Medusa’s Trap & Satie’s 150th Birthday Celebration / Weeping Tudor Productions / Sunflower & I / Tuesday, 17th May 2016
Photos by Dayana Del Puerto. Words by Tom Williams.
Weeping Tudor Productions’ inaugural show was a beautiful night full of absurdity, revelation and… pears.
We gathered at the stunning, quaint and well-suited Sunflower & I down Cardiff Bay for the 150th birthday of perhaps Paris’ most eccentric and unconventional composer, Erik Satie.
The night began with Medusa’s Trap (Le piège de Méduse), Satie’s only play, which features absurdist comedy, intriguing encounters, and, yes, an interpretative-dancing monkey!
It was a very rare chance to see this live and people had traveled from all over the UK to be there. It was well-received by all.
After this short play (which was no longer than 45 minutes in length), there was a well-curated concert filled with Satie’s music, all of which was made to provoke – whether boredom, anger, sadness, or whatnot!
For those of us less up on our oddball Parisian composers from centuries’ past, there were welcomed and engaging talks before each song, including by leading Satie expert, Caroline Potter, whose genorosity in providing the production company with the rare Medusa’s Trap script had made the special night possible.
The audience was wowed by the versatility of all of James Ellis’ cast, as their acting was convincing all-round in Medusa’s Trap and all were involved in the proceeding concert.
Special mention to the ever-talented Gemini Anderson for singing with a voice worthy of her angelic outfit, and for taming her pet rat to sit on her head whilst she performed one of Satie’s songs.
A kickstarter-funded project of which all contributors would be proud.
Professional, accessible and engaging.
Happy Belated 150th Birthday, Erik Satie!
More photos to follow…
To mark the 95th anniversary of Medusa’s Trap’s Paris premier (Tuesday 24th May 2016), Weeping Tudor Productions has uploaded the full video of last week’s play for all to enjoy:
#MedusasTrap #LePiègeDeMéduse #SatieFest
Related:
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Images credits: Dayana Del Puerto
