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David Glass Mounts UK Tour of Unheimlich Spine

Renowned physical theatre company the David Glass Ensemble sets off today on a UK tour of their latest work, Unheimlich Spine or "The Unhomely Spine". Originally premiered in March at London's Riverside Studios, Unheimlich Spine begins its new regional tour today, 8 November, at Dartford's Miskin Theatre and continues to four more cities until 15 December 2001.

Following the success of the Ensemble's The Lost Child Trilogy, Unheimlich Spine forms the first part of a new cycle of work exploring changing attitudes to the human body. The piece is inspired by the classic schlock horror film The Tingler, which starred Vincent Price.

The 1959 Hollywood film told the story of a coroner who discovers that fear is a parasite which lives on the backbone and can crush the spinal cord. Using this as a starting point, the Ensemble creates a unique comedy-horror, a modern Grand Guignol full of 1950s B-movie dialogue.

Established in 1989, the David Glass Ensemble is one of the country's leading physical theatre companies. Under the artistic directorship of David Glass, its aim is to bridge the gap between conventional text-based theatre and an experimental visual approach more commonly found in continental Europe. The Ensemble's work includes Off the Wall, La Dolce Vita, The Mosquito Coast, The Lost Child Trilogy and Gormenghast. In 2002, the Ensemble will mount new tours of Off the Wall and Gormenghast.

After Dartford, Unheimlich Spine visits Worcester, Brighton, Chesterfield and Manchester.

- by Terri Paddock

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