This captivating piece of dance theatre, narrated by Alexei Sayle, features renowned dancers Kerieva McCormick and Raúl Prieto (formerly Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras), choreography by flamenco ‘Gran Maestro’ Javier Latorre, video design by Tim Reid (1984/Quiz Show) and lighting design by Colin Grenfell (Black Watch). Read more …
The stunning flamenco dance is accompanied by breathtaking special effects and a specially commissioned score, performed by a live band that includes legendary jazz pianist Pablo Suàrez, Scottish virtuoso flamenco guitarist Andrew Robinson and esteemed flamenco singer Olayo Jiménez.
In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, 4,000 children - known as 'Los Niños de la Guerra' – were evacuated to the UK. This story follows one of them, Esperanza, a typist, twenty years later in post-war Britain, who decides to make the dangerous journey back to her past, and Franco’s Spain.
Inspired by interviews with several of the ‘Niños’, now in their nineties, and co-directed by McCormick and Ben Harrison (Grid Iron), The Typist is an exhilarating story of courage, passion and identity.
The Typist may be flawed, but it is as lucid and affecting statement of intent as the poetry of Siegfried Sassoon or more recently PJ Harvey’s The Words That Maketh Murder. Kam-Ri will surely develop into a vital company.
Without prior knowledge, following the narrative would be a challenge, which is rarely an issue in dance, where emotion is the main driver. But a tale is crying out to be told here, and the high quality music and dance deserves narrative clarity and more focussed design.
It will be a delight to see what this innovative company tackles next, and if they will have the patience and endurance to refine and further unfurl their complex materials.
The production’s attempts to knit political history together with art never quite come off.
he performance elements of The Typist were passionate, accomplished and powerful, but the story that is begging to be told was frustratingly lost somewhere along the way.
The Typist tells an emotive tale with flamenco and theatre
On Tour, from Thursday February 12, 2015, until Saturday February 28, 2015.
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