1. Key Facts: Swansong Accompaniment Design Themes and Stimuli
Choreographer
Christopher Bruce
Composer
Phillip Chambon
Lighting Design
David Mohr
Set Design
Premier date
November 1987
Company
Rambert Dance Company
Costume Design
Dance styles
Ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap and ballroom
Accompaniment 1
Composed in collaboration with the choreographer. 2
Electro acoustic and digitally sampled sounds are combined with popular dance rhythms. 3
Natural sounds of the dancer can be heard (breath, percussion on the floor and body) 4
Unaccompanied interludes (silence) are used and enable us to hear the tapping of the feet. 5
Vocal and reed pipes are used. 6
Everyday object were used to create the sound (pots and pans)
Design 1
Staging: Proscenium 2
Black, bare, undecorated stage except for one wooden chair. Minimalistic. 3
The chair symbolizes a weapon, shield, safe haven, support, prison bars, shackles and a Burdon. 4
Lighting: Overhead lighting is used to highlight the interrogation and a diagonal shaft of light is used within the piece to represent a window/freedom. Footlights create shadows. Dark, dim lighting is used to create a prison atmosphere. 5
Props: Wooden chair, canes, cigarette and red nose. 6
Costume: Everyday clothing is used for the prisoner (jeans and t-shirt) and uniforms are used for the guards. All wear black jazz shoes. 7
Interrogators always exit stage right (suggesting a door?) 8
Choreographic style: Episodic and dramatic
Themes and Stimuli 1
The novel ‘A Man’ by Oriana Fallaci 2
The work of Amnesty International 3
The experience of Chilean poet Victor Jara 4
Saying goodbye to something (career as a dancer) 5
Human rights 6
Prisoner of conscience 7
Torture and interrogation of a prisoner