Company Of Wolves Presents ACHILLES
By: Stephi Wild Dec. 14, 2017
Company of Wolves presents Achilles, created and performed by Ewan Downie. This heart-stopping fusion of storytelling, dance and song re-imagines the Greek myth, telling of a man's exorcism: a burning out of his vulnerability, his rage, and his humanity.
The show runs 23 - 27 January 2018, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, 7.30pm & 30 January 2018 at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh 9pm as part of the manipulate Visual Theatre Festival 2018.
Scottish Theatre makers Company of Wolves return with this passionate and energetic new solo from Ewan Downie, the first of their 2018 productions, which opens at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre then goes on to be performed as part of the manipulate Visual Theatre Festival 2018.
Achilles tells the story of the greatest hero of the Greeks during the Trojan War: how his best friend is killed by the champion of the Trojans, his desperate grief, and his terrible vengeance.
Ewan Downie said of Achilles: "I've been fascinated by the Greek myths since an early age, and in particular by the story of Achilles. His rage at the killing of his best friend, his failure to face his grief, and his bloody revenge have always struck me as deeply disturbing and at the same time deeply human.
"We live in a time where the public display of rage is a daily sport. Achilles shows us where this particular rabbit hole goes. When we snuff out our empathy and give primacy to our hurt emotions, each one of us is capable of great destruction.
"The piece has been made in layers, laid down like sediment over time, and although the layers relate to each other, they don't necessarily give the same perspective on the story. I've tried to leave gaps for the imagination, for the audience to fill in their own versions of the story."
Company of Wolves is Scotland's only laboratory theatre company, led by co-Artistic Directors Ewan Downie and Anna Porubcansky. Their work is based around rigorous ongoing performer training and exists on the border between dance, theatre, live music and improvisation. Its roots lie in the artistic directors' lengthy immersion in Polish Laboratory Theatre and their training in theatre, movement and improvisation.
With each performance the company consciously explores new themes, new stories and new areas of performance practice, aiming to make theatre that speaks to all of what we are, theatre that is raw and irreverent and sublime.
Ewan Downie is an acclaimed performer, writer, director and teacher with a lifelong interest in creativity and human behaviour. He read philosophy at Edinburgh University before training at Dublin's Gaiety School of Acting and has studied and taught improvisation, movement and experimental theatre for over 20 years. He has worked with many internationally renowned practitioners including Keith Johnstone, Kristin Linklater, Katie Duck, Bruce Myers and Professor Zygmunt Molik.
He spent 2004-2012 immersed in the Polish Laboratory Theatre tradition, including six years as a member of Poland's renowned Song of the Goat Theatre, with whom he toured internationally winning many awards.
He is currently joint artistic director of Company of Wolves, and has directed all of the company's work to date
Anna Porubcansky is a musician and performer whose training includes classical, traditional and choral singing, natural voice and vocal anatomy (Kristin Linklater, Roy Hart Theatre, Alexander Technique).
Originally from the USA, she has lived internationally for twenty years (Russia, Austria, Poland, UK) and has studied traditional song, lamentation and polyphony with artists from Siberia, Georgia, Ukraine, and Poland. She works as a music director, live sound designer, and voice coach, where her primary focus is on the relationship between voice, breath, movement and body.
Anna is co-artistic director of Company of Wolves, and holds a PhD in ensemble theatre practices and the development of community from Goldsmiths, University of London.
Tour listings information:
Citizens Theatre
119 Gorbals Street, Glasgow, G5 9DS
Thursday 24 - 27 January 2018
Preview: 23 January 2018 | All tickets £10
7.30pm | £14.50 (£10)
www.citz.co.uk | Box office: 0141 429 0022
Traverse Theatre
Traverse 2, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED
9pm | £14 (£9 - £11)
www.traverse.co.uk | Box office: 0131 228 1404
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