A Spark and a Beating Heart - update

We now have four lovely flyers to publicize A Spark and a Beating Heart, images by Paul Blakemore and design by Matthew Austin at MAYK.

We think they are beautiful and hope you do too. We are emailing or posting them, one at a time over the next few weeks up until the performances in May, to people on our mailing list. We will also show them on our website.

We have been rehearsing using props made by Ruby Spencer Pugh. Ruby is our set, costume and props designer.

Last Monday we tried out the golden apples that Ruby has made for the garden scene in A Spark. Here's Dan 'stealing one of the golden apples'!

Photograph by Penny Goater, Firebird Theatre

This coming Monday 3rd April we are doing a run-through of A Spark for the first time, working with Fionn Gill and Adrian Lee, both of whom are joining us on the day.

This is an exciting but frightening time - we only have a few days of rehearsal left and lots of things have to come together over the next few weeks. Having said that we are now ready to share our work with an audience and we hope people will come and see  A Spark and a Beating Heart - we think it is special production and we hope you do too.

Working with Adrain Lee, musician and composer

Last Monday, 6th March, we had our first practical session with Adrian Lee. Adrian is working with us as composer and musician for A Spark and a Beating Heart. He is telling the story of the firebird who is looking for five perfect notes to create a beautiful melody for its song, through specially composed music for this production.

Adrian is a musician with the British Paraorchestra and has a lot of experience of composing music for the theatre and television. It is wonderful to be able to work with him to realise all our ideas and creative ambitions for A Spark and a Beating Heart. In April, Adrian will join us again, along with Fionn, for a run-through of the performance.

We will keep you up-dated, step-by-step, with how the work is developing, leading up to the performances in May.

Adrian working with the Company, photo by Penny Goater

Latest news

On Monday 28th March we had a production meeting with most members of the technical and design team joining us at the Public Hall, Shirehampton.

Our rehearsals continue and next Monday 6th March, we will be working with Adrian Lee from the British Paraorchestra. Adrian will be composing music around the story of the firebird that is looking for 5 perfect notes to create its beautiful song.

Fionn, Dan and Penny: the story of Marushka and Penny's story: photo by Tomas Brice

Sharlie and Dan wrote a poem about A Spark and a Beating Heart during one Monday lunchtime, we would like to include this in our Programme. Not only is it a beautiful poem but it shows how the work continues to inspire and influence the Company. Here is the poem.

Poem by Sharlie and Dan

Imagine a kaleidoscope of colour

An explosion of sound, majestic and proud

Graceful and powerful

Elemental and seasonal:

Imagine a firebird.

Finally, we are posting some more rehearsal photographs that have been taken by members of the Company and also Tomas Brice, who visited us when he was home from University. Thanks to Tomas as well as the other photographers in Firebird.

Fionn, Dan and Penny rehearsing, photo by Tomas Brice

Photograph by Penny Goater: Brian and Sharlie reheasing Brian's story