Press Contact: Sharon at Mobius 020 3195 6269 or sharon@mobiusindustries.com

PRESS RELEASE 23 June 2014

Eclipse Theatre Company Ltd and Wac Arts present:

Journeys Beyond Song, dance and physical theatre combine to explore the myths and legends of the afterlife in

this collaboration with Eclipse Theatre Company of One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show fame

Written and directed by Stephen Medlin with the creative team and company | Additional text

by Ché Walker

The Space @ V45, 63 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1DH

4th – 9th August, 7.35pm (8.25pm)

PREVIEWS: The Arcola Tent, 4th and 5th July, 7.45pm

Is there a life after death?

Weaving together a range of myths and tales of the afterlife from Britain, Egypt, Mexico, Greece and the

Caribbean, this surreal story is focused on a young woman on a quest to uncover the truth about the

afterlife. As she delves and experiments further, will she return to this world or remain in the next? Featuring

performers from all over the world, this colourful piece from new company Wac Arts and Eclipse Theatre

Company (Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show), explores the unknown, our attitudes to

death and asks, if we die, will we want to come back to this world?

With George Devine Award-winning playwright Ché Walker (The Lightning Child, The Frontline (Globe); Flesh

Wound, Been So Long (Royal Court)) bringing his dynamic and vivacious writing style to this physical piece, the

Journey will be a night you won’t forget.

Stephen Medlin, Director, said: "I am proud to be part of such an original and exciting production and cast.

They represent everything that Wac Arts is about and the partnership with Eclipse is the perfect springboard for

them into the professional arena”

Dawn Walton, Artistic Director, Eclipse Theatre Company, said: “There isn’t a character, a space, an object

or a feeling this gifted young company can’t show with little more than their talent. And they can act too. Its pure

theatre. Magical. I am delighted that eclipse theatre company has its first co production in the Edinburgh

Festival with such fine work.”

Wac Arts is a dynamic charity that works in imaginative ways to support gifted young people facing

exceptional challenges to discover their talents and fulfil their potential through arts and media

programmes created at the charity’s London home at Hampstead Town Hall. By empowering young

people to change their world through a range of arts and media activities, support and guidance, Wac Arts aims

to improve the lives of young people, however long that journey takes.

Wac Arts’ success has been tested over 35 years –amongst our Alumni we are proud to count Oscar, BAFTA

and Golden Globe nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Oscar nominee Sophie Okenedo, world famous jazz

musicians Courtney Pine and Julian Joseph and four Mercury and Mobo Award winners including Ms Dynamite

and Zoe Rahman.

Press Contact: Sharon at Mobius 020 3195 6269 or sharon@mobiusindustries.com

However, just as important as support for talented alumni is our 35 years of work, ensuring that more than

30,000 ‘at risk’, ‘hard to reach’ and disabled children and young people, many of whom would otherwise be

excluded through poverty, disability or discrimination, have been able to access a range of opportunities to

experience the richness of the arts.

Since its inception Eclipse Theatre Company has toured: Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (2003) by Errol John,

Oladipo Agboluaje’s adaptation of Mother Courage and Her Children (2004), Little Sweet Thing (2005) by Roy

Williams, Mustapha Matura’s adaptation of Three Sisters (2006), Angel House (2008) by Roy Williams, The

Hounding of David Oluwale (2009) by Kester Aspden (also adapted by Oladipo Agboluaje) and SUS (2010) by

Barrie Keeffe (co-production with Young Vic Theatre). One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show received its UK

premiere in a co-production between Eclipse Theatre Company and Sheffield Theatres in October 2011 and

was later staged at the Tricycle Theatre to critical acclaim in 2013. Eclipse Theatre Company has just

completed an acclaimed national tour of Sizwe Banzi is Dead (co-production with Young Vic Theatre).

@WacArts | @eclipseetcl | www.wacarts.co.uk | www.eclipsetheatre.co.uk |

www.facebook.com/WacArts | http://vimeo.com/98322781

Running Time: 1 hour | Suitable for all ages

Company Information

Directed by Stephen Medlin Written by Stephen Medlin with Creative Team and Company

Musical direction and arrangement by Rachel Bennett Additional text by Ché Walker

Choreography by Naomi Deira & Martha Stylianou with Patience James

Cast (in alphabetical order)

Irini Mando Argiti, Blaise Alert Duggan, Patience James, Eva Maria Kamp, Lula Mebrahtu, Rebecca Mitchell, , Danielle Neville, Cavell O’Sullivan, Gianina Somaschini, Sophia Mackay Thomas, Rosie Wilson-Sidlauskas,

Listings information

The Arcola Tent, 2 Ashwin Street, Dalston, E8 3DL

4th-5th July, 7.45pm, £10 (£8)

www.arcolatheatre.com | 020 7503 1646

The Space, 63 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1DH

4th-9th Aug, Mon - Sat, 7.35pm

£8 - £6 (concs) | www.thespaceuk.com | 0131 510 2399