Park

Premiere 2005-2014

'Ferociously physical, surreal… Vardimon’s choreography seems to wrench a bruising truth from its performers'

THE GUARDIAN

Park is an urban oasis, a place of refuge from ordinary life where eight characters play, fight, fall in love and learn to survive.

In this playground of relationships, stories intertwine creating a modern day fairy-tale that is alternately sharp, funny and cruel.

A breath-taking collision of highly acute physical theatre, text, athletic dance and funky music, delivering fresh statements about our time.

'choreography and dancing that completely holds the audience spellbound…truly superb'

London Theatre

'Vardimon’s ability to transform from high and mighty political rhetoric to the baser levels of humanity in one sweeping phrase of body and soul – voice and movement.'

London Dance

'Jasmin Vardimon seems poised to be the next big popular British export'

NEW YORK TIMES

CREDITS

Concept, Direction & Choreography

Jasmin Vardimon MBE

Rehearsal Director

Vinicius Salles

Created with & Performed by

Luke Burrough, Maria Doulgeri, Estéban Fourmi, Nevena Jovanovic, David Lloyd, Silke Muys, Aoi Nakamura, Uroš Petronijevic

Artistic Advisor & Dramaturgy

Guy Bar-Amotz

Lighting Design

Chahine Yavroyan

Costume Design

Abigail Hammond

Set Design

Originally by Merle Hensel with adaptation by Guy Bar-Amotz

Digital Design

Dan Shorten

Soundtrack Design

Originally by Ohad Fishof with adaptation by Jasmin Vardimon MBE

Photography

Ben Harries and Danilo Moroni

Promo Video

Guy Bar-Amotz

Length

95 minutes plus one interval

Premiere

2014 (original version in 2005)

Funded by

Arts Council England

Co-commissioned by

Sadler’s Wells, Kent County Council and The Marlowe Theatre

Thanks to

Exeter Northcott Theatre and Rose Bruford College.

ARTICLES & REVIEWS

THE GUARDIAN

'Ferociously physical, surreal… Vardimon’s choreography seems to wrench a bruising truth from its performers'

London Theatre / 11 November 2014

'choreography and dancing that completely holds the audience spellbound…truly superb'

London Dance

'Vardimon’s ability to transform from high and mighty political rhetoric to the baser levels of humanity in one sweeping phrase of body and soul – voice and movement.'

GAY TIMES / November 2014

'Incredible dancing .. a fun and highly accessible introduction to contemporary dance, no less relevant ten years on.'

IN SUFFOLK

'Extraordinary work… beautiful and powerful, maybe unforgettable. Its inspirational qualities were so strong that I suspect most of those who saw it thought at some point that they too should, and could, be a dancer. Do (almost) anything to get yourself a ticket.'

The Journal / 26 March 2015

'Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company’s depiction of park life puts all subsequent pale imitations in the shade'

Herald Scotland / 27 January 2015

'When Jasmin Vardimon says that she’s looking for honesty on-stage, she’s not only referring to the way she asks dancers to approach the making and performing of her company’s repertoire. She’s also talking about the content of that repertoire, of the cogent observations and insights that she channels into choreographies about how we live now, our relationships and our behaviour patterns.'

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Londondance.com / 13 November 2014

'Vardimon’s eight-strong troupe are awesomely skilled in their range and versatile nature of performance- physically terrifying- these performers have been actor trained and fitness trained with intensity equal to any army bootcamp ready for combat.'

Critical Dance / 11 November 2014

'…the sort of thing that is vital to keeping the dance scene – as a whole – alive. To be (gently) shaken and reminded of the current work at the forefront of contemporary dance is very welcome.'

Bargain Theatre / 11 November 2014

'…. the stamina of the ensemble is mind-blowing and their strength never falters …each performer plays their part in maintaining the high quality of the piece with smooth transitions, as the stage is at no point ever left with hesitation.'

Culture Whisper / 11 November 2014

'Confrontational, unpredictable and humane, PARK is an early mark in Vardimon’s career that well bears repeating.'

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London Theatre / 11 November 2014

'…choreography and dancing that completely holds the audience spellbound'

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A Younger Theatre / 16 November 2014

'Each member of the company has such a unique and impressive set of skills and characteristics. I have never seen a cast allowed free reign to tear up the space in this way.'

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londondance.com / 29 October 2014

'Vardimon never fails, be it through text or movement, to comment on socio-political issues with wit and dry humour… frequently playful and joyful splashing full-cast dance'

In Suffolk / 17 October 2014

'As fresh and dynamic as any newly minted production… Park was beautiful and powerful, maybe unforgettable.'

Bachtrack / 9 October 2014

'Jasmin Vardimon: Inspirations, aspirations and the new PARK'

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New Statesman / 21 November 2005

'Vardimon’s work amalgamates the styles of the legendary German and American choreographers Pina Bausch and Mark Morris to create subtle social commentary. It is, however, more physically sophisticated than that produced by acclaimed modern dance companies such as DV8 or Frantic Assembly. Her new work, Park, continues this tradition.'

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Music OMH / 4 October 2005

'Park is the latest assault on the boundaries between dance and theatre by choreographer Jasmin Vardimon. Devised around a hyper-real representation of a park and its residents, it’s a thrilling urban fantasy that fully demonstrates Vardimon’s drive to strike away at the pretensions associated with theatrical genre. In doing so she has created a show that is accessible to all. It’s a magical piece of work, and one which delivers on many of its ambitious goals.'

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THE TIMES

'Vividly physical and quirky performances… the audience was on its feet cheering'

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY / 2005

'Highly original material, beautifully executed by a talented cast'

NEW YORK TIMES / 2005

'Jasmin Vardimon seems poised to be the next big popular British export'

Sheffield Star / 5 November 2005

'It’s an evening of transformations in the style of a modern fairy tale, baffling and sometimes beguiling and just when it threatens to take itself too seriously, there’s a sort of conspiratorial wink at the audience, a reminder that we shouldn’t worry too much about the meaning but enjoy an enthusiastic piece of outrageous theatre.'

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The Stage / 24 February 2005

'Bristling with tension, raw excitement and audacious moves Jasmin Vardimon’s new full-length piece looks at figures seeking escape in an urban park.'

New York Times / 15 February 2006

'British Dance Edition 2006: “Jasmin Vardimon seems poised to be the next big popular British export… her choreographic movement, even when subsumed into her theatrics, looked fresh and sensitive to her dancers’ strengths.”'

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