2Faced Dance Company to Bring WHAT THE MOON SAW to Birmingham, Canterbury & London

Inspired by the prolific author and writer Hans Christian Andersen and reimagined and presented by 2Faced Dance Company, What the Moon Saw is a new magical dance and circus show suitable for young children, their families, teachers and friends.

The Herefordshire based 2Faced Dance Company is one of the UK's leading male contemporary dance companies and under the artistic direction of Tamsin Fitzgerald announces details of What the Moon Saw for Winter 2017.

Running up to Christmas, the world premiere performances of What the Moon Saw, the company's first-ever Christmas show, will be presented at DanceXchange in Birmingham on 1 & 2 December, Gulbenkian in Canterbury on 13 - 17 December and The Place in London on 20 - 22 December.

Appealing to children and adult audiences alike, Hans Christian Andersen's much loved fairytales include The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and Thumbelina. His stories have inspired many ballets as well as animated and live-action films. Akin to What the Moon Saw, Anderson's stories are extremely accessible and they present heartwarming lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity.

In What the Moon Saw young artist Jack spends the first night in a new house, scared of the different sounds and feeling alone. Jack decides to sketch to comfort himself but his pictures only appear in black and white. Frantic Jack opens his bedroom window to find The Moon, who becomes a familiar and friendly face, gazing back at him.

In this interactive and theatrical version of the tale, told through unique and physical movement synonymous with 2Faced Dance, The Moon tells Jack about everything he has seen and learned about the world. What the Moon Saw takes Jack and the audience on an adventure of history and discovery, from a dragon who is unable to breathe fire in China to a chimney sweep who dances on the roof tops in London and across the seas with a Fisherman who hates the rain. With the help of The Moon's stories, Jack discovers he's not alone in the world and his monochrome sketches turn to colour.

Choreography by Tamsin Fitzgerald, to a specially commissioned score by composer Angus Macrea, is brought to life by dancers Kai Tomioka, Jason Boyle and Louis Parker-Evans.

Set and costume design is by Yann Seabra (The Little Match Girl, feature film Panic, International Dance Festival Birmingham shows Utopia and Concert Danse) and lighting design by James Mackenzie (founder and director of the award winning ZOO Venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and technical director of International Dance Festival Birmingham).

Elle While, assistant director of the 2016/2017 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time company at the Gielgud and UK/International tours of numerous National Theatre productions, is dramaturg for the show.

What the Moon Saw is supported using public funding by Arts Council England and commissioned by The Place, DanceEast, DanceXchange, Gulbenkian and The Point.

Watch a preview for the show below!

DanceXchange, BIRMINGHAM

Friday 1 December at 10.30am & 1.30pm
Saturday 2 December at 11.30am & 3.00pm

Tickets: www.dancexchange.org.uk / 0844 338 5000

Gulbenkian, CANTERBURY

Wednesday 13 - Friday 15 December at 10am
Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 December at 10am and 1.30pm

Tickets: www.thegulbenkian.co.uk / 01227 769075

The Place, LONDON

Wednesday 20 December at 12pm and 3pm
Thursday 21 December at 1pm and 4 pm with a workshop at 2.30pm
Friday 22 December at 11am

Tickets: www.theplace.org.uk / 020 7121 1100

Recommended Age: 3+. Suitable for the whole family

DURATION: 45 minutes (no interval)

Please note: What the Moon Saw will continue to tour throughout 2018 nationally and internationally and further dates will be released late 2017/early 2018.

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To produce the most innovative choreography, design and performance whilst engaging, challenging and inspiring different sectors of society through our education and community programmes.

2Faced Dance is one of the UK's leading and award-winning male, urban contemporary dance companies. Founded in 1999 by Artistic Director Tamsin Fitzgerald, 2Faced Dance has established a unique physical language that combines athletic contemporary dance with heart in the mouth breakdance moves. Fitzgerald's innovative choreography has gained the company national and international acclaim in the arts, commercial and education sectors.

Bold, risk taking and adrenalin fuelled yet agile and graceful, 2Faced Dance seek to push the boundaries of the physical, producing dance works that demonstrate unique artistry, but also challenge and entertain. The visceral, tender and athletic language of urban and contemporary dance enables the company to connect to a range of audiences, participants and venues, embracing working with other artistic genres, disciplines and artists to create works that push the boundaries of the physical, inspire and challenge.

2Faced Dance have an extensive history of producing work for a family audience. This includes the creation of two shorter outdoor works Two Old Men and KAPOW which have toured extensively to over 50 festivals nationally and internationally.

2Faced Dance Company is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO).

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