Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre present
Natalie Weir’s
21-29 August 2015 Playhouse, QPAC
Welcome FROM JOHN KOTZAS Chief Executive Queensland Performing Arts Centre Expressions Dance Company is one of Australia’s foremost dance companies and leads the way in contemporary dance for Queensland. 7 Deadly Sins is the fifth signature work from EDC presented in partnership with QPAC. EDC is an award winning company that is recognised nationally as a producer of new and exciting works. Their signature work from last year, The Red Shoes, was recently nominated for three Helpmann Awards. Creating and co-creating art is one of QPAC’s most important functions, and the signature works that have resulted from QPAC’s partnership with EDC are groundbreaking and resonate with our
FROM NATALIE WEIR Artistic Director Expressions Dance Company audiences. Tonight’s production has its premiere season here in the Playhouse before heading to the Gold Coast. As well as the outstanding dancers performing in tonight’s work, there are many creative people who bring Natalie Weir’s vision to life on stage: award winning composer Darrin Verhagen; rich designs and costumes by Bill Haycock; and lighting by David Walters. Art is rarely created in isolation and the results of creative collaborations such as tonight’s performance are the richer for it. I hope you enjoy this world premiere performance.
A big welcome to you all to the world premiere of 7 Deadly Sins, my fifth signature work for EDC. We are committed to contemporary storytelling that touches the human spirit through theatrical narratives. Our signature productions are ambitious works of scale and design with original music. Collaboration is an integral part of the creative process. I collaborate with the dancers, designers, composers and often musicians. Designer Bill Haycock and I developed the concept for 7 Deadly Sins together. His stage and costume design is simply beautiful, and beautifully simple, bold and elegant. The initial inspiration came from paintings by Giotto di Bondone, which depicted each sin encased in a frame. Lighting design by David Walters is striking and dramatic, and is David Walters at his very best. David also collaborated on the concept with designer Bill Haycock and myself. For 7 Deadly Sins, I wanted a new sound, and working with electronic composer Darrin Verhagen has been rewarding. His work is like a film score, bringing the sins to life and driving the pace of the work. I love this music for its excitement and originality.
Wrath
I have been blessed to work with Amy Hollingsworth, who has joined us part time as rehearsal director. She has shown me an enormous amount of support during the creative and staging process, and shares her wealth of knowledge and exquisite artistry with the dancers. She is a real blessing for EDC.
We welcome Thomas Gundry Greenfield as guest dancer in the role of ‘Man’. He provides a charismatic and exceptional ‘anchor’ to this work. Creating this work, in collaboration with all the dancers, has been the most satisfying, complete and inspiring as it could ever be, with each dancer taking ownership of their role. This work is the result of a shared history with an ensemble of dancers, who are brave in the creation of movement, and I am very proud of these beautiful, intelligent and creative dancers who inspire me endlessly. I wish Daryl Brandwood the very best for his future, as he hangs up his EDC shoes at the end of this year. 7 Deadly Sins will be his last signature work with EDC. It has been a privilege to work with him on the many works he and I have done together over 20 years at various companies. It is not often Australia sees a dancer like him and because of that, he is a role model. At 44 Daryl shows no signs of slowing down but just keeps getting better. He is a total gem. Finally my heartfelt thanks to QPAC as our producing partner for this fifth signature work. This partnership has been such an important one, giving us the opportunity to create works of scale and gain recognition for EDC with the fantastic platform QPAC provides. I hope you enjoy this performance and that you are excited, inspired and moved by our performance of 7 Deadly Sins.
Greed
DIRECTOR’S NOTES by Natalie Weir
DESIGN by Bill Haycock
‘Man’ is slothfully watching a television in his lounge room. His mind, or consciousness, begins to wander, and he reveals the character of ‘Sloth’. It is as if he has opened Pandora’s box and each of the deadly sins are revealed, in boxes, as if being dormant since ancient times. They quickly shed their ancient skins, and become a physical interpretation of the sin.
The designs for 7 Deadly Sins emerged slowly from various collaborative discussions with Natalie Weir and David Walters about the nature of what are traditionally considered the ‘sins’ and their connection to contemporary life. We looked at various religious sources – alighting on a series of Giotto paintings as a reference point that seemed both ancient and current. We became interested in the idea of a paradise out of which we are cast and a purgatory into which we are led by overindulgence or ready acceptance of ‘sin’.
Each of the sins bring different degrees of temptation. All the sins are part of any human’s life. It is when they are taken too far that they become deadly. Is it just the wanderings of the Man’s mind whilst watching a television? Or is it a journey of his conscience, looking back at his life and the moments of temptation and, perhaps, regret? The sins, unleashed, clash and infect each other and the Man. There is no judgment made in this work. It is purely an exploration of human nature, emotion and conscious. The sins are ultimately released into the real world.
Combining the costume imagery of currently popular ‘sword and sorcery’ films and TV series, this eventually distilled itself into a gold living room. This became the starting point for the exploration of how attractive yet dangerous these ‘classic sins’ can be.
Characters in order of appearance: The Man: (Mortal) Thomas Gundry Greenfield
Lust: (A craving for the pleasures of the body) Elise May
MUSIC by Darrin Verhagen with additional material by Ben Keane
Sloth: (Avoidance of physical or spiritual work) Cloudia Elder
Envy: (The desire for others’ traits, status, abilities or situation) Rebecca Hall
Greed: (The desire for material wealth or to take) Daryl Brandwood
Pride: (Love of oneself perverted to contempt for one’s neighbour) Benjamin Chapman
Gluttony: (To consume more than one requires) Jack Ziesing
Writing music for new choreographic collaborations is always exciting – from learning to gauge each other’s tastes and stylistic interests and finding a common language to discuss musical ideas, through to the exploration and development of a shared audiokinetic language.
Wrath: (To spurn love and opt for fury) Michelle Barnett
Sloth
From the outset it was always going to be difficult not to have fun writing for this world. Conceptually, the sonic landscape enables and enacts seven deadly sins. Natalie Weir’s enthusiasm for driven industrial percussion, textural experimentation and (as mentioned in the original brief) “a good melody” was an invitation to a wild and seductive sandpit indeed. A bold world, pyrotechnic choreography, rich design elements and evocative lighting. A gift for any sound designer!
Pride
Creative Team Natalie Weir CONCEPT AND CHOREOGRAPHY
David Walters LIGHTING DESIGN
In collaboration with the EDC dancers Choreographer Natalie Weir is known internationally for her highly physical partner work, her organic movement style and her touching insight into humanity. Natalie trained at QUT and was a founding member of Expressions Dance Company. She has created over 170 professional works in her 30 year career, including major new works for world class companies such as The Australian Ballet, Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet, Houston Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Hong Kong Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Natalie was resident choreographer for The Australian Ballet and Queensland Ballet and was appointed EDC’s Artistic Director in 2009, fulfilling her dream to build an ensemble of dancers and contribute to the future of Australian dance. Natalie’s 2010 signature work where the heart is won Best Performance by a Company at the 2011 Australian Dance Awards and Best Choreography and Best Ballet or Dance Work at the 2011 Helpmann Awards. Her signature works with EDC have earned 10 Helpmann Award nominations.
For the past 30 years, David has worked as a professional Lighting Designer in Iceland and Australia. His work experience spans lighting designs for opera, theatre, ballet, dance, puppetry, circus, son-et-lumieres, exhibitions, major events and architectural and landscape installations. In 1986 David returned to Australia to take up a position as Resident Lighting Designer with QTC. Since 1990, as a freelance designer, he has worked extensively throughout Australia and designed for Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Handspan, Playbox, La Boite, Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus, Nimrod, Company B, Queensland Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Opera Queensland, Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane Festival, QUT, QPAC, Zen Zen Zo and Bell Shakespeare Company. For Expressions Dance Company he has lit Adam in Wonderland, Attitude, R&J and When Time Stops. Throughout his professional career, David has maintained close ties with Iceland where he has worked for the National Theatre, the National Opera and the Reykjavik City Theatre.
Bill Haycock CONCEPT AND DESIGN
Amy Hollingsworth REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Designer Bill Haycock’s extensive career in the creative arts spans over 30 years. He first teamed with Natalie Weir on Medea for the Queensland Ballet in 1992 and since then has designed and co-created ten works with her, including Burning (Queensland Ballet), MirrorMirror (The Australian Ballet), and in 2003 he co-conceived and designed the award winning Turandot (Hong Kong Ballet), followed by Madama Butterfly in 2005 (Hong Kong Ballet) for which he won a Hong Kong Dance Award. From 2005-2011 he was the Head of Design at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Since returning to Brisbane, some of Bill’s designs include: Don’t, Carmen Sweet and When Time Stops (EDC), Cabaret (ZenZenZo), Romeo and Juliet (QTC), Stradbroke Dreamtime and End of the Rainbow (QPAC/QTC), 1001 Nights (Zen Zen Zo/QMF/QTC), 10 Hands and Sharehouse (Topology) and Candide (OQ).
Amy Hollingsworth is a multi award winning dancer and director, based in Brisbane and described by the UK Observer as one of ‘the most compelling and intelligent dancers on the world stage’. Born in Australia and classically trained at The Australian Ballet School, she danced as a leading dancer in companies including Rambert Dance Company, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Peter Schaufuss Balletten, Bonachela Dance Company, Michael Clark Company, Hofesh Shechter Company and Sydney Dance Company. Her international performance and creative career has spanned large-scale classical ballet to independent contemporary dance, film and pop music. Her achievements are many, but most notably she was a founding member of Bonachela Dance Company and, as the Assistant Director, was instrumental in its creation and growth. She then excelled in her roles as Dance Director for Sydney Dance where she assisted all of the company’s recently commissioned, world-renowned, guest choreographers. Her eye for detail and her skill in coaching excellence from award winning dancers has been widely and critically acclaimed. Amy joined EDC part-time in January 2015.
Darrin Verhagen COMPOSER Darrin Verhagen is an award winning sound designer for dance, theatre, screen and installation. He has written scores for ADT, Chunky Move, Lucy Guerin, Sue Healey, Stompin Youth (dance), Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company, Daniel Schlusser Ensemble, the Malthouse, Griffin, Bell Shakespeare and Chamber Made Opera (theatre), Gina Czarnecki and Patricia Picinini (installation), and SBS, Foxtel and Nicholas Verso (screen). His recent installations, fusing sound with light, felt vibration and motion simulators have been presented at Experimenta: Recharge, Globelight Festival, White Night and the National Gallery of Victoria. Darrin lectures in Sound Design and multisensory experience and runs the Audiokinetic Experiments (AkE) Lab at RMIT University.
Lust
Envy
Cast GUEST ARTIST Thomas Gundry Greenfield MAN South Australian born Thomas is an international independent artist in dance and physical theatre. From 2010-2013 he was an ensemble member with Dancenorth and in 2014 was guest artist in Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Patyegarang. Thomas has previously performed with EDC as guest artist for Natalie Weir’s When Time Stops. He has worked with Kage on the development of Team of Life, Akram Khan Company on the development on iTMOi and with director Michael Kantor and Garry Stewart on the feature film The Boy Castaways. Thomas has also worked with Larissa McGowan (Australian Dance Theatre), Rob Tannion (DV8 Physical Theatre), Ross McCormack (Les Ballets) and Lucas Jervies (Opera Australia).
The EDC ENSEMBLE Cloudia Elder SLOTH Cloudia graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance Performance) in 2014. Cloudia played Juliet (Act 1) in R&J for her debut performance with EDC. Following this she performed in SOLO Festival of Dance and The Red Shoes. In December 2014 she represented QUT in Singapore’s Contact M1 Festival, performing works by Natalie Weir and Vanessa Mafe-Keane. In 2015, Cloudia joined EDC in her first professional year and performed in The Host. Cloudia Elder is proudly supported by the Patricia MacDonald Memorial Foundation
Daryl Brandwood GREED Daryl’s professional career spans over 20 years, including performances with The Australian Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Australian Dance Theatre. Awards include the Helsinki International Ballet Competition, a Green Room Award, a Helpmann Award, and Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer for HELIX, created with Barry Moreland. EDC performances include where the heart is, R&J, R&J Carmen Sweet, 4Seasons (Singapore Dance Theatre), When Time Stops, SOLO Festival of Dance, The Red Shoes and The Host. Daryl Brandwood is proudly sponsored by The English Family Foundation
Jack Ziesing GLUTTONY Jack began dancing with Quantum Leap Youth ensemble under Ruth Osborne at the Australian Choreographic Centre in Canberra, and continued his study at WAAPA, where he received a scholarship to participate in the Taipei Ideas Dance Festival. Jack performed Sue Peacock’s any given moment at the World Dance Alliance Conference in the USA, and was featured in Garry Stewart’s film Collision Course. Prior to joining EDC, Jack performed in Chrissie Parrot’s Cyg.net at the opening of the Perth State Theatre. EDC highlights include where the heart is, R&J, Carmen Sweet, When Time Stops, The Red Shoes and The Host.
Gluttony
Jack Ziesing is proudly sponsored by Tony Denholder & Scott Gibson and Ray & Penny Weekes.
Elise May LUST Elise has worked extensively as an independent artist in Australia and internationally, and as a company member of EDC. Elise has also developed an interest in choreography, performance design, installation, sound and moving image and has created works such as Close Proximity (2010), 101 Ways to Strip, (2010) and her Screen Dance Laboratory (2012) as well as choreographic commissions for QUT and Expressions Dance Company. Elise is currently undertaking a Masters by Research at QUT investigating choreography and the moving image and the use of digital media in live performance. In 2011 Elise was nominated for an Australian Dance Award for her performance in where the heart is and in 2012 received the ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer’ Award for her role of Juliet (Act Three) in R&J. Other EDC Highlights include When Time Stops, Carmen Sweet and The Host. Elise May is proudly sponsored by Trevor St Baker, Powerarts, Paul Newman & Lucy Bretherton
Rebecca Hall ENVY In 2010, Brisbane born Rebecca received a scholarship to train in contemporary ballet at Joffrey Ballet School, New York. She became a member of the Joffrey Ballet School Touring Company, working with numerous choreographers. Since then, Rebecca has travelled for various commercial dance performances nationally and internationally and worked with Liam Burke on several projects. She is a qualified personal trainer and massage therapist. Rebecca joined the company in 2014; her EDC credits include Carmen Sweet, R&J, R&J The Red Shoes and The Host. Rebecca Hall is proudly sponsored by Marian Gibney
Benjamin Chapman PRIDE Benjamin graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Dance from WAAPA in 2011. 2010 saw him perform with West Australian Ballet in Sleeping Beauty, and again in 2011 in The Taming of the Shrew. The following year he performed with TasDance in Voltage and with Ochre Contemporary Dance Company in Diaphanous. EDC performances include R&J, R&J Don’t, Propel (the next step), Carmen Sweet, 4Seasons (Singapore Dance Theatre), When Time Stops, SOLO Festival of Dance, The Red Shoes and The Host. Benjamin Chapman is proudly sponsored by Judith St Baker
Michelle Barnett WRATH Michelle studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance Performance) at Queensland University of Technology, graduating with Distinction in 2011. She was the recipient of the 2011 Patricia MacDonald Memorial Scholarship. Michelle was offered a traineeship with EDC in 2012, joining the company in 2013. EDC performances include Propel (the next step), R&J, R&J When Time Stops, Carmen Sweet, 4Seasons (Singapore Dance Theatre) and The Host. Michelle Barnett is proudly sponsored by Rhyll Gardner & Rusty Graham
Production Credits
Season Show Crew
EDC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Production Manager
Stage Manager
Marian Gibney (Chair)
Leonie Lee
Jodie Roche-Jones
Tony Denholder (Deputy Chair)
Iceworks Design
Corinne Fish
Rhyll Gardner
Set Construction Curtain Manufacturer
PRG Showdrapes
Cutter-Costume Maker
Lighting Programmer
Ben Shotton
Stage Management Secondment
Gayle Macgregor
Dominique Prince
Jayne Warrington
Christine Felmingham
Additional Costume Work Costume Intern
Arundhati Madan Sound Intern
Ben Keane
Hero Photography
Beth Mitchell
Promotional Photography
Jeff Camden
Ross Cunningham
Head Electrician
Lighting Secondment Costume Maintenance
Liezel Buckenham
At Expressions Dance Company, we create moments to take your breath away. For 31 years, EDC has created more than 150 works by 75 different choreographers. We’ve provided sustainable employment for more than 70 dancers. We’ve enjoyed 22 international tours to 17 countries, and 23 major Queensland tours. Our dancers and choreographers are among the best in the world. EDC has received ten Helpmann Award nominations and 9 Australian Dance Award nominations for Natalie Weir signature works. But to continue leaping to new heights, we need the support of our community. Discover ways to keep us dancing at expressionsdancecompany.org.au
Libby Lincoln Gina McLellan Noel Staunton Natalie Weir EDC MANAGEMENT TEAM Artistic Director Natalie Weir Executive Director/CEO Libby Lincoln General Manager/Marketing Manager Kirsten Bartholomew Rehearsal Director Amy Hollingsworth Production Manager Leonie Lee Development Consultant Kathie Kelly Marketing Coordinator Vivien Doneley Office Manager Amelia Rushton Bookkeeper Elizabeth Lepua
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Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts Level 3, 420 Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley, QLD, 4006
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QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE PO Box 3567, South Bank, Queensland 4101 T: (07) 3840 7444 W: qpac.com.au
Chair Chris Freeman AM
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Deputy Chair Rhonda White AO
The Queensland Performing Arts Trust is a statutory body of the State of Queensland and is partially funded by the Queensland Government
TRUSTEES Kylie Blucher, Simon Gallaher, Sophie Mitchell, Mick Power AM EXECUTIVE STAFF Chief Executive: John Kotzas Director – Presenter Services: Ross Cunningham Director – Marketing: Roxanne Hopkins Director – Corporate Services: Kieron Roost Director – Patron Services: Jackie Branch
Transaction fee of $4 applies for phone and internet bookings.
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP Premier and Minister for the Arts Director-General, Department of Premier and Cabinet: David Stewart
Patrons are advised that the Performing Arts Centre has EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES, a FIRE ALARM system and EXIT passageways. In case of an alert, patrons should remain calm, look for the closest EXIT sign in GREEN, listen to and comply with directions given by the inhouse trained attendants and move in an orderly fashion to the open spaces outside the Centre.
Investment Partners
Expressions Dance Company acknowledges the assistance of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, and the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Producing Partner
Training Partner
Emerging Artist Champion
Champion Partner
Wellness Partner
Patricia MacDonald Memorial Foundation Supporting Cloudia Elder
Supporters
We also thank: Uber, Hyundai and Next Door Kitchen & Bar EDC Interns: Michael Cullen, En Rui Foo, Olivia Hogan, Kate Holmes and Emily Samuel
Major Donors Andrew Battersby
Rhyll Gardner & Rusty Graham
Kris Prikka & Anand Shah
Richard Scott
Marian Gibney
Ross Cunningham
Myer Foundation
Sophie Mitchell
Patricia MacDonald Memorial Foundation
Stack Family Foundation
Paul Newman & Lucy Bretheron
The English Family Foundation
Powerarts
Tony Denholder & Scott Gibson
Ray & Penny Weekes
Trevor and Judith St Baker