'Birdhouse', Jammy Voo’s arresting tribute to Alfred Hitchcock’s 'The Birds', is coming to Exeter’s Northcott Theatre
Exeter's Northcott Theatre is to play host to Devon-based theatre company Jammy Voo, which is set to explore the far edge of madness in Birdhouse an homage to Hitchcock’s iconic classic The Birds.
Bringing to the fore the unsung stars of Hitchcock’s infamous avian horror, Jammy Voo tell the story of four holidaying ‘twitchers’ caught up in the terrible events of the film’s suburban setting, through a blend of physical theatre, puppetry, live music, high drama and surreal comedy. The performances, created in collaboration with Bush associate director Omar Elerian and Dark Clown consultant Peta Lily, signal the company’s third return to the Edinburgh fringe following their critically acclaimed hits A Corner of the Ocean (2011) and Something Blue (2009).
In the setting of the old Coronet Cinema in California’s Bodega Bay, we meet Mrs Smith, Ms Schiffer, Miss Spoke and Miss Shire; Hitchcock ‘background artistes’ and sole survivors of the bird attack that wiped out the population of the town. You may remember Mrs Smith crossing the street, or Miss Shire in the petrol station? Perhaps not. Years on, the women remain camped out in the auditorium in a permanent state of post-traumatic shock. Will they now survive their own personal apocalypses?
Jammy Voo was formed in 2006 by Lecoq Theatre School graduates Yngvild Aspeli, Kate Edwards, Emily Kreider and Eliza Wills-Crisp. They received funding from Arts Council England to make their first show Something Blue, which took place in pubs, theatre bars and an old cinema in rural Devon. Something Blue and their second show A Corner Of The Ocean have since gone on to receive critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe and have toured both nationally and internationally. Their work blends physical theatre, sublime puppetry, arresting visuals, live music and song.
Founding member and musical director of Jammy Voo Emily Kreider said, “In any horror film, it is certain something bad will happen. Perhaps even multiple times. Without question you are waiting and watching for the next horrific moment. You just don’t know when, where or to whom it’s going to happen. But it will. That is certain. In making Birdhouse we wanted to look at the anticipation of horror. What would it mean to live expecting and preparing for horror at all times? We found this notion to be hugely absurd, comic and tragic all at once. We liked that the subject of horror offered space for high drama, the surreal and the ridiculous. But there was also room for the poetic and heartbreak as well”
Since 2010, Jammy Voo have collaborated with musician and composer Greg Hall, to provide a live musical accompaniment to the company’s work. He also currently performs and co-writes with acclaimed silent film accompaniment band Minima and has worked with artists including Ted Barnes (Beth Orton), Ali Friend (Red Snapper), Dan Michaelson (Absentee), The Veils and The Lucinda Belle Orchestra. Two of his songs featured on Shane Meadows’ 2009 film Le Donk & Scor-Zay-Zee (Warp Films). Some of the theatre and dance companies that Greg has worked with include Tiat Moo, Qualia Theatre, Frontline Dance and Wired Aerial Theatre.
Running Time: 1 Hour | Suitable for Ages: 14+
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