Image: This Ridiculous Dance - OPENS TONIGHT

THIS RIDICULOUS DANCE

Studio 77
(77 Fairle Tce, Kelburn)
10TH – 21ST July
$16/$12
10th Preview $10

Emily Roberts and Emma Gallagher

11TH Gala Opening $35 – Adam Art Gallery
Fundraiser for Melbourne Fringe Festival
Chance to win trip to Melbourne

Melbourne Fringe Festival
Nth Melbourne Town Hall 21st -30th September

This Ridiculous Dance is built upon this year’s Open Book production of
Exit Down Ramp (Fringe Outdoor Award)…

“…strikingly beautiful dream-like images…intelligent music…superior outdoor entertainment”-The Dominion

“Completely engrossing and intelligent…” Loop

In Exit Down Ramp, Open Book discovered an amalgam of beautiful visual images by researching elements of Flamenco dance, Picasso, bull-fighting and the minotaur.

This Ridiculous Dance promises to take you on another stunning theatrical journey venturing from ancient myth to the modern day. This Ridiculous Dance, set in a motel, whose main character Peta moves from the mundane to the magical, unlocking creative visual effects and fascinating characters along the way.

“This is a story about all of us – and all the things that we try to keep hidden.” Says director Paula Van Beek.

Open Book has created This Ridiculous Dance through improvising and playing. Each element of their work is created from a single image, impulse, prop or piece of music, which creates a performance. This Ridiculous Dance is theatre that moves with jazz music, multimedia visuals and an enchanting set-design.

Open Book is FRESH and EXCITING.
Enter into their magical and dream-like creations and don’t miss the chance to see
THIS RIDICULOUS DANCE

THIS RIDICULOUS DANCE

Studio 77
(77 Fairle Tce, Kelburn, Wellington)
July 11-21st @ 8 pm
$16 / $12
10th Preview $10
11th Gala Opening $35

Melbourne Fringe Festival
Melbourne Town Hall
September 21st-30th

Director: Paula van Beek Producer: Janie Walker
Multimedia Visuals: Andrew Johnstone Assistant Designer: Anita Fijn
Designer: Rosie Roberts Assistant Producer/Publicist: Shelley McCarten

Performers
Actors: Richard Chapman, Emma Gallagher, Will Harris, Emily Roberts
Musicians: Aaron Prior, Chris Hill

Open Bookers absent: Amanda Hereaka, Miranda Manasiadis, Joe Ballard,
Jeremy Cullen

Open Book’s productions in recent years have blown audiences away with their stunning visual elements:

1999 The Garden Party (Fringe Festival)
“Small but perfectly formed…charmed me.” (Evening Post)

An Ill City (City Gallery) and Bats Theatre (Victoria University Fringe Festival)
“A colourful and insightful sketch. Smart, amusing, grounded theatre.” (Tracey Monastra, Jealous)

2000 Invisible Ink (Fringe Festival) Best Theatre award and Massey University Workshop
“Open Book has succeeded where many ‘professional’ theatre companies fail.” (City Voice)
“Promises to be one of the most interesting and satisfying events of the Fringe this year.” (Salient)

No Pogs No Patches (Laugh Festival)
“One of the most commercially successful shows of the festival.” (Dominion)
“It shows how much creative energy is wasted else where.” (NBR)

2001 Exit Down Ramp (Fringe Festival) – Best Outdoor award
“Playful and romantic images and choreography…dreamy feel to this latest Open Book offering.” (City Voice)

Open Book is a group of Theatre and Film graduates from Victoria University. They set up this performance company in 1998 so they could create their own self-devised theatre. By focusing on devised work Open Book use their initiative to create original concepts.

Robert Lepage’s Seven Streams of the River Ota influenced Open Book. Lepage created narrative from objects rather than relying on scripts to initiate the creative process. Therefore, Open Book creates theatre by experimenting and playing with objects rather than focussing on static scripts.

“The way we rehearse is…true devising, not scripting, finding stuff through PLAY” – Emily Roberts, Open Book member

Open Book seek to learn from those who are already established in the arts industry. The group is keen to learn and develop their skills, so they invite theatre professionals to conduct workshops as a part of their rehearsal process. Such professionals are Martyn Roberts (Bats Theatre), Martin Rodgers (Creative NZ), Tom McCrory (Toi Whakaari tutor) and Nina Nawalowalo (professional theatre practitioner).

“It’s clear that these companies feel like they’re doing more than telling stories; they’re engaging with the development of theatrical form and process. They see themselves as testing things, and this laboratory atmosphere is not insignificant”. – Playmarket News, Autumn 2001, No.26 “Six hearts that beat as one” by Mel Johnston

In the above article from Playmarket News, Open Book was named alongside Trouble, Under Lili’s Balcony and Jealous as important contemporary theatre companies. The creativity of these four companies and their prolific and imaginative styles of performing only gives more excitement in the future direction of Open Book Productions.

Open Book is taking This Ridiculous Dance to the Melbourne Fringe Festival in September, where they have been asked to perform at the North Melbourne Town Hall and to extend their performance season. This is just the start of their international adventures as they have the possibility of performing in Hong Kong and are set to tour Ireland at the beginning of 2002.

For any more information contact:
Shelley McCarten
Ph. 021 261 5664 shelley.mccarten@paradise.net.nz www.openbook.co.nz

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