During the autumn 2015 tour of ‘Stories from a Crowded Room’, as part of our audience development project, we were shadowed by Catherine Gomez, a Bristol-based film-maker.
Originally her brief was to film the company on tour and make a documentary about the creation of the production, and the life of a touring dance/physical theatre company. However, just as Catherine was starting to make the film, we received notice from the Arts Council of Wales that we would not be part of their new Revenue Funded Portfolio from 1st April 2016. The documentary then gained a life of its own as current performers, previous company members and collaborators contacted us and wanted to take part.
Stories from a Crowded Room went on to win the Wales Theatre Award for Best Dance in 2015, and the production sold out at venues across Wales and England.
Celebrating over 25 years of making live performance and film, this documentary looks back at an incredible archive of work, features interviews with company members, collaborators, and our two Artistic Directors, as well as behind-the-scenes footage of the Autumn tour.
The Documentary received its premiere on Saturday 2nd April 2016 at 1830 at the Atrium Building, with the kind support of the University of South Wales. The screening was followed by a panel discussion examining the future of making dance for film, Chaired by Matthew Gough (University of South Wales), with Chris Lewis-Smith (Bath Spa University), Catherin Gomez, Film-maker, and Jessica Cohen & Jim Ennis, joint-Artistic Directors Earthfall.
Dance and Live Music Jam Session
Held by Jessica Cohen (Joint Artistic Director) and company performers
Open to final year students and professional dancers and musicians.
The jam session took the form of structured improvisations both by the dancers and musicians. The aim of these sessions was to understand a mutuality between live music and movement and have fun while doing it.
Supported by the Arts Council of Wales
[Youtube_Channel_Gallery feed=”playlist” user=”PLQjpn4LcaBRGXqcwa0lb-L29esJP7DeVz” key=”AIzaSyBVM2RGzXHf7QTyNobp5m0yfMrz6PPTuoE” maxitems=”16″ thumb_columns_ld=”2″ title=”1″ promotion=”0″ link=”0″ thumb_columns_phones=”1″ thumb_columns_md=”3″ thumb_columns_ld=”3″ thumb_pagination=”0″]
This site location film is a companion piece to the original stage production ‘Chelsea Hotel’ which toured the UK in spring and autumn of 2013. The production won a Wales Theatre Award for Best Small-Scale Dance, and was nominated for Best Dance in the Manchester Theatre Awards. The film was shot whilst on tour at an ‘infamous’ hotel in the North of England.
Directed by Jessica Cohen and Jim Ennis
Camera and Editing by Mike Blackwood Barnes (Tallmanfilms.com)
Performers:
Rosalind Haf Brooks
Jim Ennis
Jessica Haener
Sebastian Langueneur
Alex Marshall Parsons
Composition and Music:
Frank Naughton
Sion Orgon
Felix Otaola
Click through to the Production Archive for more information about the production, behind the scene footage, soundtrack and gallery.
Chelsea Hotel was supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council of England and the Performing Rights Society Foundation.
Earthfall’s 2015 immersive touring production, Stories from a Crowded Room, was presented with the Best Dance Production Award at the 2016 Wales Theatre Awards.
Speaking after the awards ceremony in Cardiff, Jessica Cohen said: “The company took a risk presenting such a large-scale work, with ten performers on stage and live music, especially in the current climate. Our audiences and critics provided amazingly positive feedback during the tour and I’m proud that we took the risk – after all, Arts Council of Wales subsidised companies are encouraged to be risk taking.”
Earthfall founders and joint Artistic Directors Jessica Cohen and Jim Ennis also received the Special Achievement Award.
Jim Ennis accepted the award, saying “Jess and I have been creative partners for over 25 years. Thank you for this award and congratulations to all the nominees and all those performers, directors and creative individuals who just get up and do it despite this climate of adversity.”
A press release on each of the awards can be downloaded from the links:
The Award Presenters and Winners
Earthfall Joint Artistic Directors Jessica Cohen & Jim Ennis