At Swim Two Boys Headed for Lowry

Earthfall’s award winning production of At Swim Two Boys, based on the novel of the same name by Jamie O’Neill, is set to make its way to The Lowry, for 2 performances only, later this month.

First performed in 2005 and having successfully toured the UK and mainland Europe, At Swim Two Boys was heralded as one of Earthfall’s most prolific productions. Featuring 2 male dancers and 2 musicians the story unfolds against a cascading wall of water that slowly fills the stage. The production reflects the boys developing love against the turmoil of political revolution during the 1916 Easter Risings.

Set in Ireland in 1916, the work juxtaposes the developing love affair between two young men coming of age, with political turmoil in Ireland and the slaughter on the Western Front – contrasting the dream of national liberation and the search for personal freedom. The production comes to life in a slowly filling lake in front of a wall of water, with episodes from the book woven together through a fusion of extreme physicality, original live music and film.

Jessica Cohen, Co-Artistic Director commented, “Even though the original production finished touring the UK and mainland Europe in 2007, we get regular emails from fans and venues about a possible revival of this production.”  She continued “A revival of this production in 2011/12 seems timely for us as it coincides with the 10th anniversary of the publication of the novel and we are fortunate we are able to reunite most of the original creative team”
 
The novel At Swim Two Boys, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2011, was written by Jamie O’Neil and this production is directed by Jim Ennis and Jessica Cohen, with music composed by Frank Naughton and Sion Orgon.  Featuring dynamic dance, original live music, projection, live film and image, the show toured in autumn 2011.

At Swim Toy Boys is at the Lowry from 20 – 21 March.