BANG! BANG!
Murder, melodrama and Wes Anderson combine in this theatrical dance double-header. Reconsider what you thought you knew about contemporary dance.
BANG! BANG! is a double header theatrical dance show. ‘Act 2, Scenes 1-4’ is a mischievous take on Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel by Pina Bausch fellow Scott Elstermann. Watch the conflict unfold in this visually striking crime caper inspired by Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. Hotel concierge Gustave is framed for the murder of a wealthy dowager. He and his recently befriended protégé Zero desperately try to clear their names and find fortune as the local detectives bumble their way through the case. A visually striking crime caper, we are swept into a world of saturated colour, playful movement and sinister murder. Gunshots at a ball, evil stepmothers and town gossip feed into a melodrama of three Australian women doing what they had to do. ‘Love You, Stranger’ is a deliciously fascinating exploration of true crimes and true love, by Shona Erskine. Witness the consequences for three women brought to trial for murder. Through the framing of historical cases, Martha Rendell (1871-1909), Audrey Jacobs (1905-?) and Ellen Thompson (1835-1887) take us into a world where the women’s fates are played out through gossip and judgment, and ultimately the consequences they face reflect the prevailing political and social milieu. Love you, Stranger seeks to reveal the complexity of characters at play in any trial of morality and culture of humiliation. The personal price to public humiliation is nothing new and unknown.
Form and Style:
BANG! BANG! Consists of two short contemporary dance works. It is presented in theatres. Black box or proscenium arch is fine.
Foyer activation activities are available upon request. Examples include mug shot frames for selfies, Hangman games, and newspaper headlines from the crimes explored in ‘Love You, Stranger’. ‘Love You, Stranger’ is performed by a trio of dancers, each representing a woman from Australia’s history that was tried for murder in the name of love. Consisting of solos and ensemble dancing, the work witnesses the consequences for three women brought to trial for murder. It takes us into a world where the women’s fates are played out through gossip and judgment the consequences they face, and the similarities across their stories.
Further development in 2021 will see a local ensemble join the cast of ‘Love You, Stranger’ as they work with Annette Carmichael to reflect current issues of public shaming in online environments, the media and local gossip.
A short changeover ( a few minutes) between pieces occurs, in which cast members dressed as bellhops provide popcorn for audience members.
‘Act 2, Scenes 1-4’ is an ensemble piece for four performers. Based on Wes Anderson’s film The Grand Budapest Hotel, this work plays with form by reimagining Anderson’s film conventions through contemporary dance. Film techniques such as stop-motion, symmetry and whip pans are skillfully inhabited by the dancers, as you are swept into the melodrama of mischief and mayhem. Featuring slapstick, big characters and precise dance, this is a hilarious dance work that is easy for audiences to access.
Community Engagement:
• Foyer activation, including mugshot selfie frames, hangman games, newspaper headlines
• Chorus ensemble of local residents to perform in show, as worked with by Annette Carmichael
• School workshops available
• Creative Learning Kit available
Reviews
“Boynes, Helmore, King and Lewis are superb. It’s not just the crisp perfection of their many slapstick scenes of physical comedy, but their wildly mobile faces that move, plasticine-like, into ever more comical configurations… You gotta see it. I don’t care whether you’re a contemporary dance aficionado, a newbie or indifferent.” -Seesaw Magazine
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ FOUR STARS … a wonderfully entertaining way to spend a unique evening…..a definite must-see” X-Press Magazine
“perhaps the most fun aspect… is how each of the performers gets to really ham it up and display their comedy chops – no serious faces allowed. I would gladly go and see longer versions of both of these delightful works” -Perth Arts Live
Credits
- Laura Boynes (dancer) has performed nationally and internationally in dance, theatre, site-specific and opera works since graduating LINK Dance Company in 2007. Laura performed for Buzz Dance Theatre and has choreographed multiple works for Co3 Youth Ensemble, Buzz Dance Theatre and WAAPA. In late 2016, Laura premiered Dark Matter at MOVEME Festival, shortlisted for an Australian Dance Award; and in 2019 premiered Wonder Woman at State Theatre Centre.
- Annette Carmichael (Denmark community consultant) is a dance artist and creative producer specialising in regional cultural development and community engagement. Annette has created numerous multi- art works that use contemporary dance at their core. Annette provides professional development services to CircuitWest and often speaks on community engagement at state and national conferences.
- Chris Donnelly (lighting designer) has been working in Australian theatre and dance since 2008. He has worked for Bangarra Dance Theatre, West Australian Ballet, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Barking Gecko, STRUT Dance, Deckchair Theatre, Co:3, Woodford Folk Festival, Performing Lines and Variegated Productions. His shows have won awards in Australia, UK, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
- Scott Elstermann (choreographer & dancer) is a recipient of the prestigious 2018 Pina Bausch Fellowship for Dance and Choreography. He is the first Australian and youngest ever artist to receive this honour. Scott received the Palisade Award for the most outstanding graduate of the Bachelor of Arts (Dance) course at WAAPA. He has performed for Merce Cunningham Trust, Lucy Guerin Inc., Stephanie Lake Company, Natalie Allen, Annette Carmichael, Shona Erskine, Brooke Leeder & Dancers and Melbourne collective Alice Will Caroline. Scott is a dual finalist in the 2020 Western Australian Young Achiever Awards.
- Shone Erskine (choreographer) explores the nexus between dance and psychology. Her processes call strongly on my curiosity in people and personal stories. She has been working professionally for 25 years, including with Sue Healey for 20 years. From Sue, she learnt how to craft movement, embed conceptual material in abstract dance, and the rigor necessary to bring work to life. She has also worked with Natalie Cursio, and was a founding member of Philip Adams BalletLab. Shona works cross culturally, notably through working with with Sun Ping and Tina Yong’s Wu Lin Dance Theatre.
- Storm Helmore (dancer) is a contemporary dance artist and WAAPA graduate. She has worked with Sue Peacock, Rachel Arianne Ogle and Laura Boynes and companies such as Buzz Dance Theatre, STRUT Dance and Hydra Poesis. She has presented short dance works for STRUT Dance’s Short Cuts and In Situ programs, The Blue Room Theatre’s MicroMove season and for WAAPA’s dance students.
- Lilly King (dancer) studied at WAAPA where she received a Bachelor in Dance. She is a founding member of Syndicate Performance and has worked with Brooke Leeder, Iratxe Ansa & Igor Bacovich (METAMORPHOSIS RESIDENCY LISBON), Ian Robinson & Rachael Osbourne as part of One Small Step Performances. Lilly has also choreographed students from John Curtin College of the Arts.
- Libby Klysz (producer) works as a performer, director, writer, manager, teacher, producer and consultant for Black Swan State Theatre Company, Barking Gecko Theatre, CircuitWest and The Blue Room Theatre. She runs her own theatre company Variegated Productions. Libby lectures at ECU & WAAPA and is an original member of The Big Hoo-HAA.
- Bernadette Lewis (dancer) is a graduate of WAAPA and LINK Dance Company. She has toured with Tasdance and Buzz Dance Theatre as well as independent choreographers Sue Peacock, Jo Pollitt, Patrice Smith, Didier Theron and Natalie Allen. Her choreographic work includes commissions for WAAPA, Perth Fringe Festival, STRUT Dance and movement consultant for The Last Great Hunt.
- Joe Lui (sound designer) is a founding member of Renegade Productions. Joe is also a regular and contributor to the independent theatre industry in Perth as a director, writer, sound and lighting designer. He has worked with Black Swan State Theatre Company, Perth Theatre Company, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company and a vast majority of independent companies and artists.
- Dr Vahri McKenzie (Bunbury community consultant & writer) is an academic and freelance artist. Recent projects include Euripides’ ‘Bakkhai’ commissioned by Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre and a study of Western Australian choreographers exploring links between memory, music and movement
- Zoe Wozniak (dancer) is a founding dancer of Co3 and graduated WAAPA in 2013 with the Hawaiian Award for most outstanding graduate. In 2014, Zoe was a member of LINK Dance Company. She has worked for Australian Dance Theatre, Ochre Contemporary Dance Company, Brooke Leeder, Shona Erskine and Eve Newton-Johnson as well as performing in Ohad Naharin’s Decadance through STRUT Dance in Perth 2016.
Availability
From June 2021Artforms
Ballet and DanceAudience
Dance & theatre audiences Film buffs, including Wes Anderson and horror fans True crime fans School dance students Audiences that are engaging with performing arts, and that are curious about an accessible entry to contemporary dance.Duration
50 minutesBump In
8.5 hours (less with pre-rig)Bump Out
3 hoursCosts
- Weekly Fee: $12,550- Remount: $20,780
- Royalties: %15
*Above fees do not include touring costs
Company Contacts
Libby Klysz0414 446 124
libbyklysz@gmail.com
Company Website
https://facebook.com/bangbangdanceTechnical
Venue Format
Proscenium arch, black box studio, town hall (with some creative changes)Touring Party
7Considerations
First possible performance: Morning of second day (unless pre rig occurs)
Minimum break between shows: 2 hours
Minimum stage width: 7m
Minimum stage depth: 6m
Minimum stage height: 5m
Staging and Set Description: 6x 800x500x400mm wooden painted stage boxes (moved by dancers)
Lighting provided by the company: LX console (and for small venues we can hire LED units for the wash and cyc)
Lighting to be provided by the venue: Two colour front wash with 6 specials. LED top light and highsides, 4 colour cyc wash.
Audio provided by the company: Touring Qlab computer
Audio to be provided by the venue: stereo front of house. 2x fold back speakers per side of stage for dancers
No. of additional staff to be provided by the venue: 2 lighting, for bump in // 1 lighting for bump in // 1 staff member foreshows.
Dressing Rooms Required: Yes
Other technical or performance notes: Nil