Protein Dance's MAY CONTAIN FOOD Embarks on Final Leg of UK Tour This Autumn

After a UK tour that started at the Lowry before a three week run at The Place in the Spring and has spanned the country, May Contain Food is embarking on the final leg of its tour with a date in Stockton on the 24th November, and two London dates: artsdepot on the 26th, and then finishes at Shoreditch Town Hall on the 6th as part of Spitalfields Music Festival.

The original tour ran from the beginning of March, and a smaller version of the show, May Contain Food - May Contain You toured to village halls and rural venues throughout October.

Four vocalists and four dancers return to sing for their supper in a witty piece of dance and music theatre that will provoke thinking on the sensory, cultural and social implications of food, from savouring the simplicity of a cherry tomato to touching on the moral dilemma of vegetarianism. With renowned composer Orlando Gough's music sung live and a tempting waft of freshly-baked pudding, expect a performance sure to delight all the senses.

Weaving through celebrated designer Yann Seabra's interactive set, the performers will invite the audience to sit at a table, offer a tasting menu and then serve a show. Luca Silvestrini and Orlando Gough have collaborated closely so that all movement is composed and music choreographed and performed a cappella, creating an immersive experience of indulgence, nostalgia and mischief.

Speaking about the show Luca Silvestrini said "My interest in working with Orlando and singers results from years of creating works that use text and the spoken word. In my recent pieces, such as LOL (lots of love) and Border Tales, movement and speech complemented one another at both a physical and emotional level. This collaboration with Orlando using the art of a cappella singing has been a wonderful opportunity to understand and exploit further the expressive power of voice and text creatively. We had talked for years about making an immersive piece of dance theatre around social occasions and life at mealtimes when what matters is feeding the senses and having a good time, and now we have created a show that brings all these elements together in our new piece, May Contain Food."

Orlando Gough said "I have for at least twenty years aspired to collaborate on a piece in which dancers and singers would perform together on equal terms; a piece that would emphasise the physicality and theatricality of the two disciplines. Rather than put them alongside each other, it would seek to find their common ground. Meanwhile I am a very keen cook (to the extent of having written a cookbook), and am interested in the political, social and cultural aspects of eating. I have always been a committed fan of Luca's work, so this is a dream project for me."

One of the most distinctive voices in British dance theatre, Protein uses a blend of original choreography, text, humour and music to entertain and provoke audiences. Its socially relevant material connects theatrical experiences with the everyday and real life stories that engage audiences and participants in both on-and off-stage productions around the world. Luca Silvestrini's inclusive creative process and approach to making exceptional dance theatre for people of all ages and abilities sets the company apart. The company's artistic platform encompasses professional, non-professional and learning arenas in theatrical and non-theatrical settings, working with a number of partners across the country. Protein is a prominent advocate for the broad spectrum of places in which dance can be created and presented, and the diversity of people who can be involved and take part, creating a synergy between all aspects of its activities.

Luca Silvestrini completed his dance training at Laban. Since then Luca has worked with Maxine Doyle's First Person, Catherine Seymour Dance Company, Lea Anderson and The Featherstonehaughs, Rose's Thoughts, Bock & Vincenzi, Sarah Rubidge, Joanna Portolou, Ruth Segalis and Aletta Collins. His choreography dates from 1997 when he co-founded Protein. As Artistic Director he is known for idiosyncratic dance theatre work provoked by its deep connections with the everyday. His personality is stamped on large-scale cross-generational and participatory events, including the world record-breaking Big Dance Class, Eat London (which won a Visit London Gold Award) and Big World Dance 2010, both of which took place in Trafalgar Square. He has created full-length intergenerational productions in Valenciennes, Athens, Barcelona, Greenwich, Japan (Kinosaki) and Turin; and has taught and presented Protein's participatory work at schools and conferences in Singapore, Spain and Italy.

In addition to his work for Protein, Luca has created work for the Royal Opera House, Transitions Dance Company, Candoco, Bare Bones, Intoto, From Here To Maturity, Company of Elders at Sadler's Wells, Sankalpalm, HeadSpace Dance and Verve. Theatre and opera credits include work for English National Opera, Theatre Rites, Royal Court Theatre, Duckie and Youth Music Theatre UK. He has won a Jerwood Choreography Award, a Bonnie Bird New Choreography Award and The Place Prize 2006 Audience Award and was one of the first recipients of a Rayne Fellowship for Choreographers (2006). In 2012 Luca and Protein were presented with a New Connections Award by the British Council in Italy for the valuable contribution made in developing closer relations between the UK and Italy.

Orlando Gough is one of the UK's leading composers, celebrated for his compositions for contemporary dance, ballet and theatre. Recently, he has worked on the critically acclaimed Mr Burns (Almeida Theatre) and the community opera Imago (Glyndebourne), which won a Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2014. He is an associate artist for the Royal Opera House and artistic director of the choir The Shout, which was awarded Time Out's Classical Artist of the Year. His previous work includes the opera The Finnish Prisoner (2007), A Ring A Lamp A Thing (2011) and Bakkhai (2015). His work has been performed at venues including the Barbican and the Almeida as well as the closing ceremony for European Capital of Culture.

For more information, visit www.proteindance.co.uk, and check out a trailer for the show below!

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IF YOU GO:

MAY CONTAIN FOOD

Conceived and created by Luca Silvestrini and Orlando Gough

Music by Orlando Gough Directed by Luca Silvestrini

Designed by Yann Seabra Lighting by Jackie Shemesh

Devised and performed by

Sonya Cullingford, Martin George, Carl Harrison, Michael Henry, Saara Hurme, Donna Lennard, Louise Sofield, Matthew Winston

Additional material devised by Jeremy Avis, Sara Black, Jonathan Glew, Antonia Grove, Sally Marie, Melanie Pappenheim, Peter Willcock, JoNathan Williams

24 Nov ARC Stockton Arts Centre

Dovecot Street, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1LL

7pm | Pay What You Decide

www.arconline.co.uk | 01642 525199

26 Nov Arts Depot, London

5 Nether Street, London, N12 0GA

6pm & 8.30pm | £15 (£12 concessions)

www.artsdepot.co.uk | 020 8369 5454

6 Dec Assembly Hall, Shoreditch Town Hall (part of Spitalfields Music Festival)

380 Old Street, London, EC1v 9LT

6.15pm & 8.30pm

Running Time: 90 mins | Suitable for ages 12 + (contains mild swearing)

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Sonya Cullingford is a London based dancer, actor and musician. She recently made her West End debut as 'Mole' in Will Tuckett's The Wind in the Willows, and was original cast in Punchdrunk's The Drowned Man, where she performed multiple roles. She will be appearing in Tom Hooper's The Danish Girl starring Eddie Redmayne in 2016, and is signed with acting agent Eadon James Associates. Other credits include; 'Lavinia' - Titus Andronicus, 'Anybodys' - West Side Story (Will Tuckett), Les Miserables (Tom Hooper) and work with Cathy Marston, Aletta Collins, Kerry Nicholls, Hubert Essakow, Liam Steel, Secret Cinema and ENO.

Carl Harrison is originally from Manchester. He graduated from London Contemporary Dance School with a 1st Class Honours and was also the co-winner of the Deutsche Bank Pyramid Award for Contemporary Dance. He recently finished working with Punchdrunk Theatre Company in London. His previous credits include working with Aletta Collins (Carmen, Salzburg), Maresa Von Stockert (SEASAW), Colin Poole, Katie Green, Darren Ellis, Junk Ensemble, HeadSpace Dance, Fitzgerald & Stapleton and Thick & Tight. Apart from performing, Carl's other passions are women's rights and food. Preferably at the same time.

Martin George has a varied career as an actor, singer and musician. He performed as singer/guitarist in local rock bands from 16 years of age then trained as an actor at East 15. After 3 years of rep he portrayed 'Joseph' and went on to play other title roles including Tommy in the Who's rock opera, both Jesus and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar and specialised as Frank 'n Furter in The Rocky Horror Showappearing in 5 different productions in the UK, South Africa and Europe over a 15 year period. He has played principal roles in the West End shows Les Miserables, Godspell and Return to the Forbidden Planet. He continues to have a long association with Opera Della Luna and recently has been performing with The Flying Pickets who are currently working on a new recording.

Michael Henry is a London-born multi-genre composer, baritone vocalist and musical director, who studied clarinet and composition at the Royal College of Music 1981-85 and began his professional career as a member of rock group Buddy Curtess and the Grasshoppers from '85-'89. He has worked in a directorial capacity with the National, Young Vic, Royal Court and Almeida Theatres, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Shakespeare's Globe among others and as a vocal animateur on several BBC and schools projects. He presently both sings and writes with a number of a cappella ensembles including The Shout and Flying Pickets. Backing vocal experiences include Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Robbie Williams, Chrissy Hynde, Billy Bragg, Jamelia, Michael Ball, The Pet Shop Boys, Cliff Richard, Dave McAlmont and Ian Shaw. He has also been the main or sole support act for Michael Jackson, Roy Orbison, Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Lisa Stansfield, Aswad, Edwin Starr and many more. Classical vocal experiences include featured roles with Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne, Ensemble Modern of Frankfurt, Ensemble X, Shiva Nova and Matrix Ensemble, plus appearances in televised operas by Mark Anthony Turnage, Orlando Gough, Jenni Roditi and Jocelyn Pook. Michael has also provided televised vocals for Pop Idols, X-Factor, Saturday Night Divas and the 2006 Honda Choir.

Saara Hurme is a Finnish dancer based in London. She has recently completed a Masters degree in Dance Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where she was part of Transitions Dance Company 2015, directed by David Waring. The company's repertoire included works by Bawren Tavaziva, Zoi Dimitriou and Miguel Pereira. Prior to her studies, Saara lived and worked in Helsinki, Finland, where she also completed a BA in Dance at the Theatre Academy in 2012. Saara has worked both in the field of contemporary dance (Joona Halonen), and musical theatre (Helsinki City Theatre). Along with working as a dancer, she has designed choreography for several plays (Finnish National Theatre). Protein's May Contain Food is Saara's first professional engagement as a dancer in the UK, which she is very excited about.

Donna Lennard grew up in Bedford, and completed a Masters degree at the GSMD with Distinction in 2012. She participated in ENO's Opera Works 2012/13, subsequently performing the role of Dorinda in Orlando in the final performance, Postcards, at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells. Her operatic roles include Frog/Ensemble in How the Whale Became (Philips, ROH), Selene in Tycho's Dream (Styles, Glyndebourne), Alice in Airborne (McDowall, Nova Music Opera), Despina in Così fan tutte (Cooper Hall Emerging Artists), Yellow in The Anatomy of Melancholy (Tassie/Beames, bodycorps), Catfish in The Catfish Conundrum (Lambert, The Music Troupe for Tête à Tête), Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Frasquita in Carmen, Pamina in The Magic Flute (Opera Loki), and Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld (Beds Youth Opera). In concert, Donna has performed as a soloist in Jocelyn Pook's Anxiety Fanfare and Variations for Tête à Tête, Beethoven's 9th Symphony for Chester Music Society,Exsultate, Jubilate (Mozart) and Petite Messe Solennelle (Rossini) with the Skipton Camerata, Messiah (Handel) for the Bradford Festival Choral Society, and Elijah (Mendelssohn) and Dona nobis pacem(Vaughan Williams) with the Chester Bach Singers.

Louise Sofield has been performing since she was sixteen but returned to study Jazz at the Guildhall school of music in her late twenties. Apart from singing jazz Louise had a hit record in the 1980s touring Europe and making several appearances on TV including Top of the Pops, working alongside DuranDuran, Spandau Ballet, The Smiths and Jermain Jackson to name but a few. Her career took a turn when she joined vocal ensemble The Shout, a mix of vocal genres put together by Orlando Gough and Richard Chew. They have performed in many European countries, America and closer to home the BBC Proms. Louise recorded her debut album in 2008, Things in Life which has been featured on Jazz FM. More recently she has been working with singer/songwriter Ronnie Haar promoting his album, Songs about Birds. Louise is also a qualified Yoga teacher and teaches singing on the performing arts degree course at Colchester Institute.

Matthew Winston began his training at Laban, completing his degree with first class honours. During this time Matthew was a member of the National Youth Dance Company, performing work by Wayne McGregor and Sheron Wray. He then spent a year at London Contemporary Dance School as a member of EDge, the post graduate Dance Company, performing work by Trisha Brown, Ben Wright and Kerry Nicholls. Since graduating, Matthew has worked with Bare Bones Dance Company, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures, and was a founding member of Ben Wright's company, Bgroup. He has also worked with Liam Steele and Robert Tannion in their company Stan Won't Dance, performed in operas at home and abroad, taught classes and workshops, and completed his MA at London Contemporary Dance School. This is his second spell with Protein, having previously performed in (In)visible Dancing in 2012 and 2014.

Commissioned by The Place and funded by Arts Council England, The London Community Foundation and Cockayne - Grants for the Arts. Supported by the Greenwich Dance & Trinity Laban Partnership, The Place Choreodrome and the Jerwood Choreographic Research Project, with funds from The Jerwood Charitable Foundation, Appetite, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Pavilion Dance South West, Swindon Dance and The Royal Ballet.

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