A solo concert with Giles accompanying himself on guitar and piano, ‘Black Matter’ was recorded with multiple cameras and will be streamed globally on demand.
West End 'Hamilton' star Giles Terera sings 'THE FLATS' from the world premiere of 'Black Matter', a new song cycle composed while he observed life on the changing streets of London's Soho over a tumultuous summer in lockdown.
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A solo concert with Giles accompanying himself on guitar and piano, 'Black Matter' was recorded with multiple cameras and will be streamed globally on demand from March 24 - 31.
Giles, who won the Best Actor in a Musical Olivier as Aaron Burr in 'Hamilton', said: "I live in Soho, London. I was there throughout last summer. I saw Soho shift from deserted tranquillity, where the only sounds were birds and church bells to the noise and heat of demands for social justice and civil unrest. I saw couples and families sneaking bike rides and I saw violence - protests and peacemakers, homelessness and empty properties. People helping each other and people hurting each other. I saw confusion and hope and strength. I found myself taking my guitar and writing about what I was seeing and feeling and thinking. My aim was to respond immediately to what I was experiencing. How do we communicate in this atmosphere? How do we find love and balance and strength?"
Filmed during lockdown at Soho's Crazy Coqs with multiple cameras, with Giles accompanying himself on guitar and piano, these are songs of protest and joy and anger and love.
Drawing on Giles' eclectic musical influences, 'Black Matter' comprises of 12 new songs - ballads, jazz, blues, funk and groove - brought mesmerisingly to life.
Produced by Fane in association with Timebomb Productions
Giles' numerous West End credits include: 'Rosmersholm', 'Hamilton', 'The Book of Mormon', 'The Tempest', 'Avenue Q', 'The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas', 'Jailhouse Rock', '125th Street' and 'Rent'.
At The National Theatre: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', 'Hamlet', 'Death and the King's Horseman', 'The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other', 'Troilus and Cressida', 'Candide', 'Honk!' and 'Darker Face of the Earth'.
Other theatre includes: 'The Tempes't on world tour for the RSC; 'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui' at The Donmar Warehouse; 'The Merchant of Venice' (also international tour) and 'King John' (also UK tour) at Shakespeare's Globe; 'Don't You Leave Me Here' at West Yorkshire Playhouse; 'Playboy of the Western World' at the Abbey, Dublin; 'You Don't Kis's at Stratford Circus; 'Up on the Roof' at Chichester; 'Six Degrees of Separation' at Sheffield Crucible; 'Generations of the Dead' at the Young Vic; 'Bill Shakespeare's Italian Job' at the Gilded Balloon and Playbox, Warwick; 'The Demon Headmaster' and 'The Animals of Farthing Wood' at the Pleasance; 'Pure Imagination' at the St James Theatre.
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