Program Book [PDF] - University Musical Society

1927 winter 2013 umsWriter and DirectorSuzanne AndradeFilm and AnimationPaul BarrittMusicLillian HenleyCostume DesignEsme Appleton, Sarah MunroCostume ConstructionAlice Buckingham, Jenny Trent,Imogen WalkerAnimation AssistantDerek AndradePerformersSue Appleby, Lewis Barfoot,Eleanor BuchanVoice of the CaretakerJames AddieProduction ManagerSteve WatlingProducerJo CrowleyOriginally performed by Suzanne Andrade, Esme Appleton, and Lillian Henley.The Animals and Children Took to the Streets is approximately one hour in duration and isperformed without intermission.Following Wednesday evening’s opening night performance, please feel free to remain inyour 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

small bitesbe present• 1927’s first production, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, was a criticallylauded 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 itsworld-wide tour, 1927 found themselves battling a creative “sophomore slump”of sorts when it came time to start work on their next production, which wouldlater become The Animals and Children Took to the Streets.• A visit to the Chungking Mansions in a cramped, 17-story, mixed-use residentialand commercial structure spanning five blocks in Hong Kong served as an initialinspiration for The Animals and Children Took to the Streets.• The Company recently premiered a large-scale production of The Magic Flutein collaboration with the Komische Oper in Berlin in November 2012.artists19 27 is a London-basedperformance company thatspecializes in combiningperformance and live music withanimation and film to create magicalfilmic theater! Celebrated at home andoverseas, 1927 was founded in 2005 bywriter, performer, and director SuzanneAndrade and animator and illustratorPaul Barritt. In 2006, performer andcostume designer Esme Appleton andperformer, composer, and musicianLillian Henley joined and in 2007producer Jo Crowley began collaboratingwith the company. All four creativemembers of 1927 come from differentartistic backgrounds, and it is thecollaboration and complete integrationbetween these various disciplines thathas paved the way for the company tocreate its innovative and original work.1927 cut their teeth on the Londoncabaret scene. The Company performedthe beginnings of their debut show incabaret venues, spoken word nights,and comedy clubs and supported majorcabaret acts and bands, including TheDresden Dolls at the RoundhouseLondon. In 2007, 1927 premiered itsdebut show Between the Devil and theDeep Blue Sea at the Edinburgh FestivalFringe. Between the Devil and the DeepBlue Sea was immensely successful,achieving critical acclaim, multiple selloutseasons and winning five IndustryAwards (Herald Angel, Fringe First,Arches Brick, Carol Tamber, and TotalTheatre Award). Following the successand unprecedented demand whichfollowed their Edinburgh debut, overthe course of the last four years 1927has presented the show in two sell-outLondon seasons, toured to venues andfestivals in every region in the UK andacross the globe to major internationaltheaters and arts festivals includingPS122 and Under the Radar in New York,Sydney Opera House, Malthouse Theatre27

1927 winter 2013 umsMelbourne, Adelaide Cabaret Festival,Perth Festival (Australia), SpoletoFestival (USA), Uijeongbu Music TheatreFestival (Korea), Singapore Festival,Mladi Levi Festival (Slovenia), DublinFestival, Belfast Festival, Macau Festival,Hanover Festival (Germany), and theNew Zealand Festival. Along the way, thecompany has steadily developed a hugefollowing of dedicated supporters andhas been garnered with critical acclaim,sell-out runs, two New York Drama DeskAward Nominations and won the PeterBrook Empty Space Award for “BestEnsemble” in 2008.In 2010, following over a year ofmaking, buried away in their studio inEast London and research, development,and work-in-progress performances inLondon, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newbury,and Chichester, 1927 premieredits second production The Animalsand Children Took to the Streets inAustralia at Sydney Opera House andthe Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne.The show had its UK premiere at BAC inLondon in December 2010 and January2011, garnering widespread criticalacclaim, and winning the 2011 Off WestEnd Award for “Best Entertainment.”In 2011 and 2012 the show touredto Australia, China, New Zealand, SriLanka, United Arab Emirates, France,Nigeria, Croatia, Ireland, France, and theUS. In the UK it was presented at HoltFestival, Latitude Festival, was selectedas part of the 2011 British CouncilEdinburgh showcase and in London waspresented at the National Theatre inDecember 2011 and January 2012. Theshow returned to the National Theatrein December 2012 and January 2013where it was presented for a secondmonth-long repertory season in thelarger Lyttelton Theatre. 1927 alsorecently collaborated with the KomischeOpera in Berlin, Germany to create a newproduction of The Magic Flute whichpremiered in November 2012 and will berunning in rep until July 2013.In 2013 1927 will be growingas it begins working with a new castto tour The Animals and Childrentook to the Streets across the UK andinternationally 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, TheUkraine, Armenia, Georgia, and Malta.In 2013, 1927 will begin to develop a newproduction for premiere in 2014. 1927is based in London and is an AssociateCompany of the Young Vic Theatre.Suzanne Andrade (Writer andDirector, 1927 Co-Artistic Director)writes and directs 1927’s work.Before forming 1927, Suzanne wascommissioned by the BBC to write aplay for the West Yorkshire Playhouse.The results were not particularly good,which encouraged Suzanne to turnaway from traditional script writingand try her hand at comedy andpoetry. She faired marginally betterand won several small-scale stand-upcomedy competitions before movingto London and establishing herself as aperformance poet. After appearing onRadio 3 (Mixing It, The Verb) Suzannemet Paul Barritt. The pair createdseveral small shows involving her poetryand his projections. They gained a cult(small but loyal) following. Suzanne hascreated all of 1927’s shows and mostrecently collaborated with Paul as 1927to co-conceive a new production of TheMagic Flute at the Komische OperaBerlin, which she co-directed. She iscurrently writing 1927’s new show for28

2014. Suzanne is mainly consumed by1927 but she occasionally pops up at theodd storytelling gig.Paul Barritt (Film, Animation,and Design, 1927 Co-Artistic Director)illustrated and animated The Animalsand Children took to the Streets.Before forming 1927, Paul worked as afreelance illustrator and animator. Paulhas exhibited his artwork in variousgalleries and has also made severalstand-alone films, all of which aredistributed internationally, appearingin film festivals throughout the UKand Europe. He won an award at theDarklight Film Festival for his short filmShed. Paul has co-created all of 1927’sshows and most recently collaboratedwith Suzanne as 1927 to co-conceive anew production of The Magic Flute atthe Komische Opera Berlin, for whichhe created full-scale animation andfilm. Paul is currently developing visualcontent for 1927’s new show for 2014.Paul is also a lecturer in animation andillustration at Middlesex University. Formore information on Paul, please visitwww.paulbarritt.com.Esme Appleton (Co-Creator andCo-Costume Designer, 1927 Associate)is an essential part of 1927’s creativeprocess. Not only does she perform themain role in each 1927 show, but sheis also incremental in brutally editingscripts, neatening scenes, conceiving ofideas, adding interactive moments, beingan assistant director, and liaising withSuzanne on initial scripts and Paul onaesthetic ideas. Many of the interactivemotifs that have become 1927’strademark stem from Esme, who has anuncanny ability to think in terms of bothlive action and animation. Currentlyin demand to appear in many a filmproject, Esme’s interests outside of 1927are playing the musical saw and guitar,pixilation, voice training, and perfectingher own peculiar brand of naturalism.Esme is with the Conway Van Gelderagency and would give her right arm tobe in a Shane Meadows film.Lillian Henley (Composer) asboth a musician and a performer is thesort of intuitive collaborator that onedreams of working with! Lillian’s ratherunique skill lies in being able to translatesketchy thoughts and rough ideas intoamazingly catchy melodies. Her pianoscores hold 1927’s shows together, arehugely atmospheric, and range in soundfrom classic silent film to Kurt Weill.Lillian not only composes the scores butalso performs in 1927’s shows, at timessinging, playing piano, and changingcostumes all at once! Outside of 1927,Lillian is currently composing an albumand is a core performer of RagroofTheatres tea dances. You should seeher rhumba. She has scored a numberof silent films for the Barbican, HoxtonHall, and independent filmmakers andis making quite a name for herself as asilent film pianist. For more information,please visit www.lillianhenley.com.Jo Crowley (Producer) producedThe Animals and Children took to theStreets. 1927 would flounder without Jo.She came on board after Edinburgh 2007and has since become indispensableto the whole process. Jo is a rare breedof producer indeed, dealing with newshows, touring, finances, funding, controlof creative collaborations, dealing withvenues, press, promotion, and overseeingand advising on every single aspect of1927’s work. She is, simply put, a bit ofa legend. She’s also a bit of a ballerina.Outside of 1927, Jo also produces workbe presentwinter 201329

1927 winter 2013 umswith Ridiculusmus Theatre Company,artist Kazuko Hohki, Australianperformance trio The Suitcase Royale,and supports and advises a number ofindependent artists, companies, andemerging producers.Sarah Munro (Costume Designer)is one of the co-founders of the InsectMuseum and Insect Circus, withwhom she performs and designs. Sheis a frighteningly creative and cleverwoman whom 1927 hope to work within the future. Sarah designed some of thecostumes in The Animals and ChildrenTook to the Streets, and helped 1927realize its own designs and demands.Please see www.insectcircus.co.uk formore information.Derek Andrade (AnimationAssistant) assisted Paul with animatingZelda’s gang, as well as providingvaluable criticism and encouragingwords throughout the process. He is astop-frame animator and film makerwho has made music videos for Emmythe Great and worked for RSA films andFuture Shorts. For more information,please visit http://cargocollective.com/derekandrade.Sue Appleby (Performer) trainedat The Central School of Speech andDrama. She has a first class degree inmusic and drama from The Universityof Birmingham, with three years ofclassical singing and piano training atthe Birmingham Conservatoire. Sueworked with renowned conductor JohnWilson and his Orchestra in The GoodCompanions for Radio 3, the Rodgersand Hammerstein and Hollywood Promsfor BBC TV/Radio, and at Abbey RoadStudios. Theater credits include: ThreeMen in a Boat (UK Tour); Beatrice inMuch Ado About Nothing (UK/EuropeanTour); Mephisto in The Vaudevillians(Les Enfants Terribles); John Godber’sadaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under theSea (Hull Truck); Little Women (DuchessTheatre, West End); Cinderella in Into TheWoods (Landor Theatre); South PacificUK Tour; Bobbie Ellis alongside AlisonSteadman in Losing Louis (TrafalgarStudios/UK tour) and Lady Macbeth(Shakespeare’s Globe). Sue’s work as amusical director includes Three Men ina Boat (UK Tour), 20,000 Leagues Underthe Sea alongside director John Godber,and the West End productions of CoolHand Luke (Aldwych), Carrie’s War(Apollo), Little Women (Duchess) andAnne of Green Gables (Lillian Baylis). Shecoaches many industry professionalsand teaches singing at several top dramaschools. For the past six years, she hasled the nationally acclaimed jazz bandLimelight.Lewis Barfoot (Performer) is asinger, actress, and theater maker. Shehas been devising, co-creating, andwriting songs and plays for theater since2005. She has just returned from touringthe US as Kate in Taming of the Shrewwith Aquila Theatre. Lewis premieredher debut solo show The History of ThePomegranate in 2011 with Arts Councilsupport at Jackson’s Lane. Other theatercredits include: Loser (Company FZ,International Mime Festival), Richard II(Old Vic), Hamlet (Old Vic), Hedda Gabler(Bulandra, Bucharest), When Five YearsPass (Arcola), Up The Café De Paris (NewPlayers), Incontinental (Kazuko HohkiProductions), Hidden Birds (Winner ofLes 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 over30

the UK as a solo singer/songwriter andhas previously sung with the pop, funk,and folk bands The Fruit People, Geezer,and Rún, enjoying gigs at Glastonbury,Lovebox, The Union Chapel, Bath PumpRooms, Southbank Centre, EdinburghFestival, and Folk Festivals all over theUK. She hopes to record her debut albumsoon.Eleanor Buchan (Performer)trained at Ecole Philippe Gaulier andat Central School of Speech & Drama.Theater credits include La Fille à laMode (National Theatre, BAC, V&A,Barbican, Theatre Royal Haymarket, andinternational tour); Put Up Job (GideonReeling at Bestival); Terror 2011 (SohoTheatre); Indiscreet (BAC); Broken Down(Theatre 503); Merely Players (SHUNT);The Advice Booth (Forest Fringe atLatitude); Titus Andronicus, Henry VIParts I, II, and III (The Scoop); Clockwork(Cambridge ADC); Private Lives, TheDead of Night (Sheringham Rep); ThingsYou Said in the Dark (BAC); The TinSoldier (International Tour); Haozkla(Bedlam Theatre); Your Ex-Lover is Dead(Arches Glasgow); Closer (The Roxy);The Merchant of Venice, Measure forMeasure, Twelfth Night (CSSD). Filmcredits include The Eden Project; Me,Jane; Not Waving But Drowning; Waysof Eating; Free Time; Waking Up OnThe Wrong Side of Bed. Eleanor is partof ArtForEating, a collective that runsperformance-based pop-up restaurantsand interactive dining experiences.Steve Watling (ProductionManager) has been involved behind thescenes of theater since 1986, workingat a number of theaters before joiningthe stage management team at theWest Yorkshire Playhouse in 1988,which he then left in the mid-1990s toembark on a career in social work. Stevereturned to the world of theater in 2007as a technician, stage manager, andproduction manager and has enjoyedworking with some lovely people andsome great companies. Recent workincludes Monkey Bars (Chris Goode &Company), Thirsty (The Paper Birds),Rapunzel (BalletLorent), Beauty and theBeast and The Ugly Duckling (NorthernBallet), The Giant & the Bear (UnlimitedTheatre), and two years supportinga number of shows at the EdinburghFestival.This week’s performances mark 1927’sUMS debut.Co-commissioned by BAC, Malthouse TheatreMelbourne, and The Showroom (University ofChichester).Supported by Corn Exchange, Newbury.Development support from The Arches, ManipulateVisual Theatre Festival, and Puppet AnimationScotland.Developed with funding from Arts Council England.1927 would like to thank: Shelley Hastings and all atBAC. Ben Francombe, Claire Soper, Vince Field, andall at The Showroom and University of Chichester.Stephen Armstrong, Michael Kantor, and theMalthouse Theatre. Virginia Hyam, Pip Sprott, andSydney Opera House. Nick Giles and Corn ExchangeNewbury. Simon Hart and Puppet AnimationScotland. LJ Dodd and the Arches. Warren Dentand Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club. RichardEustace, Jim Leaver, and the production team atthe National Theatre. Shoreditch Town Hall. SueEmmas, David Lan, and the Young Vic. Liz Littlewoodand Arts Council England. The British Councilfor its continued championing of and support forpresenting our work internationally. Special thanksto Nick Flintoff, Vicki Pettifer, Steven Barritt,Julian Krispel, Natasha Tonkin, Lucy Brooks, AlexisBradburn, David Soop, Becki Haines, Coco Jackson,Patricia Shaw, Jonny Aldous, and Naomi Hill. Thanksto everyone who has helped and supported us alongthe way.For more information, please visit www.19-27.co.uk.be presentwinter 201331