July 2011
Presented by the Present Tense Ensemble 

Directors Bryce Ives & Nathan Gilkes
Designer Sophie Woodward
Lighting Designer Nicola Andrews
Photography Pia Johnson
Created by Nicola Andrews, Anna Boulic, Laura Burzacott, Bryce Ives, Nathan Gilkes, David Harford, Emma Leah, Zoe McDonald, and Sophie Woodward

What is Chants Des Catacombes?

Poignant and eerie, Chants des Catacombes is an immersive and multi-sensory promenade theatre experience. 

Site-specific, it mixes music, dance, song, dialogue, scent, light and space, to weave together dark and mystical story of fact and mythology, underscored by popular contemporary and classical music. Lyrics are like bent fairytales, whispered, commanded, serenaded, shouted. Contemporary songs by artists such as Portishead, Nirvana and Laura Marling are adapted and given enchanting or horrific twists, transformed into the unique and the timeless.

Our aim is to tap into the senses: smell, sight, sound and memory. The stories of our three murdered  women plays out in small spaces, large spaces, on harps and violins, through Hip Hop and Opera. Peculiar, surprising and enjoyable.
 

Review of the Donkey Wheel House season of Chants Des Catacombes
Sometimes it’s great not to know too much about a show before one sees it, and tonight was one of those occasions.

I wandered down to the bowels of the beautiful Donkey Wheel House basement with no idea what to expect from Chants Des Catacombes, a new production based on an award-winning Short & Sweet Cabaret entry created by harpist/singer Anna Boulic and director Bryce Ives. The only detail I was sure of was that the show was to be presented as ‘Promenade Theatre’, where we, the audience, would move to follow the action and performers.

The atmosphere before the show was electric in the small room allocated for the bar. Partly this was because everyone in the room was lucky to have a ticket for this sold out season, but anticipation was also heightened by the fact that as you walked to this waiting area, you walked through the darkened set, down a hallway lined with handsome men in costume. Like beautiful statues looming out of the shadows, they silently blocked the entrances into the many rooms that waited to be discovered.

Director Bryce Ives introduced the show and gave a few instructions, including one which gifted us with the authority to move around each space to find our own prime positions.

As we were led into the darkness, our senses were heightened by the intriguing smells created by scent alchemist, Emma Leah, one of the production's many collaborators. Next we were greeted by three haunting voices, Anna Boulic, Laura Burzacott, and Zoe McDonald, who created a blend of celestial sound whilst moving dangerously close through the crowd. Immediately we were shown that was not a night for the lazy or uninspired; this was theatre for those who want shock, surprise and intrigue.

Over the next 50 minutes we were taken through the various rooms of the dusty, hauntingly lit basement. The music and singing almost never stopped; nor did the amazement. At one point we, the ‘sheep-like’ audience, were following the song of a gorgeous performer, but lost her in the maze. Traces of her voice echoed through the chamber, and rather than feeling stressed about where to move to next, the 50-strong crowd just waited patiently for the melodic guide to return and take us back under her wing. Such was the trust engendered by this production, and the willingness of the audience to go on this theatrical journey.

Each songstress had an exclusive scene to explain her story. These were sometimes hard to follow, which did not cause concern; for it seemed the story was secondary to the wonderful songs, scenes, and art being created. I especially loved the Mexican wave-like squeals of delight that carried down the shuffling crowd when they headed to the final room. It was these additional moments that added to this fabulous and inventive show.

The song choices were wonderful, the actors heavenly, and the space divine. This was a perfect piece of engaging contemporary theatre. Let’s hope they do a remount soon.
Kate Boston Smith, Arts Hub