MARK Bruce Company brings some bite to Frome with ‘DRACULA’ on Friday and Saturday 26th and 27th September at the Merlin.
In 2013 Mark Bruce Company toured its darkly thrilling, critically acc-laimed dance-theatre production ‘DRACULA’ which won the company the prestigious South Bank Award for Dance.
Including a four-week sellout run at London’s glorious Victorian venue, Wilton’s Music Hall, ‘DRACULA’ played to capacity audiences and universally excellent notices around the country.
On Friday 26th September the company kicks off an extensive UK tour at Frome’s Merlin Theatre.
Director, choreographer and artistic director Mark Bruce said, “It’s great to be going on the road with Dracula again and I’m delighted to be responding to overwhelming public demand so that we can visit lots of venues around the country that we didn’t have chance to visit last year.
“We’ve got a really strong cast which includes most of the original members, and I’m very much looking forward to sharing it with new audiences.”
The company of 10 exceptional dancers bring Bram Stoker’s 1897 haunting, erotic tale to life in a heart wrenching, magical dance theatre production. With an eclectic mix of music from Bach and Mozart to contemporary classical composers György Ligeti (fittingly, born in Transylvania) and Fred Frith, Bruce explores choreographic styles which range from the subtlety of classical etiquette to visceral contemporary dance.
One of the UK’s most highly regarded performers, Jonathan Goddard, plays the Vampire Count, whose sinister ambitions challenge the very fabric of Victorian society.
As Dracula’s victims and opponents rally against him, they are forced to face the darkness and savagery within themselves. Mark continued, “Before thinking about Jonathan Goddard playing the role, I hadn’t decided if I wanted to use an actor or a dancer.
The idea of a ‘dancing’ Dracula is tricky, but when I worked with Jonathan I found all kinds of possibilities for choreographic vocabulary; he brings many sides to the role: the hunter, the wolf, the noble and sinister count, the lonely undead, a malevolent humour, a vicious callous streak and a childlike naivety.”
![Town-wide programme brings month of social activities in May
A month-long programme of activities and events is set to take place across the town in May as part of an initiative encouraging residents to connect with themselves, each other and local places.
The scheme, Frome Connects, will run throughout the month and includes a mix of social activities, creative events and informal meet-ups in community spaces.
Highlights include the return of Dress Up Fridays, which began during lockdown and invites people to wear formal clothing or fancy dress and turn the town into their catwalk each Friday.
Set-piece moments include a Kate Bush-themed flashmob (Running Up That [Catherine] Hill) on 30th May, followed by a bell peal at St John’s Church where the bells will play Running Up That Hill.
There will also be a whole-town drone photo on Friday 30th May, with everyone encouraged to ‘look up’ at around 12.30pm.
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
Pictured: l-r Jenny Hartnoll and Ginny Adams](https://scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/684201964_18069463433653265_2722712448142239347_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=109&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiRkVFRC5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=lpPD1lkIpzUQ7kNvwGc5hdb&_nc_oc=Adpzr2hnI58mBzDyMxcnkdK_pr7-84FAARfoTk3dgtKJKwIbvYouQytEkAdXpaUAvxU&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=QKz5uslOl1wFJGffej9rcQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQEhS3JmIIRGVtdvc7NeDg-szHPgOZvSeqR7PYflJsqm1cp0XCNujCDPTyODWI0mmJV4mujraOr9&oh=00_Af2_0pgXuakjMTfphq9JSx7v6C2RU__qPFT1d7jQmFh5EA&oe=69F7C6AA "Town-wide programme brings month of social activities in May
A month-long programme of activities and events is set to take place across the town in May as part of an initiative encouraging residents to connect with themselves, each other and local places.
The scheme, Frome Connects, will run throughout the month and includes a mix of social activities, creative events and informal meet-ups in community spaces.
Highlights include the return of Dress Up Fridays, which began during lockdown and invites people to wear formal clothing or fancy dress and turn the town into their catwalk each Friday.
Set-piece moments include a Kate Bush-themed flashmob (Running Up That [Catherine] Hill) on 30th May, followed by a bell peal at St John’s Church where the bells will play Running Up That Hill.
There will also be a whole-town drone photo on Friday 30th May, with everyone encouraged to ‘look up’ at around 12.30pm.
Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
Pictured: l-r Jenny Hartnoll and Ginny Adams")
