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Theatre

Basil Twist - Dogugaeshi, Barbican Pit

28 Jan 15 – 30 Jan 15, 1 hour, no interval

A rare opportunity to see the work of Basil Twist, visionary puppeteer, in the UK. Part of the LIMF.

By CW Contributor on 7/10/2014

Dogugaeshi (c) Richard Termine
Dogugaeshi (c) Richard Termine
Basil Twist - Dogugaeshi, Barbican Pit Basil Twist - Dogugaeshi, Barbican Pit Ruth Mattock
New York puppeteer Basil Twist has long attracted a level of attention unusual in his field, thanks to his artistry and vision. Here turns his imaginative eye on a dying Japanese art form.
Consistent surprising with a seemingly limitless imagination, Basil Twist is one of the most sought-after collaborators in theatre, having worked with London’s Royal Ballet and Paris’ Comedie Francaise, as well as in his native USA, and he was part of the creative team on Kate Bush’s much-lauded Before the Dawn 2014 tour. But his work has long been able to stand alone, captivating unsuspecting audiences with the elegance of his inanimate cast.
Japanese dogugaeshi originated as set design before becoming a show art form in itself: layers of painted screens move and switch to create strange illusions of perspective. Twist employs over 100 hand-painted screens to create a ‘visual journey’ across oceans and over wide, endless bridges. Curtains open onto curtained stages hiding curtained stages in Russian doll-like layers. An elegantly moustachioed white fox puppet provides sly humour.
Shedding none of the beauty of tradition, Twist remains contemporary: electronic sound design by Greg Duffin is background to the onstage musical performance by musician Yumiko Tanaka who plays the shamisen, a three stringed, long necked instrument that is the traditional accompaniment to Japanese puppet theatre. And projections by the video artist Peter Flaherty explore Dogugaeshi’s history.
The Barbican suggests Dogugaeshi is for age 10+ - it might be puppetry, but this is no Punch and Judy show. Expect a gentle, meditative performance that enjoys its own craft, promising a beautiful evening’s abstraction.

What Basil Twist - Dogugaeshi, Barbican Pit
Where Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS | MAP
Nearest tube Barbican (underground)
When 28 Jan 15 – 30 Jan 15, 1 hour, no interval
Price £20
Website Click here to book via the Barbican



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A little more...

  • In 2013 Basil Twist took on the ballet legend Nijinsky to produce his own Rite of Spring, billed as a ballet without dancers. Watch an extract here. 

    Twist talks to the New York Times about his life and work here. 

    What the critics say...

    "The finale, though, is a long, exhilarating succession of screens shifting and receding in forced perspective that eventually makes it seem as if you're peering a thousand feet into the distance. It's a riveting display of the tradition, and a marvellous act of affection."

    Nelson Pressley, Washington Post

    “With "Dogugaeshi," Twist is at once reviving a lost tradition and breaking new creative ground. This is one journey into the past and future you won't want to miss.”

    DH Rosen, Japan Times

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