Press Release
16 December 2013
LULU: A MURDER BALLAD
NEW SHOW BY THE TIGER LILLIES TOURS UK IN 2014
Cult performers The Tiger Lillies will present a darkly twisted new show in early 2014, commissioned by Opera North Projects.
Lulu: A Murder Ballad is based on the story of Lulu, originating in the plays of Frank Wedekind (Earth Spirit, 1895, and Pandora’s Box, 1904). Later adapted into Alban Berg’s opera (Lulu, 1937), and a masterpiece of silent cinema featuring an iconic performance by Louise Brooks (Pandora’s Box, 1929), Lulu is perfectly suited to the unconventional performance style of The Tiger Lillies.
Lulu’s unbridled sex appeal, her youth, and her self-destructiveness combine to make her dangerous, unpredictable and tragic. Circled by both men and women, her journey from street prostitute to the toast of Society, is told as a kaleidoscopic dance of death, from Berlin to Paris and finally to the dark streets of Jack the Ripper’s London.
Co-produced by Opera North, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Warwick Arts Centre and The Tiger Lillies, this production is part of a growing trend for arts organisations to develop new work in collaboration. It follows The Tiger Lillies’ sell-out run at the Southbank Centre in 2013 with The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, after many years of success with shows including the Olivier Award-winning “junk opera” Shockheaded Peter.
Dominic Gray, Opera North Projects Director comments:
“It has been a long-standing ambition of Opera North Projects to commission a new piece of work from The Tiger Lillies - their reinvention of Lulu will be a memorable, dark, and vastly entertaining addition to the canon of works through which the enigmatic character of Lulu holds sway.
“Developing and supporting new artistic work is both a fundamental part of what Opera North does, and a crucial way of maintaining vibrancy across the arts. This project has been made possible through working in partnership with West Yorkshire Playhouse and Warwick Arts Centre, two important regional arts organisations with whom Opera North hopes to continue to build a creative relationship.”
An uncompromising musical and visual melodrama, Lulu: A Murder Ballad combines The Tiger Lillies’ frontman Martyn Jacques’ castrati-influenced vocals and the band’s flamboyant style with atmospheric visuals and contemporary dance. Taking the familiar narrative, Jacques weaves the tale into a new theatrical song-cycle of 20 songs and interludes. Directed and designed by Mark Holthusen (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner) with stunning virtual sets, the show is performed live by The Tiger Lillies with dancer Laura Caldow (Royal Ballet, ROH, ENO) as Lulu.
Martyn Jacques comments:
“This project with Opera North has confirmed something that has been fundamental to The Tiger Lillies over the years – that artists and musicians should seek to break down categories and defy definition, rather than conforming to particular genres. Art should be something which belongs to you and comes from your soul.
“Writing the songs for Lulu was hard; I was drawn into a very dark place. All the characters around her are grotesque, so you have to breathe this putrid air. All I can say is, I developed a profound sympathy for Lulu herself – she has very little choice in what happens to her.”
Lulu: A Murder Ballad premieres at West Yorkshire Playhouse on 28 January 2014, then tours to Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Contact Theatre in Manchester (part of Queer Contact 2014), and Newcastle’s Northern Stage.
Opera North gratefully acknowledges the support ofPRSfor Music Foundation.
Performance listings:
Lulu: A Murder Ballad
Written by Martyn Jacques.
Directed and designed by Mark Holthusen.
Performed by The Tiger Lillies and Laura Caldow.
Based on Frank Wedekind’s plays,Earth Spirit(1895) andPandora’s Box(1904)
Commissioned by Opera North Projects
Age advisory 16+
West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
Courtyard Theatre
Tues 28 Jan – Sat 1 Feb 2014 at 7:45pm
Tickets: £12 - £20 (Concessions available)
Box office: 0113 213 7700 or www.wyp.org.uk
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
Fri 7 – Sat 8 Feb 2014 at 7:45pm
Tickets: £15.50 - £18.50 (Concessions available)
Box office: 024 7652 4524 or www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
Contact Theatre, Manchester
Thu 13 – Sat 15 Feb 2014 at 8pm
Tickets: £20 (Concessions £15)
Box office: 0161 274 0600 or http://contactmcr.com/
Northern Stage, Newcastle
Thu 27 Feb – Sat 1 Mar 2014 at 7.30pm
Tickets: £14.40 - £24 (Concessions available)
Box office: 0191 230 5151 or www.northernstage.co.uk
Tickets for all dates also available from www.operanorth.co.uk
Ends/
For further information:
Opera North
Julia Gregg, Interim PR Manager 0113 223 3526
Rebekah Wadham, Press Officer 0113 223 3528
Molly Fetherston, Communications Assistant 0113 223 3590
West Yorkshire Playhouse
Hannah Stockton, Communications Officer 0113 213 7239
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