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THEATRE
Image: Gatti/Watson Lau
Photo: Olga George
OPTICAL IDENTITY
BEOWULF
Theatre Cryptic T’ang Quartet
Performed in Old English with English supertitles
EUROPEAN PREMIERE Scottish based Theatre Cryptic and the T’ang Quartet from Singapore come together to create music to be looked at… not just listened to. Established chamber music repertoire and new music combine with interactive technologies and visuals to create a sound and vision experience. With sculptural sets by internationally acclaimed furniture designer Jason Ong, costumes by BAYLENE and digital art, Optical Identity is a delight for the senses. Music includes Kevin Volans’ White Man Sleeps, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh’s Mugam Sayagi for quartet and percussion, Rolf Wallin’s Phonotope 1 for quartet and live electronics, and the European premiere of a new piece from Joby Talbot, known for his work with The Divine Comedy, Jack Black and The White Stripes.
For over a thousand years the epic story of Beowulf survived miraculously as a written text. With harp in hand the vocalist and storyteller Benjamin Bagby brings it back to life in a live performance of this oral epic – the thrilling story of King Hrothgar, the monster Grendel and the hero Beowulf. ‘Mr. Bagby comes as close to holding hundreds of people in a spell as ever a man has...’ THE NEW YORK TIMES ‘Old English has rarely seemed so alive...’ THE TIMES Sharing the Festival Beowulf can also be seen on a short tour as part of the Festival’s commitment to reach a wide audience. For full details please see page 49.
Cathie Boyd Concept/director Jasch Digital artist and performer Jason Ong Set design BAYLENE Costume design Nich Smith Lighting design A Co-production by Theatre Cryptic and T’ang Quartet. Commissioned by Singapore Arts Festival 2007 Friday 31 August and Saturday 1 September 8.00pm Royal Lyceum Theatre Tickets from £10 Running time approx 1 hour 20 minutes
Saturday 18 – Wednesday 22 August (except Monday 20 August) 8.00pm The Hub Tickets £17 Running time 1 hour 40 minutes