Arches Hosts Natura Morte Premiere

The Arches entertainment complex in Glasgow has announced that it will present the UK premiere of international dance spectacular Natura Morte from Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 November 2009.

The promenade performance combines the talents of world renowned and multi award-winning Russian-German dance company Derevo, St Petersburg theatre mavericks Akhe and The Arches’ own Conflux project, which aims to revolutionise Scotland’s physical theatre, circus and street arts presence in Scotland. This premiere will be the first time both companies have collaborated in the UK.

In Natura Morte, performers will run loose through the venue’s main arches and the interlinking maze of basement spaces, exploring, metamorphosing and creating a carnivalesque atmosphere in dark and mysterious corners of the building. Derevo will present their unique primal dance performance while Akhe will perform their visually spectacular yet intricate theatrical happenings. With an emphasis on the elemental, this dark and haunting performance will take the energies and very fabric of the Arches, transforming the cavernous building into a space devoid of a sense of time and place.

Part I will begin in the basement spaces where small audience groups of 25 will be lined against the dusty walls to experience a 20 minute performance before being cast into darkness. They will then be guided upstairs to the middle bar to encounter the physical theatre work of Conflux artists, before all audience groups assemble for Part II, a major promenade performance in the main arch spaces.

Jackie Wylie, Artistic Director at The Arches, said: “To have two major international companies, Derevo and Akhe, unite for this spectacular performance as well as tapping into the skills and knowledge of our own Conflux project, is a real coup for The Arches. The show will be a hugely ambitious undertaking for the venue and the largest performance that we have produced, but we are approaching it with a real sense of energy and excitement.

Wylie continued: “These performances will also give young performers from the Conflux project the chance to collaborate with established companies, which is a fantastic and rewarding opportunity and ultimately this will be of great lasting benefit to the physical theatre, circus and street arts sector in Scotland.”

Book via www.thearches.co.uk or call 0141 565 1000