High Bed Lower Castle
Motivated by the mad dream of making concrete all that is not, Ellen Furey and Malik Nashad Sharpe get very playful—with a touch of mischief.
Heaven and Earth
True to its title, High Bed Lower Castle inverts perspectives. It’s a true false tale of giant beds and tiny castles that mixes archetypal characters, dances in varying registers, spoken words and songs, visibly invisible actions—in short, a work of infinite imagination. Welcome to this bountiful world. Leave your expectations behind. Project yourself into it!
Ellen Furey is a Canadian based in Montreal, Malik Nashad Sharpe a U.S. citizen based in London. Nothing in their respective geographies and histories, their compositions and artistic practices, suggests that these two artists were meant to collaborate. However, according to them, there are no coincidences. Their collaboration has pushed them to not only cultivate their fascination with the fantastic and bold dreams, but also to put their shared interest in difference at the heart of their work.
Produced by Ellen Furey + Malik Nashad Sharpe
Choreographed and performed by Ellen Furey + Malik Nashad Sharpe
Lighting Design Paul Chambers
Sound Design Christopher Willes
With music by Thomas Gill + Purpose Code & Tony One + Philippe Melanson + coolhint (2015) + Ben Furey + Sentinel /Sarah Wong + Romance + Christopher Willes
Outside Eye Hanako Hoshimi-Caines + Dana Michel
Costume Design Malik Nashad Sharpe
Set Design Fruzsina Lanyi
Rehearsal Director Sophie Corriveau
Technical Director Seoyound Park
Executive Producer DLD – Daniel Léveillé Danse
Co-produced by Festival TransAmériques + Centre Chorégraphique national de Caen en Normandie within the frame of Accueil-Studio / Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (France) + Dance4 (Nottingham) + La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines + Gessnerallee (Zurich) + Impulstanz (Vienne)
With the support of Arts Council England
Creative residencies Gessnerallee (Zurich) + Dance4 (Nottingham) + Impulstanz (Vienne) + MAI – montréal, arts interculturels + CLOUD/Danslab (The Hague La Haye) + Centre Chorégraphique National de Caen en Normandie within the frame of Accueil-Studio / Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (France) + La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines
Co-presented by La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines
Premiered at Festival TransAmériques at La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines, Montreal, on June 2, 2022
World première
Written by Elsa Pépin
Translated by David Dalgleish
Ellen Furey (Montreal)
Ellen Furey describes herself as an artist, dancer, and choreographer inspired by working in close collaboration with others and by the intersection of art and life. She has worked with various people, namely Daniel Léveillé, Dana Michel, Sasha Kleinplatz, Simon Portigal, Andrew Tay/Stephen Thompson, Public Recordings, among others. She’s also the current artistic advisor for Danse-Cité.
Malik Nashad Sharpe (London)
Malik Nashad Sharpe, a.k.a. marikiscrycrycry, describes himself as a choreographer and movement director who works in fashion just as much as in dance and theatre. He work has travelled widely in North America and Europe, notably including the prestigious Tate Britain (London), where he was an artist-in-residence, and Institute of Contemporary Art (London) to sell-out audiences. In Montreal, his piece $ELFIE$ was presented at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels).
Edition 2022
Performances
- Fri27May9 p.m.
- Sat28May5 p.m.
- Mon30May7 p.m.
- Tue31May7 p.m.
- Wed01June7 p.m.
