High Bed Lower Castle - DLD | Direction artistique Frédérick Gravel

©Do Phan Hoi_Avec Ellen Furey + Malik Nashad Sharpe

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. (Source: FTA 2022)

[ …] Ellen Furey and Malik Nadhad Sharpe are mesmerizing in this crazy quilt of bold ideas, wild dancing, colourful costume changes, broadly diverse musical tunes and infinite imagination.
During 55 minutes, these energetic dancers guid us through a weird yet wonderful performance.

– Jacqueline van de Geer, Westmount mag (Montréal)

©Do Phan Hoi_Avec Ellen Furey + Malik Nashad Sharpe

Created in 2022

CREDITS

Co-creators and performers Ellen Furey (CA) + Malik Nashad Sharpe (UK/USA)
Lights Paul Chambers
Sound design Christopher Willis
Outside Eye Hanako Hoshimi-Caines + Dana Michel
Costume design Malik Nashad Sharpe
Set design Fruzsina Lanyi
Rehearsal director Sophie Corriveau
Technical director Seoyoung Park

PRODUCTION

Production Ellen Furey + Malik Nashad Sharpe
Executive Producer DLD – Daniel Léveillé Danse
Co-produced by Festival TransAmériques + Centre Chorégraphique national de Caen enNormandie, dans le cadre de l’Accueil-
Studio/ Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (France) + Dance4 (Nottingham) + La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines + Gessnerallee (Zurich) + Impulstanz (Vienne)
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, dans le cadre de l’Accueil-Studio/Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (France) + La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines
Support Arts Council England
Development DLD – Daniel Léveillé Danse

Shows

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ODE

Ten performers, hand in hand like a chain of paper dolls, form a pop-pagan procession. Their bliss is divine: you want to sink into their idyllic world, bask in the same sunshine …

SOLO 2024

How can we start moving again after a period of inertia? How to move? To what end? To say what?

Civilization and Its Discontents

Walkers arrive in a theatre without caring about the decorum.

SIERRANEVADA

Navigating between control and letting go, SIERRANEVADA is nothing more or less than an exercise, a laboratory practice where the performer/creator strives to explore the intricacies of their imagination.

Amour, acide et noix

Amour, acide et noix is the first work of a trilogy in which organic life is read on the skin of dancers subjected to impossible physical demands.

Fear and Greed

Frédérick Gravel returns on stage, in a solo for the first time. With his singular dance, his guitar and supported by three musicians, he is ready to make noise, but also silences.