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or click back to current news.......
Posted 11/04/08 As we may have mentioned before, MBD has three major projects happening in the first half of this year. Here’s how they’re going: Night Scene: A nightclub ‘experience’ that will tour around the Black and North seas. The concept is pretty much nailed down. Expect a casual nightclub experience that will meditate on what happens when people step outside their comfort zones. Cool lounge tunes, flickering projections of fire eaters and burlesque performers, stories and clues hidden in cocktail menus and beer mats … oh and we’ll be filming a movie, editing it and showing it … all live on the night! We’ve just finished our pre-tour rehearsals with Ranvir Singh (camera and editing help) and Tom Adams (male performer) and the mood is good! Winter: Outdoor installation – part of the 4 seasons. Well, the script and music are nearly there (there won’t be a dry eye in the house) and the set is being made as we speak! It's all happening at once. Communication Breakdown: A Festival treasure hunt-like experience, is just about to start. We leave for Holland in 3 weeks. Bring it on! Other news: Paul’s on holiday, Dave’s an uncle and Esther is on a mission to China (courtesy of the arts council) to develop artistic links.
Posted 21/01/08 Happy New Year! Or at least it should be....... We have three major projects all due to premiere in June / July of this year so a busy year too. We are currently still making WINTER (the 3rd of our 4 seasons projects), but are shortly starting to look at our international North SEAS and Black SEAS touring show. The SEAS project will be a nightclub with a twist but that's about all we know at the moment so we will let you know as it unravels. And as if that were not enough, we are still hoping to re-work Communication Breakdown (done as a work in progress for Stockton festival in 07) for Festival aan de Werf (that's Holland) in late May. So we will be locked away being busy and we'll let you know when there is another opportunity to see the work.
Posted 26/11 07 The tenth birthday celebrations didn't last too long (a day to be precise) before we had to get back to work. Our anniversary exhibition is now removed from the Phoenix walls and we are tucked away in the office crafting future material. The Leicester Cultural Quarter Audio Tour is tantalisingly close to completion so we will let you know when that goes live on the internet for you to download.
Meanwhile, WINTER, (the next big outdoor project) has a plot, a set and the first hint of some soundtrack material and so far we reckon it's shaping up pretty well. Oh.... and we are planning a trip to colder climes to get some WINTER inspiration and some video footage so if we don't freeze we'll be back to transfer our arctic experience into a british summer festival piece. Easy. Winchester Hat Fair will be the first opportunity to see the finished article so book early! (actually it's a free event but do make sure you are there).
Posted 02/10/07 METRO-BOULOT-DODO has finally reached the grand old age of ten. We've learned to walk, talk and make the odd piece of mutimedia art. To celebrate this fine achievement we are hosting a celebratory night at Phoenix Arts on October 4th at 6pm. The public get the chance to see DVDs of our oldest shows, laugh at our hair cuts and maybe listen to some amusing anecdotes. To accompany this night an exhibition of the company's work and achievements throughout the period 1997 - 2007 will be presented in the upstairs cafe as part of the The City Gallery's off site program. The exhibition will run until Monday 19th November
The rest of October will see METRO-BOULOT-DODO starting the creative process of creating WINTER. This, of course, involves lots of coffee, long heated chats, the odd spider chart and a few creative breaks over a pint.
Posted 17/09/07 September has seen Paul & Esther popping over to Utrecht (Holland) for a couple of days to put the wheels in motion for the international commission of Communication Breakdown in 2009. Meanwhile Dave has spent a couple of weeks working with Babbling Vagabonds and Gerry Flanagan learning clowning skills and devising techniques. Much fun had by all.
September is also a big month for Watch This Space as we knuckle dow n to the research stage in our Leicester Cultural Quarter Audio tour. Hidden Tracks is also continuing to happen with all new event day activity on the 22nd September. Make sure you visit www.watch-this-space.org.uk for more information on either of these Watch This Space projects.
Posted 29/08/07 Well … we are back from the Stockton festival and just about recovered. Communication Breakdown was a success. Audiences really embraced the idea of a treasure hunt (that tells a story) around the city centre and happily donned their CB stickers, studied their maps and took to the streets. Highlights were the video stall in HMV, a talking book in a library and performances from two animated shop mannequins and the “blunt edge uber artist” Jeremy Squires. The piece was also warmly received by festival bookers and programmers and will be developed further next year in Holland. If you are interested in Communication Breakdown, a display stand from the piece can be seen at the following locations and dates:
LCB Depot (Leicester): 27th to 30th of August Broadway (Nottingham): 1st to 6th of September Derby Dance (Derby): 7th to 13th August Posted 09/07/07 Currently working on "Communication Breakdown", which will be our outdoor show for this year. There will be a pilot version shown at this years Stockton International Riverside Festival (www.sirf.co.uk) in August and we hope to develop the idea further in the next year or two. There will also be elements of the show presented in Leicester, Nottingham and Derby later in the summer so keep your eyes on this site for information. Also just completed another project for Creative Partnerships (www.creative-partnerships.com/Leicester) and their Leicester Conference. Still busy then, but not too much chance to see us at work in the next couple of weeks. Finally, make sure you check out the all new "Watch This Space" web site dedicated to our site specific work. You can find sound, video and photos and loads of information on what we get up to in unlikely locations. www.watch-this-space.org.uk
Posted 13/06/07 Just launched a short exhibition made with Fullhurst College and Creative Partnerships that can be seen at Leicester's Creative Business Depot right across from our office. Stick your head inside a box to discover some multi media amusement. Only on until Friday 15th June so hurry because this exhibition is seriously short! Other than that we are about to begin a new commission for Stockton International Riverside Festival in August so we will keep you updated on what we end up making. We will also shortly turn our attention to WINTER. The third part of our Four Seasons programme won't see the light of day until next Summer but we are already throwing some ideas around and are looking forward to having some fun with it.
Posted 18/05/07 Well I know we promised to update more regularly but the beginning of this year really has been crazy. Not least because Paul (that's me) has had a baby, and as I'm the one who updates the web site I'm afraid I've been a bit lazy. Sorry. We are just completing an audio tour of Peterborough's Crown lakes nature reserve. It used to be the site of one of the town's many brick works. Those tracks will be uploaded to the internet by the Green Grid partnership and anybody can go and check out the tour. We will let you know when that happens and where you can find the web site to go and get them. All the instructions you will need will be there. FIB has just been shown at the Fuse Festival in Kent so if you came along then thank you and if you missed it then keep an eye on the web site for future opportunities to see it. I promise next time we'll let you know before it's happened. We have also been out to Odessa (yes.... the Ukraine.....) as we hope to be part of an international touring opportunity with SEAS. If all goes well we will be looking to make a new performance piece to tour around port towns on the Black Sea and North Sea coasts. I'm afraid we can't tell you anything more at the moment but we'll let you know more as and when we can. That's about all for now so apologies again for not keeping you informed. Please pop in again soon for more news.
Posted 18/01/07 After another busy year we are back, rested and ready for 2007! Christmas was fun and saw metro-boulot-dodo creating a winter factory at The Ark in Leicester. ‘Sparkle’ was a Creative Partnerships project and was made in collaboration with Sparkenhoe School and Steve Friendship (LARGESCALE). With the help of set designer Kate Unwin, performance poets Rob Gee and Lorna Meehan, MBD built a strange and fabulous grotto where the children of Sparkenhoe had to help pack snow, wake the sleeping winter queen and try their best not to break wind! Fun was had by all and the whole experience proved to be a very rewarding festive project. FIB is returning once again this year. If you haven’t seen this performance installation then do not miss the chance to experience it at Lincoln Drill Hall from the 20th to the 24th of Feb. A favourite of audiences and critics alike, FIB, is an intimidating, funny and downright strange meditation on lying. Due to demand it keeps resurfacing every year and remains one of those shows you HAVE to see. Interested? Check out the FIB link under CURRENT PROJECTS. Box office for Lincoln Drill Hall is 01522 873894 or follow the link: boxoffice@lincolndrillhall.com
Posted 28/09/06 Autumn has arrived. The exhibition and the season. If you want to check out the exhibition its on at the City Gallery (Granby Street, Leicester) until the 27th October (if you want to check out the season …… just look out your window). Also, if you’re somebody who walks past the city gallery every day, keep an eye on the front window as that part of the exhibition will evolve over time. If you enjoy the exhibition and want to know more you will be able to pick our brains at “In Conversation with METRO-BOULOT-DODO”. This event is completely free and takes place at the gallery on the 5th of October at 2.30pm till 3.30pm. If you want to get an even deeper insight into our working process we are holding three evening workshops on the 12th, 19th and 26th of October. The workshops are 7 till 9 and the cost is £30 (£27 conc.) for all three. We will be exploring ways of making installation work using narrative, sound, moving image and YOUR creativity. Hopefully we’ll make some art and have some fun. Booking is essential for both events. To book or to find out more ring the gallery on 01116 223 2065.
Posted 24/07/06 Still headlong into creating autumn. We've so far aquired an iron bath, a bed frame with no mattress, a car with no engine and a sofa with cushions which don't match. Music is being made, sculptures are being crafted. All in a days work here at MBD HQ. Look out for the Autumn launch in September at City Gallery, Leicester.
Posted 30/06/06 METRO-BOULOT-DODO are presently in the early stages of creating AUTUMN, so far this has involved interviewing various people who of course have fiercely denied any connection to being in the 'autumn of their life', wandering around reclamation yards and making a whole lots of lists. Autumn will open at The City Gallery, Leicester in September just as long as we stop watching the world cup and manage to stop celebrating birthdays. By the way Happy 30th Dave !
Hidden Tracks launch Sold Out 04/ 06/06 Hidden Tracks is the latest project by the Watch This Space team and involves a 3 mile walk through the beautiful countryside between Fermynwoods Gallery and Lyveden New Bield. So why not put on your wellies and take a stroll in the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside with an MP3 player in hand listening to the historical secrets of a forgotten landscape.
To do the tour you can either download the map and the sound files from the hidden tracks website, or alternatively, pick up a map and hire an MP3 player from Fermynwoods Gallery or Lyvden New Bield Visitor Centre. Alternatively watch out for Hidden Tracks Event Days that will provide a chance to experience the tour in a group environment with performers, picnics and a bus back to Fermynwoods Gallery. For more info please visit the hidden tracks web site using the link below.
Posted 15/5/06 For the next two weeks METRO-BOULOT-DODO are off filming with Richard Foreman and Sophie Haviland on a unique international art project. Foreman and Haviland are visiting universities around the world where they will conduct a two-week film and theater workshop to generate material for a theater production and visual art installation directed by Foreman in New York in 2007. Luckily for MBD the English University chosen was Loughborough. I'm sure there will be many an anecdote to share when we return. However due to this project, MBD will be out of the office for a while, if you need to contact the company urgently please call the company mobile.
Also to mention..... Just to let all the teachers and lecturers out there know that METRO-BOULOT-DODO will be offering week long residencies and short terms workshops for AUTUMN 2006. This is a great opportunity for students to meet the company and get an insight into the techniques that METRO-BOULOT-DODO use to create their own work. MBD workshops are great fun and a fantastic way to kick start an academic year.If you would like to know more please contact Esther who will be happy to discuss the possibilities or click on this link to find out more Current education workshop info & prices....
Posted 25/04/06 Well – the updated Spring has been out for the first time this year! Yes – we spent the weekend just gone in Derby Market Place. Its safe to say that it was a hit. It was especially nice to see the very young members of the public enjoying the new touchy/feely elements of Spring, such as the Squeezy Peas, The Bluebells and The Valley Of The Lost Dolls. This bank holiday weekend Spring is appearing in Nottingham (29th April, 30th April, 1st May) just by the Castle so why not pop along. It’s new and improved and completely FREE (thanks to the lovely folks at Three Cities). See you there! Posted 04/04/06
Last week of FIB in sunny Leicester. Very few tickets left but box office is 0870 330 3131 if you want to check availability. At this point we would normally tell you how great it is but this time the newspapers have done it for us. Check out new reviews on the press page.
Apologies to those who have also booked SPRING for later in the season but not been put on the online diary. I haven't got past May yet I'm afraid. Watch out for new Spring dates to be posted up for August.
Posted 20/03/06
MBD in new web site shocker.
Have a look around and we promise to try and keep things more up to date in future. There is still work to be done but we are trying to keep it all happening for you dedicated metro followers.
Keep on the lookout for FIB show dates until the 8th of April (see press page for latest review) and outings for SPRING can be found in the MBD diary.
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