Throughout the week, the Lost Islanders Theatre Company have created the piece Absence, exploring sections of various works, from Shakespeares The Tempest, musical Return to the Forbidden Planet by Bob Carlton, and Matthew Bournes interpretation of William Goldings Lord of Flies, all thematically connected by a desert island.
The choreography in the piece is what truly holds it all together, with the company learning choreography by the esteemed Akram Kahn.
On the first day, the company looked at sections of the musical Return to the Forbidden Planet, creating their own scenes based on sections of script, and explored character development. The musical features songs previously released, so the whole company learnt Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire, in the style of 1950s Rock and Roll, and they then devised their own dance duets influenced by this style.
Dance was developed the next day when they were taught Akram Kahns abstract contemporary choreography based on his piece Rush, which explores freefalling, and juxtaposing speed and stillness in a swift movement. With keeping the idea of being deserted on an island in mind, the girls were asked to decide what sole object they would take to a desert island, inspired by Radio 4s programme Desert Island Discs, and created more of their own choreography.
Over the next two days, some of the company rehearsed a few scenes of The Tempest and Lord of the Flies, whilst some learnt Florence and the Machines song Shake it Out and further variations on Akram Kahns work, as well as dances from Matthew Bourne and Robert Battles dance The Hunt. When the whole of the Lost Islanders Theatre Company came together and collaborated, having worked extraordinarily hard the whole way through, Absencedeveloped enormously and became a wonderful and inspired collaborative piece of theatre.
