Spectacular
The trembling edge of laughter
Forced Entertainment is undoubtedly one of the most important British theatre companies of recent years. Spectacular is the first production since 1997 to be made by the company’s core team with no external contribution.
A lone performer takes to the stage, explaining that the show we’re watching is somehow different tonight. The atmosphere is different, his entrance was off, the lights are wrong, some scenery is missing, some performers are absent. The tone is all wrong. The audience reaction, our protagonist says, is not quite what he expected, not quite what he's used to. Perhaps the fact he is dressed as a skeleton has something to do with it.
Spectacular is about the now of the performance moment, the trembling edge of laughter, possibility and invention. Simple, logical, absurd, impossible and comical by turns, this provocative new show from Forced Entertainment promises to add to their already remarkable and unique body of work.
see also: 18 & 19/03/09 at Campo (Ghent), www.campo.nu, 09/223 00 00
conceived and devised by Forced Entertainment (Robin Arthur, Richard Lowdon, Claire Marshall, Terry O’Connor, Cathy Naden) | direction Tim Etchells | performance Robin Arthur, Claire Marshall | design Richard Lowdon | lighting Nigel Edwards | production Forced Entertainment | co-production BIT Teatergarasgen (Bergen), Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin), PACT Zollverein (Essen), Les Spectacles vivants – Centre Pompidou (Paris), Theatre Garonne (Toulouse)
