Press release: SW - Jonzi D returns to the stage for the first time in 10 years with his Lyrikal Fearta

[Jan McNulty]

A Sadler’s Wells Production

Jonzi D - Lyrikal Fearta

 

Lyrikal Fearta - Redux

Thursday 18 - Saturday 20 October 2012

The Letter and other works

World Premiere

Thursday 25 - Saturday 27 October 2012

Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells

Performances at 8pm

Tickets: £15

Ticket office: 0844 412 4300 www.sadlerswells.com

 

Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jonzi D returns to his creative roots to perform two programmes of work made up of past productions and new creations in the Lilian Baylis Studio from 18 - 20 and 25 - 27 October 2012. Working with a small creative team, both programmes present Jonzi’s ‘choreopoetic’ response to the world today through spoken word, poetry and rap.

 

For many years Jonzi D has been known as the face leading the international festival of hip hop dance, Breakin’ Convention. Jonzi is now launching out on his own again, returning to the stage for the first time in 10 years.

Lyrikal Fearta - Redux (18 - 20 October 2012) features some of Jonzi D’s best known work, including; Aeroplane Man, the true story of a young black man’s global quest to find his spiritual homeland and Silence da Bitchin’, a rap battle illustrated, line by line, by two dancers. Both Silence da Bitchin’ and Aeroplane Man were screened on Channel 4 in 1997 and 2003.

The Letter and other works (25 - 27 October 2012) includes the world premiere of a new work commissioned by Sadler’s Wells, which explores the responses towards Jonzi being offered an MBE in the New Years Honours List.

 

Age Guidance: 16+ (contains strong language and content some audiences may find disturbing)

Free post-show talks for ticket holders: Friday 19 & Friday 26 October 2012

 

In between these two programmes of work Jonzi participates in the popular body:language talks series, returning for a fourth series, with Jonzi D & Soweto Kinch: The Urban Body on Monday 22 October in the Lilian Baylis Studio. Conducted as an interview in which artists talk about the role of the body in their work, this talk focuses on the importance of urban movement as Jonzi D is joined by musician and frequent collaborator Soweto Kinch. Together they discuss attitudes towards music and dance, and how they feed off each other in creation and performance.

 

About Jonzi D

Jonzi has been actively involved in British hip hop culture, rapping and b-boying since the early 1980’s. Since graduating from the London Contemporary Dance School, Jonzi has been committed to the development of hip hop theatre.

Jonzi is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist and Artistic Director and host of the acclaimed international festival of hip hop dance theatre, Breakin’ Convention, which celebrates its tenth anniversary year in 2013.

Jonzi’s past creations include TAG… just writing in name, IVAN and Markus the Sadist. As an MC and poet he has worked with The Roots, Stece Williamson, Mannafest, Lenny Henry and has toured with Gangstarr. His solo pieces Silence da Bitchin’ and Aeroplane Man were screened on Channel 4 in 1997 and 2003. in 2007 Jonzi was listed as one of the top 10 positive black musical role models by MOBO.

 

 

About body:language talks

Monday 22 October Jonzi D and Soweto Kinch

Monday 12 November Sue Buckmaster

Monday 3 December Hofesh Shechter

Talks begin at 7pm

Tickets: £6

Ticket Office: 0844 412 4300 or www.sadlerswells.com

body:language returns with a fourth series of talks in the Lilian Baylis Studio about the body in dance and live performance, philosophy, science, medicine, anthropology and the arts. The talks are chaired by Guy Cools and feature Sadler’s Wells Associate Artists Jonzi D and Hofesh Shechter, as well as Sue Buckmaster, Artistic Director of Theatre-Rites, and jazz musician Soweto Kinch.