Dance / Theatre Preview - TRAPPED at KILLHOPE MINE

PRESENT

‘TRAPPED’
the dramatic underground dance/theatre show
June 28^th 29^th 30^th at Killhope Mine, Co. Durham www.killhope.org.uk
4 shows per day.  Tickets £12 from: 01388 537 505

TRAPPED is a unique dance/physical theatre show performed entirely underground by Experiential Dance Company at caverns and mines around the UK.  The show next performs at Killhope Mine in Co. Durham on June 28^th, 29^th and 30^th; there will be four shows a day and limited capacity of 15 audience members per show.  Wellies, underground lighting and guides will be provided!

TRAPPED was created by Experiential Dance Company’s Artistic Director, Rachel Johnson.  It’s performed by a highly trained physical theatre cast: Joseph Delaney, Luke Rigg, and Alex Rowland.  The original music is by composer/singer Hayley Youell, with filmed footage created by Rachel Johnson.

TRAPPED was inspired by the true story of the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped miles underground for 69 days in 2010 when the San Jose copper goldmine in northern Chile collapsed on top of them.  A massive international rescue operation was watched on TV by millions of people around the world as the miners were eventually winched to safety.

Says Artistic Director Rachel Johnson (right): “In addition to the breathtaking TV coverage, I read the book ‘Deep Down Dark’ by the Pulitzer prize winning journalist Hector Tobar.  It captures this unique drama so vividly; from the conflicts and the emotions that enveloped the men during their first fortnight underground when death by starvation loomed, to the subsequent weeks when they managed to make contact with the outside world. 

“We’ve designed miniature lighting rigs which sit on the front of the hard hats worn by each member of the audience; they go on a journey with the performers, imagining a tiny shred of what it must have been like for the San Jose miners.
“For the shows at Killhope Mine we’re partnering with Northern Heartlands who share our passion for County Durham’s beautiful landscapes and the belief they are the perfect setting for telling an inspirational story.  We’re working with Northern Heartlands to deliver filmmaking workshops to create a film that can be viewed before TRAPPED is performed at each show. 

We’ll also be handing out wellies!”

Audience reactions:
 “It was unlike anything I’ve experienced before!  Inspirational, thought provoking; a fascinating insight into the power of human behaviour.”
“It was great being up close and personal so we could see the facial expressions of the performers.”
“I felt really immersed in the miners’ world, getting a tiny insight into what they must have gone through.  It was eerie and amazing at the same time.”
“I loved wearing a miner’s light and being part of the show – the performers do a cracking job of combining the miners’ camaraderie with the desperate struggle to escape their situation.”
“Very atmospheric – I was able to imagine what the miners felt when they finally saw daylight.”