Underground Dance Theatre to Present PULP at #NAF16, the Rosebank Theatre and the Galloway Theatre

Audiences at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and Cape Town are in for a treat with the chance to catch the latest genre-bending production from multiple award Underground Dance Theatre. Winner of the kykNET Fiesta Blue Couch Award for producing the most ground-breaking work of 2015, the company is known for its innovative style blending contemporary dance, dance theatre and physical theatre. An intoxicating marriage of film noir and dance theatre, PULP is the most intimate work yet from these leaders in local dance.

PULP is created and performed by Steven van Wyk, (a Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards nominee for SINGIN' IN THE RAIN), Thalia Laric (Nicola Elliott's RUN!) and Cilna Katzke (Sean Bovim's TANGO NIGHTS). Costumes are by Hilette Stapelberg (a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winner for THE TRAGEDY OF RICHARD III) and voice work is with Richard Wright-Firth (BLACK SAILS).

PULP begins in a hazy dream, a silent movie where bodies hide secrets. Mysterious beauty, dark comedy and seat-shifting tension co-exist within a work that follows the peculiar logic of dream. Like the iconic film noir private detective navigating a morally ambiguous, labyrinthine city populated by femme fatales, mobsters and suspicious housewives, so must the audience navigate the world that is presented to them in this production, searching for clues, gathering evidence, and perhaps preparing an alibi as they deal with their own demons.

Co-creator Steven van Wyk:

This is our most intriguing work yet. It also references jazz dance, musicals and is a pastiche of film noir history. PULP is a world that's dark, delicious, dangerous and very exciting - come share the journey with us.

Underground Theatre Company was established in 2010 by a collective of artists to explore new performance styles and create progressive, entertaining works that are relevant to contemporary South Africa. The numerous accolades they have received for their fifteen productions include a Standard Bank Silver Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival and a kykNET Fiesta for Best Dance Production for SKOONVELD; an Ovation Award and kykNET Fiesta for KEEPSAKE MINUS 3 and the 2015 kykNET Fiesta for Most Groundbreaking production for ASKOOP. Their other work includes BOK, LOVEZERO, PLASTIC and EYES CLOSE WITH PINATA.

Following its preview season at the Alexander Bar, Theatre and Café, PULP will run at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown from 30 June - 4 July. Bookings can be made on the National Arts Festival website, with tickets costing R90.

PULP will be performed at The Rosebank Theatre on Wednesdays through Sundays from 7 - 16 July at 20:00, with matinees at 15:00 on Sundays. Tickets, which cost R100, can be booked at Webtickets.

The show will then be performed at The Galloway Theatre from 20 to 23 July at 20:00. Tickets cost R90- R120 and can be booked at through the Galloway Theater portal on the Waterfront Theatre School website.