Press Release: UK PREMIERE Alain Platel, Fabrizio Cassol, Rodriguez Vangama & Sergi Kakudji, Coup Fatal UK, 4 - 6 June 2015

[Jan McNulty]

UK PREMIERE 
Alain Platel, Fabrizio Cassol, Rodriguez Vangama & Serge Kakudji
COUP FATAL
Sadler’s Wells, EC1R
Thursday 4 – Saturday 6 June 
Performances: Thur - Sat at 7.30pm
Tickets: £12 - £27
Ticket Office: 0844 412 4300 or www.sadlerswells.com

 

Sadler’s Wells hosts the UK premiere of Alain Platel, Fabrizio Cassol, Rodriguez  Vangama and Serge Kakudji’s Coup Fatal from Thursday 4 – Saturday 6 June 2015.

 

Coup Fatal features Congolese counter-tenor Serge Kakudji, with an orchestra of 12 musicians from Kinshasa integrating Baroque phrases with traditional and popular Congolese music, rock and jazz.

Inspired by the grand gestures of the rakish ‘sapeurs’ - the dandies of Kinshasa - Coup Fatal’soriginal music is enriched with the diversity of the musicians, and with the vocals of Serge Kakudji, a whole new contemporary world is created, both in music and image.

 

With an energetic and entertaining edge, Coup Fatal features guitar player Rodriguez Vangama and musical direction by Brussels composer Fabrizio Cassol, while director Alain Platel and dancer Romain Guion seek to give the piece its theatrical form. The set is designed in collaboration with artist Freddy Tsimba, who creates vast, disturbing sculptures using cartridge cases which he collects in Congolese war zones.  

 

Director Alain Platel was born in 1956, in Ghent. He trained as a remedial educationalist and is an autodidact director. In 1984 he set up a small group with friends and relatives and together produced a range of works

including Emma (1998), Bonjour Madame (1993), La Tristeza Complice(1995), Iets op Bach (1998) with les ballets C de la B, and collaborations with Arne SierensMoeder en Kind (1995), Bernadetje (1996) and Allemaal Indiaan (1999).

After Wolf (2003), Platel’s choir project for the opening of the new KVS marked the start of close collaboration with composer Fabrizio Cassol. Their first collaboration was vsprs (2006); in 2008 they worked together for pitié! where they first met Serge Kakudji. Coup Fatal reunites the trio once again. Platel’s other works include Nine Finger (2007), Out of Context – for Pina andGardenia (2010).

 

His biggest project C(H)ŒURS in 2012 was created on demand of opera director Gerard Mortier and with dancers and the choir, examines how dangerously beautiful a group can be. He also entered the arena of the dance film together with British director Sophie Fiennes, Because I Sing(2001), Ramallah!Ramallah!Ramallah! (2005), VSPRS Show and Tell (2007) and solo de balletten en ci en lá (2006).

 

An Artistic platform for a variety of choreographers, les ballets C de la B enables artists from various disciplines and backgrounds to take part in the creative process, upholding its motto ‘this dance is for the world and the world is for everyone’.

 

A free post-show talk (BSL-interpreted) will take place on Thursday 4 June, on stage

 

Notes to Editors:

 

Listings information

 

Alain Platel, Fabrizio Cassol, Rodriguez Vangama & Serge Kakudji
Coup Fatal
Sadler’s Wells, EC1R
Thursday 4 – Saturday 6 June 2015

Free post-show talk (BSL interpreted): Thursday 4 June, on stage

Performances: Thur – Sat at 7.30pm
Tickets: £12 - £27
Ticket office: 0844 412 4300 / www.sadlerswells.com

 

About Sadler’s Wells

Sadler's Wells is a world leader in contemporary dance, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. Since 2005 it has helped to bring over 90 new dance works to the stage and its international award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour the world. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 appointed world class Associate Artists and 3 Resident Companies and nurtures the next generation of talent through its National Youth Dance Company, Summer University programme, Wild Card initiative and its New Wave Associates.

 

Located in Islington in north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells.

Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 9% of its revenue from Arts Council England.