Will Tuckett
May 2010
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What inspired you to use Hogarth’s work as the theme for Pleasure’s Progress? |
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I was commissioned to create a piece that related to the performance
season at the Royal Opera House, and took the theme of Hogarth from the
revival of Stravinsky’s opera The Rake’s Progress, which ran in
January 2010. Hogarth’s art is extraordinary, I’ve always liked it, and
it seemed like a fun thing to do.
Every day on the way to work I walk by St Paul’s Church in Covent
Garden, which features heavily in Hogarth’s etchings. So inspiration is
all around me! |
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What can the audience expect? |
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Pleasure’s Progress is half opera (with professional opera
singers), half ballet. I’ve just been reading through the 2nd draft of
the libretto, and it left me crying with laughter! Hogarth’s work is
explicit, but my show is not designed to shock, the audience can expect
humour and drama. His messages are timeless, and I have tried to make
the show feel ‘of today’.
The piece falls into two parts, with the 1st half drawing the audience
in with jokes and lots of wit. The 2nd half shows the downside of
satisfying every pleasure: you pay a price for doing everything you want
- but whilst my piece is not a cautionary tale, it leaves a moral note
with the audience. How will people view us in
100 years time?
It’s exciting and enjoyable to be making a show that is
not for children. Pleasure’s Progress is fun and youthful, and
will appeal to young adults. It’s an opera/ballet for a Skins
generation. |
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What’s it like working with award winning composer Paul Englishby? |
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I have worked with Paul many times, and am looking forward to doing so
again. He’s a very agile composer, who spends time watching me work, and
then goes back to his music to create something that reflects what he
has seen. |
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How do you feel about coming back to the DanceHouse? |
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I’m really looking forward to it. It’s such a fantastic space, and the
drive and energy of Assis seems to run through the building. It’s great
to come back and premiere a new full length work – and I hope that some
of the older Academy children who I worked with last October at the
DanceHouse will come and watch the show! |
Pleasure’s Progress; A Tale of Sex! Wigs!
Wags! ‘N’ Bawds!, which premiered at the Jerwood DanceHouse in June
2010.
Biography
Will’s choreographic commissions include works for The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, Dance Umbrella, National Ballet of China, Ballet Black and Opera North, Grange Park and the Bregenz Festival.
He has choreographed for musicals and film and has made several of this own films for the BBC and Channel 4, as both choreographer and director. He directed his first show, Marianne Dreams, for the Almeida Theatre in 2007. He is a guest artist with The Royal Ballet and Creative Associate for ROH2. He was Clore Dance Fellow 2008/9.
Photo: Johan Persson
Background image: Jerwood DanceHouse and The Mill illuminated as part of Ip-art 2010. Tim Underwood.
