Complicité
The British theatre company Complicite was founded in 1983 by Simon McBurney, Annabel Arden, and Marcello Magni. Its original name was Théâtre de Complicite. The company is based in London and use extreme movement to represent their work. "The Company's inimitable style of visual and devised theatre [has] an emphasis on strong, corporeal, poetic and surrealist image supporting text" (Stephen Knapper, 2010, Contemporary European Theatre Directors). Its work has been influenced by Jacques Lecoq. The company produced their first work in 1983. In 1985 they won the Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[1][2]
The company is based in London and use extreme movement to represent their work. Their productions often involve dazzling use of technology, such as projection and cameras, as well as lyrical and philosophical contemplation of serious themes.
The company's lineup changes frequently, though McBurney continues to be the artistic director. Complicite is currently more active as an international touring company than within the UK.
Major productions include The Master and Margarita (2011/12), A Dog's Heart (2010) with De Nederlandse Opera and English National Opera, Endgame (2009), Shun-kin (2008), A Disappearing Number (2007), Measure for Measure (2004), The Elephant Vanishes (2003, 2004) (performed in Japanese, adapted from the work of the writer Haruki Murakami), The Noise of Time (2000) (about the Russian composer Dimitri Shostakovich, title from the 1925 memoir and collected essays by the poet Osip Mandelstam, published in English in 1993); Mnemonic (1999); and The Street of Crocodiles (1992) (inspired by the life and works of Bruno Schulz).[3]
The Master and Margarita, an adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel, sold out its run at The Barbican, London in March/April 2012 and tours Europe in 2012. In 2010 A Disappearing Number (2010, 2008, 2007) which played at the Novello Theatre, Barbican Theatre and Theatre Royal, Plymouth, is a play about the mathematicians Ramanujan and G. H. Hardy, the study of pure mathematics, the concepts of infinity and string theory. It focuses on our "relentless compulsion to understand".[4] The music was written by Nitin Sawhney and the dramaturge was Ben Power. The play won many awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award 2008 for Best New Play. It was produced at the Lincoln Center Festival in New York City in 2010 and toured to Mumbai and Hyderabad. In 2010 it was broadcast to over 300 cinema screens worldwide as part of NT Live.
Shun-kin (2008), performed in Japanese, was adapted from Junichiro Tanizaki. It was first performed in Tokyo (February 2008) and then toured to London. It was revived in Tokyo in March 2009 and in London, Paris, Tokyo and Taipei in 2010.
Their main principles of work are "seeing what is most alive, integrating text, music, image and action to create surprising, disruptive theatre".
Funding
Other than revenue from ticket sales, Complicite receives funding from two sources: Arts Council England and private donations.
"Complicite creates inspirational physical-based theatre, which it tours both nationally and internationally to world-class venues and partners. The company also provides a programme of professional workshops and educational initiatives. Our funding supports core costs." Complicite received £370,021 in 2008/2009, £380,012 in 2009/2010 and £390,272 in 2010/2011 from the Council.[5]
Productions index
| Year | Production | Director | Writer/ Adapter | Design | Cast | Awards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Put it on Your Head | "The Company" | "The Company" | - | Annabel Arden, Fiona Gordon, Marcello Magni, Simon McBurney | ||
| 1984 | A Minute too Late | Simon McBurney | Jozef Houben, Simon McBurney, and Marcello Magni, with Annabel Arden | Jozef Houben, Simon McBurney and Marcello Magni | |||
| 1985 | More Bigger Snacks Now | Neil Bartlett | "The Company" | - | Tim Barlow, Jos Houben, Marcello Magni, Simon McBurney | 1985 Perrier Award, 1986 Time Out Fringe Award for Best Touring Production | |
| 1986 | Foodstuff | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Lucy Weller, Dougie Laing, Laura McLoughlin | Mario Aguerre, Annabel Arden, David Backler, Tim Barlow, Michael Barnfather, Ian Cooke, Coralene Chambers, Suzanne Dawson, Gay Gaynor, Gerard Flanagan, Marc Fremond, Celia Gore Booth, Phil Gunderson, Jozef Houben, Casper Hummel, Marcello Magni, Graziella Martinez, Hamish McColl, Pat Mitchell, Deobi Oparei, Linda Kerr Scott, Susan Todd, Micheline Vandepoel, Sue Westergaard | ||
| 1986 | Please, Please, Please | Annabel Arden | "The Company" | Lucy Weller | Mick Barnfather, Celia Gore Booth, Linda Kerr Scott, Marcello Magni, Simon McBurney | ||
| 1987 | Anything For A Quiet Life | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Design: Jan Pienkowski Lighting, John Listrum | Annabel Arden, Celia Gore Booth, Kathryn Hunter, Marcello Magni, Myra McFadyen, Stefan Metz, Boris Ostan | ||
| 1989 | The Lamentations of Thel | Annabel Arden | Dimitri Smirnov | Willow Winston | Jane W Davidson, Lore Lixemberg | ||
| 1989 | Anything For A Quiet Life (TV) | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Jan Pienkowski | Annabel Arden, Celia Gore Booth, Kathryn Hunter, Marcello Magni, Myra McFadyen, Stefan Metz, Boris Ostan | Adapted For Television for Channel 4 | |
| 1989 | The Visit | Annabel Arden and Simon McBurney | adapted by Maurice Valency after Friedrich Dürrenmatt | Design: Rae Smith, Lighting: Luke Sapsed, Sound: Nic Jones, Christopher Shutt | Mick Barnfather, Lilo Baur, Celia Gore Booth, Jasper Britton, Richard Hope, Kathryn Hunter, Simon McBurney, Marcello Magni, Eric Mallet, Julianne Mason, Clive Mendus | 1990- Laurence Olivier Award, Best Actress, Kathryn Hunter. 1989 Time Out Theatre Award for Best Director, Annabel Arden | |
| 1990 | Help! I'm Alive | Jozef Houben and Marcello Magni | "The Company", after Ruzzante | Marcello Magni, Kathryn Hunter, Clive Mendus, Lilo Baur, Toby Sedgwick | |||
| 1991 | The Visit (revival) | Annabel Arden and Simon McBurney | adapted by Maurice Valency after Friedrich Dürrenmatt | Design: Rae Smith, Lighting: Luke Sapsed, Sound: Nic Jones, Christopher Shutt | Mick Barnfather, Lilo Baur, Celia Gore Booth, Jasper Britton, Richard Hope, Kathryn Hunter, Simon McBurney, Marcello Magni, Eric Mallet, Julianne Mason, Clive Mendus | ||
| 1992 | The Winter's Tale | Annabel Arden with Annie Castledine | William Shakespeare | Design: Ariane Gastambide, Lighting: Ben Ormerod, Sound: Christopher Shutt | Lilo Baur, Kathryn Hunter, Mark Lewis Jones, Simon McBurney, Dhobi Oparei, Vicki Pepperdine, Gabrielle Reidy, Leo Wringer, Marcello Magni | ||
| 1992-3 | The Street of Crocodiles | Simon McBurney | Adapted by Simon McBurney and Mark Wheatley from Bruno Schulz | Design: Rae Smith, Lighting: Paule Constable, Sound: Christopher Shutt | Annabel Arden, Lilo Baur, Hayley Carmichael, Antonio Gil Martinez, Joyce Henderson, Eric Mallet, Clive Mendus, Cesar Sarachu, Matthew Scurfield | 1994 Dublin Theatre Festival Award for Best Touring Production, 1994 L'Academie Quebecoisedu Theatre Award for Best Foreign Production 1993 Manchester Evening Standard Award for Best Visiting Production, 1993 Barcelona Critics Award for Best Foreign Production | |
| 1994-5 | Out of a house walked a man... | Simon McBurney | An adaptation by Jos Houben, Simon McBurney and Mark Wheatley from the writings of Daniil Kharms, Original score composed by Gerard McBurney | Design: Tim Hatley, Lighting: Paule Constable, Sound: Christopher Shutt | Sophie Grimmer, Paul Hamilton, Jos Houben, Kathryn Hunter, Toby Jones, Lore Lixenburg, Marcello Magni, Myra McFadyen, Charlotte Medcalf, Toby Sedgwick, Brian Shelley, Edward Woodall | ||
| 1994-97 | The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol | Simon McBurney | Simon McBurney & Mark Wheatley | Design: Tim Hatley, Lighting: Paule Constable, Sound: Christopher Shutt | Lilo Baur, Mick Barnfather, Hannes Flaschberger, Simon McBurney, Tim McMullan, Stefan Metz, Hélène Patarôt | 1997Toronto DORA Award Best Production of a Play, 1997 Toronto CORA Award Best Actress (Lilo Baur), 1996 Belgrade International Festival Grand Prix, 1996 Best Performance of the Belgrade International Festival voted by the audience, 1996 Belgrade Daily Newspaper Politika Prize for Best Director (Simon McBurney), 1995 The Age Newspaper Critic's Award for Creative Excellence at the Melbourne International Festival, 1995 Barcelona Critic's Award for Best Foreign Production, 1994 Manchester Evening News Award for Best Actress in a Visiting Production (Lilo Baur), 1994 Time Out Theatre Award, 1994 TMA/Martini Award for Best UK Touring Production | |
| 1996 | Foe | Annie Castledine and Marcello Magni | Adapted by Mark Wheatley from the novel by J. M. Coetzee | Peter Mumford | Selma Alispahic, Hannes Flaschberger, Kathryn Hunter, Marcello Magni, Patrice Naiambara, Rob Pickavance | ||
| 1997 | The Caucasian Chalk Circle | Simon McBurney | Bertolt Brecht Translated by Frank McGuinness | Design: Tim Hatley, Lighting: Paule Constable, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Projection: Kate Slater Jones | Selma Alispahic, Clive Bell, Peter Collins, Bronagh Gallagher, Kulvinder Ghir, Antonio Gil Martinez, Faroque Khan, Jeffrey Kissoon, Simon McBurney, Tim McMullan, Clive Mendus, Maggie O'Brien, Michael Ormiston, Hélène Patarôt, Robert Patterson, Nicholas Robinson, Edward Savage, Juliet Stevenson, Joe Townsend | 1998 Laurence Olivier Award Simon McBurney, 1998 Liverpool Echo Best Actor Award Simon McBurney | |
| 1997-98 | The Chairs | Simon McBurney | Eugène Ionesco in a new translation by Martin Crimp | Design: Quay Brothers, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Paul Arditti | Mick Barnfather, Sarah Baxter, Richard Briers, Geraldine McEwan | 1998 Six Tony Nominations and six Drama Desk Nominations, 1998 Drama Desk Award for Best Design (Quay Brothers), 1998 Laurence Olivier Award Nomination for Lighting Design (Paul Anderson), 1998 Time Out Live Award (Geraldine McEwan), 1998 Barclays/TMA Theatre Award for Best Actress (Geraldine McEwan) | |
| 1997 | To The Wedding | Simon McBurney | For Radio- Based on the novel by John Berger, adapted by Simon McBurney, John Berger and Mark Wheatley | - | Lilo Baur, Kathryn Hunter, Simon McBurney, Katrin Cartlidge, Marcello Magni, Richard Hope, Tim McMullan, Sandro Mabellini, Hannes Flaschberger, Annabel Arden, Velibor Topic, Mick Barnfather, Susan Henry, Michael Mears | ||
| 1994-97 | The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol (Revival) | Simon McBurney | Simon McBurney & Mark Wheatley | Design: Tim Hatley, Lighting: Paule Constable, Sound: Christopher Shutt | Lilo Baur, Mick Barnfather, Hannes Flaschberger, Simon McBurney, Tim McMullan, Stefan Metz, Hélène Patarôt | ||
| 1998-99 | The Street of Crocodiles (revival) | Simon McBurney | Adapted by Simon McBurney and Mark Wheatley from Bruno Schulz | Design: Rae Smith, Lighting: Paule Constable, Sound: Christopher Shutt | Annabel Arden, Bronagh Gallagher, Gregory Gudgeon, Marcello Magni, Eric Mallett, Antonio Gil Martinez, Charlotte Medcalf, Clive Mendus, Stefan Metz, Cesar Sarachu, Matthew Scurfield, Ásta Sighvats | ||
| 1999 | The Vertical Line | Simon McBurney and John Berger | Simon McBurney and John Berger | - | - | ||
| 1999-01 | Mnemonic | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham | Katrin Cartlidge, Richard Katz, Simon McBurney, Tim McMullan, Stefan Metz, Kostas Philippoglou, Catherine Schaub Abkarian, Daniel Wahl | 2002, Golden Mask Critics' Award, Festival Mess, Sarajevo, 2001 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, 2001 Drama Desk Award for Best Lighting Design (Paul Anderson), 2001 Drama Desk Award for Best Sound Design (Christopher Shutt), 2001 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Achievement off Broadway for Unique Theatrical Experience, for Best Sound Design (Christopher Shutt) and for Best Lighting Design (Paul Anderson), 2001 Syndicat Professionnel de la Critique Dramatique et Musicale, Grand Prix de la Critique for Best Foreign Play, 2001 Time Out Live Award for Outstanding Achievement, 1999 The Critic's Circle Award for Best, New Play | |
| 2000 | Light | Simon McBurney | Based on the book by Torgny Lindgren, adapted by Simon McBurney and Matthew Broughton | Design: Dick Bird, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Paul Arditti, Costume: Christina Cunningham | Joseph Alessi, Mick Barnfather, Lilo Baur, Bronagh Gallagher, Dermot Kerrigan, Tim McMullan, Tobias Menzies, Toby Sedgwick | ||
| 2000-02 | The Noise of Time | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Design: Joanna Parker, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt with Gareth Fry, Costume: Christina Cunnigham | Tim McMullan, Antonio Gil Martinez, Charlotte Medcalf, Richard Katz, Toby Sedgwick, Jan Knightley | ||
| 2002 | The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui | Simon McBurney | Bertolt Brecht | Robert Innes Hopkins | Al Pacino, Steve Buscemi, Dominic Chianese, Billy Crudup, Charles Durning, Paul Giamatti, John Goodman, Chazz Palminteri, Tony Randall, Linda Emondk | ||
| 2002-03 | Mnemonic (revival) | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham | Dan Fredenburgh, Susan Lynch, Simon McBurney, Tim McMullan, Stefan Metz, Kostas Philippoglou, Aurelia Petit | ||
| 2003 | The Elephant Vanishes | Simon McBurney | "The Company" based on the book by Haruki Murakami | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Ruppert Bohle and Anne O'Connor | Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Yuko Miyamoto, Masato Sakai, Ryoko Tateishi, Keitoku Takada, Atsuko Takaizumi | 2004 Kinokuniya Theatre Award for Best Actress (Ryoko Tateishi), 2003 Evening Standard Theatre Award Nomination for Best Director (Simon McBurney) | |
| 2004 | Strange Poetry | Simon McBurney, Music by Gerard McBurney | Music by Gerard McBurney | Sound: Christopher Shutt and Gareth Fry, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection and Video: Francis Laporte | Antonio Gil Martinez, John Flax, Tamzin Griffin, Sophie Grimmer, Richard Katz, Simon McBurney, Yasuyo Mochizuki, Robert Tannion, Tom Ward and The London Philharmonic Orchestra | ||
| 2004 | Measure for Measure | Simon McBurney | William Shakespeare | Design: Tom Pye, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Sven Ortel | Simon McBurney, Mike Grady, Angus Wright, Ajay Naidu, Clive Mendus, Tamzin Griffin, Richard Katz, Ben Meyjes, Craig Parkinson, Steven Crossley, Naomi Frederick, Katie Jones, Kostas Philippoglou, Jamie Bradley, Anamaria Marinca and Hannes Flaschberger | 2005 The Ian Charleson Award second place (Naomi Frederick), 2004 Critics' Circle Award for Best Performance in a Shakespearean Role (Paul Rhys) | |
| 2004 | The Elephant Vanishes (revival) | Simon McBurney | "The Company" based on the book by Haruki Murakami | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Ruppert Bohle and Anne O'Connor | Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Yuko Miyamoto, Yasuyo Mochizuki, Keitoku Takada, Atsuko Takaizumi, Ryoko Tateish, Kentaro Mizuki | ||
| 2004 | Pet Shop Boys meet Eisenstein | Simon McBurney | Original Score by the Pet Shop Boys | Art Direction: Simon McBurney, Projection: Sven Ortel | The Pet Shop Boys, Dresdner Sinfoniker, Simon McBurney, Tim McMullen, Charlotte Medcalf | ||
| 2005 | A Minute Too Late (revival) | Simon McBurney | Jozef Houben, Simon McBurney, and Marcello Magni, with Annabel Arden | Design: Tom Pye with James Humphrey, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Sven Ortel | Jos Houben, Marcello Magni, Simon McBurney | ||
| 2005 | The Noise of Time (revival) | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Design: Joanna Parker, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt with Gareth Fry, Costume: Christina Cunnigham | Geir Hytten, Liam Steel, Tom Ward, Ewan Wardrop | ||
| 2005 | Vanishing Points | Simon McBurney | John Berger and Anne Michaels | Sound: Neil Alexander with Gareth Fry, Projection and Video: Sven Ortel and Lorna Heavey | John Berger, Susan Lynch, Meredith MacNeil, Simon McBurney, Clive Mendus, Anne Michaels, Paul Rhys, Juliet Stevenson | ||
| 2005-06 | Measure for Measure (revival) | Simon McBurney | William Shakespeare | Design: Tom Pye, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Sven Ortel | Mike Grady, Angus Wright, Ajay Naidu, Clive Mendus, Tamzin Griffin, Richard Katz, Ben Meyjes, Craig Parkinson, Steven Crossley, Naomi Frederick, Kostas Philippoglou, Jamie Bradley, Katie Jones, Anamaria Marinca, Johannes Flaschberger | ||
| 2008 | A Disappearing Number | Simon McBurney | "The Company'" | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Sven Ortel | David Annen, Firdous Bamji, Paul Bhattacharjee, Hiren Chate, Divya Kasturi, Chetna Pandya, Saskia Reeves and Shane Shambhu | 2008 Best New Play - The Laurence Olivier Awards, 2007 Best Play - Evening Standard Awards, 2007 Best New Play - The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards | |
| 2008 | Shun-kin 春琴 | Simon McBurney | Based on the writings of Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, Script Edited by Jo Allan | Merle Hensel and Rumi Matsui | Kaho Aso, Songha Cho, Eri Fukatsu, Honjoh Hidetaro, Kentaro Mizuki, Yasuyo Mochizuki, Yuko Miyamoto, Keitoku Takada, Ryoko Tateishi, Yoshi Oida | 2009 Yomiuri Theatre Awards Grand Prize Award for Best Director (Simon McBurney), Nominated for Best Play and Best Female Actor (Eri Fukatsu) | |
| 2008 | A Disappearing Number (revival) | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Sven Ortel | David Annen, Firdous Bamji, Paul Bhattacharjee, Hiren Chate, Divya Kasturi, Chetna Pandya, Saskia Reeves and Shane Shambhu | ||
| 2009 | Shun-kin 春琴 (revival) | Simon McBurney | Based on the writings of Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, Script Edited by Jo Allan | Design: Merle Hensel and Rumi Matsui Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Gareth Fry, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Finn Ross | Kaho Aso, Songha Cho, Eri Fukatsu, Honjoh Hidetaro, Kentaro Mizuki, Yasuyo Mochizuki, Nigoshichi Shimouma, Keitoku Takada, Ryoko Tateishi, Junko Uchida. Puppetry by Blind Summit | 2009 Yomiuri Theatre Awards Grand Prize Award for Best Director (Simon McBurney), Nominated for Best Play and Best Female Actor (Eri Fukatsu) | |
| 2009 | Endgame | Simon McBurney | Samuel Beckett | Design: Tim Hatley, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Gareth Fry, Costume: Christina Cunningham | Simon McBurney, Miriam Margolyes, Tom Hickey, Mark Rylance | 2009 What's on Stage Awards, Best Supporting Actress in a Play (Miriam Margoyles) | |
| 2010 | A Disappearing Number (revival) | Simon McBurney | "The Company" | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Christopher Shutt, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Sven Ortel | Firdous Bamji, Saskia Reeves, Paul Bhattacharjee, Hiren Chate, Shane Shambhu, Divya Kasturi, Chetna Pandya, David Annen | ||
| 2010 | Shun-kin 春琴 (revival) | Simon McBurney | Based on the writings of Jun'ichiro Tanizaki, Script Edited by Jo Allan | Design: Merle Hensel and Rumi Matsui Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Gareth Fry, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Finn Ross | Kaho Aso, Songha Cho, Eri Fukatsu, Honjoh Hidetaro, Kentaro Mizuki, Yasuyo Mochizuki, Yoshi Oida, Keitoku Takada, Ryoko Tateishi, Junko Uchida. Puppetry by Blind Summit | ||
| 2010 | A Dog's Heart | Simon McBurney | Libretto by Cesare Mazzonis after the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov | Design: Michael Levine, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Projection: Finn Ross | Produced with De Nederlandse Opera and ENO. Puppetry by Blind Summit | 2010 Nominated, Best New Opera Production - The Laurence Olivier Awards | |
| 2011 | The Master and Margarita | Simon McBurney | Based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, text by Simon McBurney, the company and Edward Kemp | Set Design: Es Devlin, Lighting: Paul Anderson, Sound: Gareth Fry, Costume: Christina Cunningham, Video: Finn Ross, 3D Animation Luke Halls, Puppetry Blind Summit Theatre | David Annen, Thomas Arnold, Josie Daxter, Johannes Flaschberger, Tamzin Griffin, Amanda Hadingue, Richard Katz, Sinéad Matthews, Clive Mendus, Yasuyo Mochizuki, Tim McMullan, Ajay Naidu, Henry Pettigrew, Paul Rhys, Cesar Sarachu, Angus Wright | ||
| 2013 | Lionboy | Annabel Arden | From the novels by Zizou Corder, adapted by Marcelo Dos Santos with the company | Adetomiwa Edun, Victoria Gould, Rob Gilbert, Lisa Kerr, Femi Elufowoju Jr, Dan Milne, Clive Mendus, Stephen Hiscock |
References
- ^ Thorpe, Vanessa. "Sophie Hunter: The Opera Director Who Has to Dodge Paparazzie". Sophie Hunter Central.
- ^ "Edinburgh Comedy Awards".
- ^ Complicite Productions Index
- ^ A Disappearing Number, Complicite.org
- ^ "Complicite", Arts Council England