20:30-21:05, Wednesday 25th September 2024
The Cockpit
Music: Roger Illingworth.
Words: Betty Francis, Roger Illingworth, Aga Serugolugo-Lugo, Dan Smith and Rose Malone Illingworth
This is a double bill with You Can’t Kill The Spirit.
There will be an online watch party of Senses on the 5th October.
Senses is a five part song cycle. Each song is a vignette exploring one of the five senses through a different literary character, with each set of words by a different lyricist. Despite the words having been crafted in isolation, there is a darkness to them, with common themes of loneliness, death, and love gone awry, but glimmers of wry humour peak through the darkness at times. Echoing the five senses, the number five is a guiding feature of the music, rhythmically, harmonically, melodically and instrumentally, with soprano, piano, saxophones, double bass and drums forming five intertwining voices.
‘Bride-Cake’ (words by Betty Francis) explores taste through the untasted wedding cake of Dickens’ Miss Haversham in Great Expectations as both she and the cake slowly crumble into decay.
‘Silent Supper’ (words by the composer) explores the unbearable noise of loneliness felt by the drunkard protagonist in Hrabel’s Too Loud a Solitude as he assembles bails of books banned by the communist government ready for destruction.
‘Eye-Saw’ (words by Aga Serugo-Lugo) explores sight through the eyes of a recently decapitated Medusa, cajoling her killer, Perseus, as he picks his way back through her grizzly garden of statues.
‘Before The Bottle Runs Dry’ (words by Dan Smith) is an exploration of smell, giving voice to the unspeakable Grenouille as he murderously distills the perfect scent in Süsskin’s Perfume.
‘For Now In Your Hands’ (words by Rose Malone Illingworth) explores touch as a sacrificial maiden awaits her fate in Margaret Atwood’s Blind Assassin.
The work is kindly supported by the Marchus Trust and Goldsmiths Graduate School.
You can find lyrics for Senses here.
Age range: All ages, but mostly adults
In a festival of new work, please note that shows may overrun.
Produced by Half-Normalled Productions
Venue: The Cockpit, Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH.
On the same day:
Composer and co-creator: Josh Kaye
Voice and co-creator: Hester Dart
Voice and co-creator: Amy Kearsley
Cello and co-creator: Rebecca Burden
Music: Roger Illingworth.
Words: Betty Francis, Roger Illingworth, Aga Serugolugo-Lugo, Dan Smith and Rose Malone Illingworth
Soprano: Donna Lennard
Piano: Kate Ryder (piano)
Soprano Saxophone: Jen Milway
Alto Saxophone: Samuel Sharp
Tenor Saxophone: Roger Illingworth
Double Bass: Dave Jenkins
Drum: Jamie Trowell
Conductor: Roger Redgate