Helen Chadwick' A BODY OF SONG at the Queens' House commissioned by Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
Helen Chadwick' A BODY OF SONG at the Queens' House commissioned by Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
Joanna Foster in A BODY OF SONG at the Queens' House commissioned by Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
Helen Chadwick' A BODY OF SONG at the Queens' House commissioned by Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
Helen Chadwick in A BODY OF SONG at the Queens' House commissioned by Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
The cast of Helen Chadwick' A BODY OF SONG at the Queens' House commissioned by Greenwich and Docklands International Festival
helen-chadwick-a-body-of-song-1
helen-chadwick-a-body-of-song-2
helen-chadwick-a-body-of-song-4
helen-chadwick-a-body-of-song-3
helen-chadwick-a-body-of-song-6
helen-chadwick-a-body-of-song-5
previous arrow
next arrow

A Body Of Song

The Queens’ House is a perfect cube with a black and white marble floor, a spiral staircase, balconies and several entrances. It was such a joy to create this performance and the music for it. The audience were initially up on the balconies and later down below with us in the middle of them.

We hear a single woman’s voice from above, she is joined by two others and we hear them spiralling down the spiral staircase just out of view. When they appear singing and moving, three other women enter from different doors and the six move and sing in communion with the shapes and story of the building. Later, three men surprise us by appearing unexpectedly from another entrance for the finale. With each voice’s arrival the songs become richer and the harmonies more complex.

“The concert was unbelievably strong and far exceeded my expectations. Wonderful music and ideas, presented with passion and intelligence. Helen achieved extraordinary things with this illuminating project, which combined powerful ideas, music and movement with intimacy and style. It was a real tour de force evening of brilliance and passion.”
Bradley Hemmings, Greenwich and Docklands International Festival Director

Cast
Helen Chadwick, Paul Chisholm, Sian Croose, Vivien Ellis, Joanna Foster, Barbara Gellhorn, Aileen Gonsalves, Ian Morgan and Daniel Tomlinson.

Explore
Joanna Foster and Barbara Gellhorn are long term collaborators. Joanna and I have been doing concerts together for more than 30 years! She was also in Home and Barbara was in Dalston Songs.

Photographs: Simon Richardson