Workshops for artists
Workshops (and Work in Progress) have included:
Wonderful Beast Residencies - Aldeburgh Music
November 2007 and February 2008
We are delighted to announce that Aldeburgh Music has offered Wonderful Beast two research and development Residencies at Snape towards the creation of its next production ‘Brandy for the Parson’ (working title). This work will be based on the theme of smuggling along the East coast in the 18th century interwoven with local folk tales and will bring together professional artists and members of the community.
The creative team:
Alys Kihl director, Sylvia Hallett composer/improviser, Claire Lyth designer, Tim Downie, writer
Actors: Davis Brett, Tim Downie, Sasha Mitchell, Stephen Peck, Matt Prendergast, Dan Wilder, Annie Firbank, Matt Jamie
Guests artists include:
John and Katie Howson of East Anglian Traditional Music Trust
Vernon Rose storyteller and folk singer
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Auntie Toothache and Other Stories
by Hans Christian Andersen
June 2005 at BAC
Wonderful Beast collaborated with the Indian dance company, Beeja in a Research and Devopment workshop supported by BAC. The aim was to explore new ways of telling stories, mixing the traditional South Indian baratanatyam classical dance forms with our own western storytelling techniques. We looked at a selection of stories by Hans Christian Andersen, including Little Ida`s Flowers, The Top and the Ball, and the extraordinary dark and vicious Auntie Toothache.
Auntie Toothache attacking the patient
From left to right , Paul O`Mahoney, Matt Prendergast, Tiffany Frieberg, Maev Rutten, seated Rachel Sternberg.
One of the many outcomes of the workshop is a new piece The Will O` the Wisps are in Town, said the Bog Witch, based on the virtually unknown tale by Hans Christian Andersen. In a collaboration with Childrens Music Workshop, and Beeja dance company , Wonderful Beast performed to children from 14 primary schools in Tower Hamlets who watched and participated in a theatrical, musical and danced version of the story.
The Swineherd and the Princess and the Pea, also based on stories by Hans Christian Andersen, premiered in August 2005, in the Jill Freud Summer Theatre Season (see past productions). More performances are currently being planned. Enacted by two brilliantly versatile actors, Matt Prendergast and Morven Macbeth.
...East meets West, R&D Workshops 2003
Wonderful Beast and Anusha Subramanyam a collaboration exploring Indian and Western techniques of telling stories through dance, music and drama. ( June2003)
Contes des Feés
Work in Progress performance at The French Institute (2001)
French Wonder Tales
Workshop
Two week workshop run by Bruce Myers from the Peter Brook Company exploring storytelling techniques whilst using material for the upcoming production Maps of Desire, Wonder Tales from France.
Wonderful Beast with Marina Warner, company patron and historical advisor, at the French Institute. A talk about the 17th century fairy tales and their female writers, with readings by actors from the company followed by Q &A session.( 2001)
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