Le Cabaret Grimm

Starting today (April 8th) is a new mixed-discipline theatrical show is opening by The Performance Lab in Boston, called "Le Cabaret Grimm-a punk cabaret fairy tale (sans fairies)".

The show is unashamedly experimental with masks, puppets, circus acts, music and more thrown into the mix as they interpret some tales by the Brothers Grimm through a variety of Arts and styles, including steampunk, cabaret and burlesque. Music ranges from from R&B, to Tom Waits to Ska to the Dresden Dolls.

An article from wubr.org (which also has an interview you can listen to) explains the Director's thoughts behind melding the art forms on stage:

“There’s circus arts, and there’s burlesque and cabaret and all kinds of really fun alternative things going on in the city but people don’t really know about it — it’s all in segmented places,” Slavick explains. “And I want the Performance LAB to be a bridge between the mainstream arts community and the mainstream audience, and the fringe, experimental community in Boston. ”

Here's the blurb from the official website:

From somewhere between Paris, Berlin and the bowels of the Bowery comes Le Cabaret Grimm, a punk cabaret tale of loss, longing, and desire - with a healthy dose of irony. We've got sexy girls and boys, conjoined twins, demons, and talking chickens. We'll take you on a journey drawn from the Tales of the Brothers Grimm, with music, mask, dance, and spectacle, led by the great chanteuse Veronique du Blahblahblah.

Each night we are joined by special guest performers. We bring you music, burlesque, circus, drag and more, hosted by the extraordinary Johnny Blazes.

Welcome to Le Cabaret Grimm!

I can't find any information on the use of the fairy tales or even which ones are being used except for this quote which reads: "We’re using these fun, contemporary styles to draw in the audience” says Slavick, “but we’re combining them with classic tales that have a universal quality and resonate deeply.” (source: StageSource) I'm very curious as to which tales are incorporated and the few photos available don't give many clues but it's interesting to think of any fairy tales being presented this way. I wish the 'LAB' every success.

If you're interested and can get to Boston in time, the show runs through April 24th, 2010.

"Dark Fairy Tales" Poetry & Light Illumination Show/ "Diamond Tears" Exhibition (both UK)

Coming to Brentford (UK) for one performance on November 28th, 2009 is "Dark Fairy Tales" by the Theatre of Continuous Performance. I haven't been able to find much additional information about this show so I'll just copy the press release here for you:

Writer and director, Anjan Saha teams up with projectionist, Al Livingstone to present a magical enchanted world of Dark Fairytales at Waterman's Art Centre in London Road, Brentford.

Pioneering their self -styled, Theatre of Continuous Performance, where spoken word merges with light illuminations to create mesmerizing images, fairytales of Indian, African and European origin will be presented with a dark twist.

Featuring some of the best literary talents including poets and acclaimed performers Dzifa Benson, El Crisis, Philip Lawder, storyteller, Bhavit Mehta and Blues music guitarist and singer, Robert Hokum, Dark Fairy Tales, gives us a whole new interpretation of the dangers that might befall the unwary this Xmas!

"...Fairytales speak through beasts to explore common experiences - fear of sexual intimacy, terror and violence, injustice, and struggles for survival. The fairytales themselves, growing out of the spoken word, become part of legislating fabric, and by issuing warnings about what happens to kings and princesses, sharks and other beasts who don't keep their promises, reminds us to keep ours." (Marina Warner, writing for The Guardian)

You can book through HERE.

The images in this post are by Verena Paloma Jabs.

From her website:

"Verena creates child-like and seemingly innocent silhouettes of animals and figures, morphed with a digitally created background of imaginary landscapes, naïve wonderlands, and dark dreamscapes. Verena says, "I am fascinated by the innocent imagery of the pictorial illustrations which often accompany fairy-tales, while the narrative itself is often dark and uncanny. Being of English and Russian ancestry, and growing up in Germany before attending school and university in England, I have a keen interest in how different cultures mirror each other's stories and heritage. Living in an era in which advertising and visual media are overpowering our imagination for commercial purposes, fairy-tales as told to children still harbour a sense of humankind's most ancient fantasies, fears, and desires."

Verena has a new exhibition called "Diamond Tears", featuring the artwork shown in this post and more. It opened on November 13, 2009 at the Tatty Devine Brick Lane Gallery space in London. You can find more information about Verena and see more of her lovely work, which covers a wide range of media HERE.