DRAGON

DRAGON

World Premiere

Presented by Vox Motus, National Theatre of Scotland and Tianjin People’s Art Theatre (China)

Written by Oliver Emanuel
Conceived by Jamie Harrison, Oliver Emanuel and Candice Edmunds

Directed by Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison, designed by Jamie Harrison, puppet design by Jamie Harrison and Guy Bishop, music composed by Tim Phillips, lighting design by Simon Wilkinson, sound design by Mark Melville and assistant director Guo Yan.

VoxMotus, National Theatre of Scotland, and Tianjin People’s Art Theatre (China)present the world premiere of Dragon- a spectacular piece of theatre without words for adults, teenagers and children, marking the first co-production between the three companies. Two Chinese physical artists from Tianjin People’s Art Theatre (China) are joining the company, bringing a unique international dimension to this groundbreaking production.  There are plans for the play to be produced in China in 2014.

Dragon opens at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow from 11 October to 19 October and tours to Eden Court, Inverness from 22 to 26 October; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh from 30 October to 2 November and The Quays Theatre, The Lowry, Salford on 8 and 9 November 2013 with a press performance at the Citizens Theatre on Tuesday 15 October at 7pm.

Cast: Martin McCormick, Joanne McGuinness, Scott Miller, Adura Onashile, Gavin Jon Wright,
Zhang Kai and Tao Yan

Tommy can’t sleep. He hasn’t been able to since his mum died a year ago. Since then, life has gone from bad to worse. His dad is grief-stricken, his big sister ignores him and he’s become the target for the school bully. Then Tommy meets a Dragon who burns with the anger that Tommy feels. They go everywhere together and life is looking up. But mysterious fires have started igniting across Glasgow.

Dragon is an extraordinary visual story, told without words, featuring puppetry, illusion and original music. Dragonbrings together the visual languages of cinema and graphic novels using puppetry, object manipulation, staging and flying technologies to create a theatrical event for the whole family.

VoxMotus has been working with puppet engineer Guy Bishop to build Dragon puppet prototypes from Jamie Harrison’s dragon designs. Harrison, VoxMotus’s co-artistic director, is the Puppet and Illusion Designer for the highly successful West End production, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Sam Mendes (Warner Brothers/Neal Street Productions).Dragon’s unique staging and design is influenced by the history and culture of Eastern dragons.

The story of Dragon is based on personal experiences and is written by Glasgow-based playwright Oliver Emanuel, who wrote the acclaimed adaptation of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish for National Theatre of Scotland and Titus(macrobert)which toured Scotland, Austria, Sweden and Northern Ireland and was part of this year’s Made in Scotland showcase 2013 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Original music is composed by Tim Phillips, Co-Artistic Director of Filter Theatre. Tim has written music for a range of film and television productions including six seasons of Channel 4’s hit show, Shameless.

The production features leading Scottish actors and puppeteers as well as marking the professional stage debut for Scott Miller.

DRAGON Tour Listings
Recommended for 9 years +

Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
Friday 11 – Saturday 19 October, 7pm
Previews: Friday 11 & Saturday 12 October, 7pm; Matinee: Saturday 19 October, 2pm
Tickets: £14 Adults, £8.50 Child, £8 Previews
Family Discounts: £33 Family of 3 (1 child), £40 Family of 4 (2 child min), £48 Family of 5 (3 child min)
Box Office: 0141 429 0022 www.citz.co.uk

Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 October, 7pm
Matinees: Thursday 24 October, 1.30pm Saturday 26 October, 2pm
Relaxed Performance: Wednesday 23 October, 7pm
Tickets: £10, £7 U18’s, £5 Schools, £5 Relaxed Performance
Box Office: 01463 234234 www.eden-court.co.uk

Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Wednesday 30 October – 2 November, 7.30pm and Thursday 31 October, 7.30pm & 10.30am
Tickets: £15.50/£12.50/£8 Schools:£6
Box Office: 0131 228 1404 www.traverse.co.uk

The Lowry, Quays Theatre, Salford
Friday 8 & Saturday 9 November, 7pm
Tickets: £12 - £16 (includes £2 booking fee) Concession: £2 off
Box Office: 0843 208 6000 www.thelowry.com

BIOGRAPHIES:
Oliver Emanuel is a playwright based in Glasgow. He has written plays for most of the major theatres in Scotland as well as extensively for BBC Radio. Recent work includes: The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish (National Theatre of Scotland) and Titus (Macrobert). For more information visit: www.oliveremanuel.com

Candice Edmunds graduated from the Royal Scottish Conservatoire with a BA (Acting) in 2002. In 2003 she founded VoxMotus with Jamie Harrison with the aim of creating innovative, visual contemporary theatre that would appeal to their non arts-based peers. For VoxMotus Candice has co-created and directed The Infamous Brothers Davenport, The Not-So-Fatal Death of Grandpa Fredo, Bright Black, Slick, How to Steal a Diamond and Interference with Jamie Harrison. Their productions have toured Scotland, England, Ireland and Germany and been nominated for and won numerous awards, including a prestigious Fringe First.  Candice worked as Creative Consultant on Exhibition Road’s 2012 Olympic Festival in London. In 2011 she co-directed an inter-generational dance theatre production A Conversation With Carmel for Barrowland Ballet. Candice has also worked on numerous theatre projects involving young people, including directing a youth production for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Exchange program.

Jamie Harrison has co-directed, designed, illusion, costume and puppet designed all of the company’s work to date, and co-written all the work up to 2011. Most recent projects include: The Infamous Brothers Davenport (Royal Lyceum Theatre/VoxMotus), The Not-So-Fatal Death of Grandpa Fredo (ATT Fife/VoxMotus), Bright Black (Platform/VoxMotus), Slick (Tron Theatre/VoxMotus) and How to Steal a Diamond (VoxMotus).
Jamie regularly works as an illusion/magic and puppet consultant for theatre productions across the UK. He is currently on the creative team for the new west-end production Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical, directed by Sam Mendes (Warner Brothers/Neal Street Productions). Other recent theatre credits include work for the National Theatre of Scotland, NT Studio, Dundee Rep, EIF, Bristol Old Vic and the Traverse Theatre. Jamie was a creative consultant for the Exhibition Road Show, London. As well as his work in theatre, Jamie performed magic for 16 years, working in 22 countries across Europe, Asia and in the USA for clients such as Motorola, Sony and Hilton. He has performed close-up magic on television, for royalty and most recently for David Cameron.

Tim Phillips is a composer and songwriter based in Los Angeles and London.  He has scored many screen productions including 9 series of Channel 4’s hit series Shameless, HBO’s Entourage, and most recently Truckers for the BBC. His many theatre credits include A Doll’s House at the Donmar Warehouse, Juliet and Her Romeo at Bristol Old Vic, David Hare’s The Secret Rapture in the West End; Playing the Victim at the Royal Court.  Tim is Co-Artistic Director of Filter Theatre.  Filter are currently developing Guns & Gold with director Sir Michael Boyd for 2014.  Tim is currently writing the music with Marc Teitler for a new musical The Grinning Man, with book by Carl Grose, which is being directed by Tom Morris and opening early 2015. 

CAST INFORMATION:
Martin McCormick’s stage work includes Bright Black for VoxMotus and Peer Gynt for National Theatre of Scotland/Dundee Rep. Other recent performances include Takin’ Over The Asylum (Citizens/Lyceum); Biding Time (Arches Live, Tromolo); I Tommy (Redaye Productions); Pass The Spoon (Magnetic North); The Seven Year Itch (Random Accomplice); Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco (Tron) and Decky Does a Bronco (Grid Iron). Television credits include Hollyoaks Later (Lime Pictures) and Taggart (SMG).

Joanne McGuinness appeared in Glasgow Girls for National Theatre of Scotland. Other recent work includes Company, Broadway in the Bar, Elegy for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Inside Out Productions) and Cinderella (Robert C Kelly Ltd). Joanne recently appeared in the film The Wee Man (Carnaby International) and a short film Zombie Musical (Haphazard Media, Black Camel Pictures.

Scott Miller was a trainee performer with Scottish Youth Theatre and a Scottish Ballet Junior Associate. Productions include Rou, Weegie Board, Jerusalem – Song of Deeds and Pinocchio (Scottish Youth Theatre); Porridge in the Morning (West End Theatre Company); Harm (Glasgow University); The Pillowman(Aberdeen Performing Arts Young Company); Glasgow Passion (Cutting Edge Theatre Company); Days of Wine and Roses (Theatre Jezebel). Scott also performed in Human Boggle for National Theatre of Scotland 5 Minute Theatre. Film appearances include Snapping Point (Redsnappa Productions); Great Western Road (My Street Films).  Dragon will be Scott’s first professional production.

Adura Onashile’s recent stage appearances include Arabian Nights (Tricycle Theatre); Skewered Snails (Ramesh Maryappam/Iron-Oxide); Roadkill(Barbican/Theatre Royal/Traverse – Pachamama Productions/Richard Jordan Productions/Traverse Theatre); David Leddy’sUntitled Love Story, (Fire Exit); Arabian Nights (Royal Shakespeare Company); The Rover (Southwark Playhouse). Radio credits include Red Enters The Eye, BBC Radio 4and The Overwhelming, BBC Radio 3.

Gavin Jon Wright’s theatre work includes Black Watch for National Theatre of Scotland. Other credits include The Last Dictator, The Woman from the North, Goldilocks and the Glasgow Fair, The Frock, Babes in the Wood (ÒranMór), Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Life of Stuff, Whisky Galore! (A Musical), The Servant o’ TwaMaisters(Pitlochry), Spring Awakening, Decky Does a Bronco (Grid Iron), Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella(Macrobert), The Hall with it All (Peace Arts), Cinderella (Cumbernauld) and Sleeping Beauty (Hopscotch). Television work includes Lip Service, Dear Green Place, Taggart, Still Game and Rebus – The Falls.

Zhang Kai is an actor, puppeteer and director from Tianjin People’s Art Theatre in China. He is the Artistic Director of Peter Pan Puppet Theatre Company. His acting and directing credits include Records of the Three Kingdoms (a China-Japan co-production), Pinocchio and Aladdin & the Magic Lamp.

Tao Yan is an actor and director. Yan was trained in classical dance, and is Artistic Director of Naughty Baby Theatre Studio. Her theatre credits include The Wizard of Oz, Three Little Pigs, Aladdin & the Magic Lamp and Pinocchio.

Press contacts:
Jo Lennie – Freelance Publicist – .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) M: 07708 980 918

Emma Schad - Press Manager - .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
T: 0141 227 9016 M:  07930 308018

For press tickets please contact: Clare McCormack – Press Officer .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) / 0141 227 9497

Press images:
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NOTES TO EDITORS

• Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating 189 productions in 162 different locations. With no building of its own, the Company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests.  The Company has performed to over 930,000 people across four continents. www.nationaltheatrescotland.com

• VOX MOTUSArtistic Directors Jamie Harrison and Candice Edmunds conceive, direct and design all VoxMotus’ productions.  Often their work is inspired by unbelievable true tales that delve into the bizarre, glorious, exhilarating and macabre. Previous productions include The Infamous Brothers Davenport, in co-production with the Royal Lyceum in Edinburgh (2012); The Not-So-Fatal Death of Grandpa Fredo (2011); Bright Black (2010) and the award-winning Slick (2008 – 2009), which they are touring again in Scotland in Spring 2013 due to popular demand. VoxMotus are also currently developing a new show inspired by HG Wells’ The Time Machine for production in 2014.

• Tianjin People’s Arts Theatre (China) was established in 1951. It is the company’s mission to sustain artistic excellence and nurture emerging artists. Over the years, the company has produced more than 400 productions with a diverse range of shows including One Man, Two Governors; Sunrise; King Lear; A Streetcar Named Desire; The True Story of Ah Q; Thunder Storm.Recent productions include new adaptations of Chinese folklore Monkey King Conquers the White Bones Demon, The LaughingBuddha and Story of Qixi.  In 2011, TPAT (China) and Tianjin Children’s Arts Theatre became one company under the leadership of currently artistic director ZhongHai.

Further info: www.nationaltheatrescotland.com

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