Former Phoenix dancer Douglas Thorpe’s Beast immerses the audience into the darkest reaches of the mind, using six dancers in a performance that is as powerful and brutal as it is beautiful. Exploring the darker side of the human psyche, Beast’s broken choreography requires extreme strength and articulation, giving the piece an often disjointed and fragmented look. Intimidating and uncompromising, this challenging piece is an unforgettable, captivating piece of theatre.
Beast was originally commissioned by Yorkshire Dance and first performed at the Riley Theatre, Northern School of Contemporary Dance by RODA in January 2009.
“A dance piece of unrelenting brutality“
Halifax Evening Courier, 2009
DOUGLAS THORPE | CHOREOGRAPHER
After training at London Contemporary Dance School, Douglas had a highly acclaimed performance career with Phoenix and RJC Dance spanning twenty years. Currently freelance, he now teaches and choreographs regionally and nationally. A founder member of RODA, Douglas was Artist in Residence at Yorkshire Dance in 2008 and 2009 and has just been appointed Associate Artist of Yorkshire Dance where he will be participating in Yorkshire Dance's Artist Development Scheme, LIFT.
www.davidedmundsprojects.com/projects/-mad-dogs-dance-theatre
OASIS, AES DANA, TAMTAM, JADER MINISTRY, ERAN SACHS, MATT DAVIGNON | MUSIC CREDITS
Beast is set to a contemporary score by a number of artists. Many audiences mistake the Oasis song What's The Story Morning Glory?, which features as the piece begins, for interval music but it is actually the start of the performance.
MARK BAKER | LIGHTING DESIGN
Mark worked as a theatre lighting technician touring nationally and internationally with dance companies such as Bi Ma and David Massingham before becoming a freelance lighting designer specialising in dance. He has over 10 years experience of teaching lighting and sound for stage, stage management and video production at all levels. Mark has an MA in Film Studies from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
JULIE REBBECK | LIGHTING DESIGN
Since graduating from the University of Ripon and York St John in 1995, Julie has worked in house and toured internationally with Nottingham Playhouse, Teatro Kismet and West Yorkshire Playhouse. Over the past 14 years Julie has worked on over 100 shows, designing, plotting and operating production lighting for theatre, dance, musicals, circus and education work.
Julie now works freelance, most recently for Hype Dance Company's tour of Routes 09.
Beast
Artistic Director Sharon Watson and the dancers of Phoenix Dance Theatre give an insight into Beast.
