26 October 2009

Mortuus Silva - Adult Halloween performance at Botanic Garden

Not all is at it seems at Dundee's Botanic Garden this Halloween. A firm fixture in the Dundee events calendar is the successful Halloween family night (this years takes place on Thursday 29th October), however there is something much darker in store for adults the following evening.

Mortuus Silva blends art, sound and light installations with theatrical performance to create a unique journey into fear and beauty. Mortuus Silva is a ghost walk with a twist, creating an unsettling atmosphere through light and sound to bring the audience a sensual and chilling night of live performance and art. No torches will be allowed to ensure that all audience members are able to experience the event to its full.

Local theatre company DBS Productions, who have worked with the Botanic Garden for several years on the family Halloween event, wanted to create an event which would appeal to adults tired of the increasingly Americanised ‘trick or treat’ experience of Halloween.

DBS Productions director JD Henshaw said, ‘We worked for the last two years in Inverness on an adult story walk at Halloween and it proved a great success with many people looking for something other than typical fancy dress parties or entertaining neighbours children. This project has been a fantastic opportunity to bring together collaborations with professional artists to produce a event unlike anything else available in Dundee at this time of year.’

Collaborative working is a theme is this event, with The Electric Company providing the lighting design for the evening. Based in Dundee, their previous work includes the creation of the ‘Garden of Light’ event earlier this year in the Botanic Garden and they are delighted to be working in the space again, with the promise of another show, ‘Garden of Light: Walk the World’ early next year.

Especially exciting is the involvement of artistic duo, Sundogs. Fresh from a controversial Yarnbomb project as part of the Re:Imagining the Centre arts festival in Inverness, Sundogs will stage several installations in the garden and have been integral to the development of the story. Annie Marrs, a graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, and fellow Sundog, Jennifer Cantwell, use fabric, clothing and yarn through-out the garden to enhance the story of Mortuus Silva.

Mortuus Silva takes place on Friday 30th October at 7pm, 7.50pm, 8.40pm and 9.30pm. Tickets are £10 available in advance from the Botanical Gardens, 01382 381 190 and include refreshments.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Further information from JD Henshaw - 07740 575670, john_davidhenshaw@hotmail.com

www.dbs-productions.co.uk

Contact Sundogs via Annie Marrs - 07834 608390, anniemarrs@hotmail.co.uk

Images of the YarnBomb are available on request.

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