers and composers. These include:
- Lighting designers Ben Cowens and Aideen Malone who have worked on notable productions for Bristol Old Vic and National Theatre such as Jane Eyre and for Akram Khan Company.
- Benjamin Talbott who composed the original score who is a regular composer for BBC Wales’ hit programme Hinterland
- Designer Angharad Matthews who has worked with many of Wales’ major theatre and dance companies such as National Theatre Wales, Volcano and No Fit State.
Interview with Gwyn Emberton:
https://asiw.co.uk/news/dance-roads-2016-gwyn-emberton-invites-wales-dance
Gwyn talks about the new work:
Review:
https://asiw.co.uk/reviews/shadow-quiet-society-gwyn-emberton-dance
Venue Listings:
Fri 14th October
Circomedia
St Paul’s Church
Portland Square
Bristol
BS2 8SJ
0117 924 7615
boxoffice@circomedia.com
http://www.circomedia.com/whats-on.html?spektrix_bounce=true
Thurs 10th November
Galeri Caernarfon
Doc Victoria
Caernarfon
Gwynedd
LL55 1SQ
01286 685 250
post@galericaernarfon.com
http://www.galericaernarfon.com/eng/whats-on-selected.php?show-id=873560298
Sat 12th November
Dance House/Ty Dawns
Wales Millennium Centre/Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru
Bute Pl
Cardiff Bay/Bae Caerdydd
CF10 5AL
029 2063 6464
http://www.ndcwales.co.uk/en/what-s-on/calendar/