The Wolf and Peter Tour 2016/17
CoisCéim Dance Theatre announce Irish & international tour of their hit show The Wolf and Peter, while bringing Irish contemporary dance to the Sydney Opera House for the very first time.
Following a sell out run of the site-specific co-production, These Rooms at Dublin Theatre Festival 2016, Ireland’s multi award-winning CoisCéim Dance Theatre are thrilled to announce a UK, Australian and 9 week Irish tour (2017) of yet another one of their hit shows The Wolf and Peter. This, the company’s first ever production for children and families, enhancing their ever-increasing and impressive portfolio, and which took audiences by storm at Baboró International Arts Festival and Belfast International Arts Festival in 2015.
CoisCéim’s The Wolf and Peter takes inspiration from Russian composer Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, considered one of the most famous pieces of music ever written. With such a high bar for achievement CoisCéim deftly made this staging one of the best pieces of children’s dance theatre ever to be produced in Ireland. Now the greater world will have the lucky opportunity through the generous support of Culture Ireland to see this truly awesome show as Ireland’s leading dance theatre company tours to DanceXchange, Birmingham (Dec 2 & 3); Dance City, Newcastle (Dec 7 – 10); Arts Centre, Melbourne (Jun 26 2017); Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith (3 Jul 2017); and the Sydney Opera House (Jul 12 2017).
Celebrating over two decades of the most exciting dance created on these shores, CoisCéim are excited to share their wondrous wares further by taking on one of biggest iconic international stages, the Sydney Opera House, and being the first ever Irish contemporary dance company to perform there.
The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys said: “It’s great to see CoisCéim branching into children’s productions so successfully with this new piece of work. Having already wowed Irish audiences, CoisCéim will now present this work in the UK and Australia, thanks to support from Culture Ireland. This international presentation will once again ensure that some of Ireland’s best artists are brought to new audiences, generating greater awareness of Ireland’s culture and creativity.”
Head of Children, Families & Creative Learning, Sydney Opera House, Bridgette Van Leuven said: “The Wolf and Peter is one of the highlights of our 2017 program and I’m personally delighted to be working with Culture Ireland to bring the internationally acclaimed and unbelievably accomplished CoisCéim Dance Theatre all the way to Bennelong Point from the Green Isle. Their unique and vibrant reimagination of Prokofiev’s classic tale takes children on a journey discovering both the power of classic music and the magic of contemporary dance. It’s a sight to behold and right at home on the stage of the Sydney Opera House.”
CoisCéim’s Artistic Director David Bolger commented: “It has been an absolute delight to reinterpret this classic in a way that speaks to the current generation, while being respectful to the richness of the original music and dance and I am thrilled that though the support of the Arts Council and Culture Ireland, we are able to bring The Wolf and Peter to younger audiences throughout Ireland, UK and on to Australia and the Sydney Opera House. The wolf is coming!”
Back at home the company returns the show to Ireland performing at Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray (Dec 14 – 16) and in Spring 2017 takes on a hefty 13 stop NASC tour of Ireland for 9 weeks from March 1 until April 28. This tour is made possible by a Touring and Dissemination of Work Grant from the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon. For a full list of venues please visit our production page here.
Featuring five outstanding dancers with a live piano performance, CoisCéim Dance Theatre takes this timeless story of courage and imagination as inspiration for this magical and beautiful show. Here, the story is told through the eyes of a WOLF. Filled with dance and live music, this fun and richly theatrical production by David Bolger gives life to a Bird, a Cat, a Duck, a Boy, and of course a WOLF in a highly energetic original work that will capture the hearts of all ages.
Peter and the Wolf was a musical score originally written as an engaging way to introduce children to the instruments of the orchestra. For this production, the extraordinary pianist Conor Linehan will play both the classic score and his own new compositions live on stage. The Wolf and Peter will take children, and their families, on a thrilling adventure to explore and discover contemporary dance and performance at its best.
DIRECTION & CHOREOGRAPHY by David Bolger
SET & COSTUME DESIGN by Monica Frawley
LIGHTING DESIGN by Sinead McKenna
SOUND DESIGN by Ivan Birthistle & Vincent Doherty
HAIR & MAKE-UP DESIGN by Val Sherlock
COMPOSITION & PIANIST Conor Linehan
ADDITIONAL MUSIC, PETER AND THE WOLF, Symphonic Tale For Children, Piano Reduction by Sergei Prokofiev, 1936
ORIGINAL CAST Wojciech Grudziński, Ivonne Kalter, Conor Linehan, Jonathan Mitchell, Emma O’Kane and Mateusz Szczerek
5 STARS “reassuringly traditional and startlingly modern…The Wolf and Peter is funny, imaginative, and, finally, very moving.”
The Irish Times
5 STARS “a high end production by a top class company operating at the top of their game. Playful, funny, moving, The Wolf and Peter stirs the spirit and ignites the imagination, no matter what age you might happen to be.”
examiner.com (USA)
5 STARS “There really is something for everyone in The Wolf And Peter, from splendid performances to stunning design, and some beautiful music.”
TheReviewsHub