Media Release17 March 2010 SHELF LIFE In partnership with Volcano Theatre and Welsh National Opera Directed by Paul Davies and Catherine Bennett Designed by Paul Clay Music by Peter Swaffer Reynolds 7 – 25 April 2010, Press Night 8th April Old Library, Swansea Three of Wales’ most exciting companies and a team of internationally acclaimed artists join forces for a unique multi-sensory experience. Following the success of their sell-out, critically-acclaimed opening show A Good Night Out in the Valleys, the second show of National Theatre Wales’ inaugural season, Shelf Life, will see them combine with Volcano Theatre Company and Welsh National Opera (WNO) as singers, dancers and a cast of remarkable characters take over a Victorian former library in Swansea. Shelf Life is an extraordinary theatrical adventure exploring a magical building at the heart of Swansea’s history. Enter the outer courtyard, labyrinthine stacks and circular reading room of the Old Library in Alexandra Road. The last books were cleared out and the doors closed to the public at the end of 2007. Now, like ghosts, we can browse the shelves once more, and even poke our noses in to places where once only librarians could be found. Brace yourself for surprises and strange occurrences, singing librarians, extraordinary dancers, and for a little more noise and disruption than is usually allowed. Shelf Life is a National Theatre Wales / Volcano Theatre Company / Welsh National Opera co-production featuring a specially-formed community choir. It is produced in partnership with Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea Metropolitan University and Grwp Gwalia Cyf. Full cast: Nigel Barrett, Gerard Bell, Lindsey Butcher, Theo Clinkard, Jane Guernier and Anna Bjerre Larsen (full biogs below). Volcano is an internationally renowned touring company based in Swansea which has produced over 25 shows, using a powerful physical style coupled with visual impact and innovative use of text. WNO MAX is a community initiative from Welsh National Opera. Unique to WNO, this new initiative takes a diverse and integrated programme of performances and projects beyond the main stage. Through its education and outreach work, MAX aims to maximise the company's resources and create new opportunities for the ensemble and for the communities it reaches. Paul Davies is artistic director of Volcano, and one of the founding members. He has performed in many of their shows, written three plays and directed a number of others. He has also directed work in Montreal and Croatia and taught in numerous academies around the world. Nigel Barrett is a Cardiff-born actor who works regularly at the National Theatre in London and is an Associate Artist with Shunt. With George Tomlinson and Louise Mari he has been creating arresting performances which take place, unannounced, amongst people drinking late at night in the Shunt lounge and in other unsuspecting crowds. Gerard Bell has a range of work with such innovative companies as Pina Bausch, Stan’s Café, PunchDrunk and David Gale to his credit, and has recently appeared in Chris Goode’s acclaimed King Pelican at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. Catherine Bennett is a Volcano Associate Artist. She trained at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and has worked with Matthew Hawkins Fresh Dances Group, Random Dance Company, Houston Grand Opera and English National Opera, Siobhan Davies, Carol Brown Dances and Walker Dance Park Music. She recently directed her first short film, Witness, and has devised and performed in three Volcano shows. Paul Clay is a visual artist whose work spans many different fields and an award-winning theatre designer whose projects include the set for the Pulitzer prize-winning Broadway Musical Rent, 1997. Peter Swaffer Reynolds is a multi-instrumental composer who has worked with circus, silent movies, theatre, dance, and site-specific events since the mid-1980s. In 1995 he collaborated for the first time with NoFit State Circus, and has been their composer-in-residence ever since. He has worked with WNO on various projects, the most recent being Boxing Beats. Lindsey Butcher has worked with many dance companies and choreographers as both an independent dancer and aerialist, including Extemporary Dance Theatre, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Siobhan Davies (Bank project) and The Royal, Royal Danish and English National Operas. Lindsey also regularly choreographs for The Dream Engine, most recently for the FA Cup Final and Muse’s tour. Theo Clinkard is a Brighton-based dance artist. As well as working with many of the UK’s leading choreographers, including Siobhan Davies, Matthew Bourne, and Wayne McGregor, he has also choreographed for Kylie Minogue and danced in pop promos for Lily Allen, The Kills, and Lulu. He is a founding member of Probe dance company, Jane Guernier has worked extensively with Told By An Idiot theatre company, in such productions as Beauty and the Beast, A Little Fantasy and An Evening With the Bondress, while her other credits include Senora Carrar’s Rifles (Young Vic) and The Unconquered (Traverse, Scarborough, London). Anna Bjerre Larsen has worked with choreographers and companies including Arts Alliance, Aletta Collins, Gary Clarke’s Pit Fleur Company, State of Flux, Tom Roden, Jan De Schynkel and Cher Geurtze. She has recently been working as assistant choreographer and dancer for Malmo Opera. LISTINGS INFO SHELF LIFE In partnership with Volcano Theatre and Welsh National Opera Directed by Paul Davies and Catherine Bennett Designed by Paul Clay Music by Peter Swaffer Reynolds 7 – 25 April (Wed-Sun) 2010 Wed, 7pm Thur – Sat, 7pm & 8.30pm Sun, 3pm & 4.30pm Press Night 8 April Old Library Alexandra Road Swansea, SA1 5DU Tickets from £7.00 Taliesin Arts Centre Tel. 01792 602 060 Please note the library interior is not wheelchair accessible. SHELF LIFE Mewn partneriaeth â Theatr Volcano ac Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru Cyfarwyddwyd gan Paul Davies a Catherine Bennett Dyluniwyd gan Paul Clay Cerddoriaeth gan Peter Swaffer Reynolds 7 – 25 Ebrill 2010, Noson i’r Wasg 8fed Ebrill Yr Hen Lyfrgell, Abertawe Tri o gwmnïau mwyaf cyffrous Cymru a thîm o artistiaid sy’n enwog yn rhyngwladol yn uno ar gyfer profiad aml-synhwyraidd unigryw. Yn dilyn llwyddiant rhagorol eu sioe agoriadol, ar gyfer eu hail sioe mi fydd National Theatre Wales yn uno â chwmni Theatr Volcano ac Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru wrth i gantorion, dawnswyr a chymeriadau anhygoel ymgartrefu mewn cyn-lyfrgell Fictoraidd yn Abertawe. Mae Shelf Life yn antur theatrig ddifyr sy’n archwilio adeilad hudol sydd wrth wraidd hanes Abertawe. Dewch i mewn i libart allanol, silffoedd labyrinthaidd ac ystafell ddarllen gron yr Hen Lyfrgell yn Ffordd Alexandra. Cliriwyd y llyfrau olaf a chaewyd y drysau i’r cyhoedd ar ddiwedd 2007. Nawr, fel ysbrydion, gallwn bori’r silffoedd unwaith eto, a gwthio’n pigau i leoedd lle llyfrgellwyr yn unig oedd i’w gweld ar un adeg. Byddwch yn barod ar gyfer digwyddiadau rhyfedd llawn syndod, llyfrgellwyr sy’n canu, dawnswyr anhygoel, ac am ychydig yn fwy o sŵn ac aflonyddwch nac y caniateir fel arfer. Cyd-gynhyrchiad rhwng National Theatre Wales / Cwmni Theatr Volcano / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru yw Shelf Life sy’n cynnwys côr cymunedol a ffurfiwyd yn arbennig. Mae wedi’i gynhyrchu mewn partneriaeth â Chanolfan Celfyddydau Taliesin, Prifysgol Fetropolitan Abertawe a Grŵp Gwalia Cyf. Y cast llawn: Nigel Barrett, Gerard Bell, Lindsey Butcher, Theo Clinkard, Jane Guernier a Anna Bjerre Larsen (bywgraffiadau llawn isod). Mae Volcano yn gwmni teithiol wedi’i leoli yn Abertawe sy’n enwog yn fyd-eang, sydd wedi cynhyrchu dros 25 o sioeau, gan ddefnyddio arddull gorfforol bwerus ynghyd ag effaith weledol a’r defnydd blaengar o destun. Mae WNO MAX yn fenter gymunedol gan Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru. Yn unigryw i WNO, mae’r fenter newydd hon yn mynd â rhaglen amrywiol ac integredig o berfformiadau a phrosiectau y tu hwnt i’r prif lwyfan. Drwy ei waith addysg ac allgymorth, mae MAX yn anelu at fwyafu adnoddau’r cwmni a chreu cyfleoedd newydd i’r ensemble ac i’r cymunedau y mae’n eu cyrraedd. Paul Davies yw cyfarwyddwr artistig Volcano, ac yn un o’r aelodau gwreiddiol. Mae wedi perfformio mewn nifer o’u sioeau, ac wedi ysgrifennu tair drama a chyfarwyddo llawer un arall. Mae hefyd wedi cyfarwyddo gwaith yn Montreal a Croatia ac wedi addysgu mewn sawl academi ar draws y byd. Mae Nigel Barrett yn actor sy’n enedigol o Gaerdydd, ac sy’n gweithio’n rheolaidd yn y National Theatre yn Llundain ac yn Artist Cysylltiol gyda Shunt. Gyda George Tomlinson a Louise Mari mae wedi bod yn creu perfformiadau hudol sy’n digwydd, yn ddi-rybudd, ymysg pobl sy’n yfed yn hwyr gyda’r nos yn lolfa’r Shunt ac mewn torfeydd annisgwyl eraill. Mae gan Gerard Bell hanes o ystod o waith gyda chwmnïau blaengar fel Pina Bausch, Stan’s Café, PunchDrunk a David Gale, ac yn ddiweddar bu’n ymddangos yn King Pelican arobryn Chris Goode yn y Theatre Royal Plymouth. Mae Catherine Bennett yn Artist Cysylltiol gyda Volcano. Fe’i hyfforddwyd yn Ysgol Bale a Dawns Gyfoes Rambert ac mae wedi gweithio gyda’r Matthew Hawkins Fresh Dances Group, Random Dance Company, Houston Grand Opera ac Opera Cenedlaethol Lloegr, Siobhan Davies, Carol Brown Dances a Walker Dance Park Music. Yn ddiweddar cyfarwyddodd ei ffilm fer gyntaf, Witness, ac mae wedi dyfeisio a pherfformio mewn tair sioe Volcano. Mae Paul Clay yn artist gweledol y mae ei waith yn cwmpasu sawl maes gwahanol, ac yn ddylunydd theatr arobryn y mae ei brosiectau yn cynnwys y set ar gyfer y sioe gerdd Rent ar Broadway yn 1997, a enillodd wobr Pulitzer. Mae Peter Swaffer Reynolds yn gyfansoddwr aml-offeryn sydd wedi gweithio gyda syrcas, ffilmiau mud, theatr, dawns a digwyddiadau safle-benodol ers canol yr 1980au. Yn 1995 cydweithiodd am y tro cyntaf gyda NoFit State Circus ac ers hynny ef yw eu cyfansoddwr preswyl. Mae wedi gweithio gyda WNO ar amrywiol brosiectau, y mwyaf diweddar ohonynt yw Boxing Beats. Mae Lindsey Butcher wedi gweithio gyda llawer o gwmnïau dawns a choreograffwyr fel dawnswraig annibynnol ac artist awyrol, yn cynnwys Extemporary Dance Theatre, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Siobhan Davies (prosiect Bank) ac Operâu The Royal, Royal Danish ac Opera Cenedlaethol Lloegr. Mae Lindsey hefyd yn creu coreograffi yn rheolaidd ar gyfer The Dream Engine, yn fwyaf diweddar ar gyfer taith yr FA Cup Final a Muse. Mae Theo Clinkard yn artist dawns a leolir yn Brighton. Yn ogystal â gweithio gyda llawer o brif goreograffwyr y DU, yn cynnwys Siobhan Davies, Matthew Bourne, a Wayne McGregor, mae hefyd wedi creu coreograffi i Kylie Minogue ac wedi dawnsio mewn ffilmiau hyrwyddo pop i Lily Allen, The Kills, a Lulu. Mae’n aelod gwreiddiol o gwmni dawns Probe. Mae Jane Guernier wedi gweithio’n helaeth gyda chwmni theatr Told By An Idiot, mewn cynyrchiadau fel Beauty and the Beast, A Little Fantasy ac An Evening With the Bondress, ac mae ei chredydau eraill yn cynnwys Senora Carrar’s Rifles (Young Vic) a The Unconquered (Traverse, Scarborough, Llundain). Mae Anna Bjerre Larsen wedi gweithio gyda choreograffwyr a chwmnïau yn cynnwys Arts Alliance, Aletta Collins, Gary Clarke’s Pit Fleur Company, State of Flux, Tom Roden, Jan De Schynkel a Cher Geurtze. Yn ddiweddar bu’n gweithio fel coreograffydd cynorthwyol a dawnswraig i Malmo Opera. GWYBODAETH AM BERFFORMIADAU SHELF LIFE Mewn partneriaeth â Theatr Volcano ac Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru Cyfarwyddwyd gan Paul Davies a Catherine Bennett Dyluniwyd gan Paul Clay Cerddoriaeth gan Peter Swaffer Reynolds 7 – 25 Ebrill (Mercher-Sul) 2010 Mercher, 7pm Iau – Sadwrn 7pm & 8.30pm Sul, 3pm & 4.30pm Noson i’r Wasg 8 Ebrill Yr Hen Lyfrgell Ffordd Alexandra Abertawe, SA1 5DU Tocynnau o £7.00 Canolfan Celfyddydau Taliesin Ffôn. 01792 602 060 Nodwch os gwelwch yn dda nad yw tu mewn y llyfrgell yn hygyrch i gadeiriau olwyn. Lansiwyd National Theatre Wales ym mis Tachwedd 2009, gyda’r bwriad o greu theatr fywiogus yn y Saesneg, wedi’i gwreiddio yng Nghymru, gydag apêl ryngwladol. Roedd gosod cwmni theatr cenedlaethol Saesneg yn un o ymrwymiadau Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru yn nogfen Cymru’n Un. Mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yn cefnogi National Theatre Wales gyda nawdd o £3 miliwn dros dair mlynedd. Am fwy o wybodaeth am sioeau National Theatre Wales, ewch i: nationaltheatrewales.org |
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