Welcome to this brief, single issue, newsletter from Volcano. (A fuller, 'What's On' mailing will follow shortly.) As you will be able see below, preparations for our extra-ordinary performance of HAMLETMACHINE are well underway. We don't want to give too much away for audiences beforehand but it really will be something very special.

What we would really appreciate is a hand with distributing leaftlets in and around Swansea, Cardiff and outlying areas. If you are able to pop in to Volcano and take a few leaflets or even posters to distribute to cafes, laundrettes, bars, hairdressers, What's On boards etc. in your local area then that would be fantastic. If you want to get in touch to see if your area has been covered then please don't hesitate or just pop in to collect some print. Your support will be hugely appreciated.

We'll reward you with tea or coffee and an original Volcano button badge if you'd like!

Tue 12 Nov 2019 to Thu 28 Nov 2019

HAMLETMACHINE
Heiner Müller

SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN THIS AGE OF HOPE*

Volcano's new production for Autumn 2019 is Heiner Müller’s infamous reworking of Shakespeare's Hamlet, framing the domestic tragedy of Hamlet within the political machinations of Europe at twilight.

Volcano’s HAMLETMACHINE is no ordinary performance. Exploiting to the full the company’s cavernous home in a former High Street supermarket, we invite you on an astonishing journey from a museum of grim curiosities to a garden of delights; through corridors of power and pleasure to dungeons of detritus. Mixing live performance and bizarre exhibition with interactive and sensory elements, HAMLETMACHINE is a surprising, funny and disturbingly beautiful experience for audiences.

My main interest when I write plays is to destroy things. For thirty years Hamlet was for me an obsession, so I wrote a short text, Hamletmachine, with which I tried to destroy Hamlet. […] I think my strongest impulse is to reduce things down to their skeleton, to tear off their skin and their flesh. Then I’m finished with them. HEINER MÜLLER

Our first task was to demolish what had previously been built. On occasion this process of demolition was done carefully. At other times the play or the text crashed to the floor in a reckless fashion – there were casualties, and a lot of cleaning up to be done. PAUL DAVIES

A Radical Classic™ from Volcano

CAST: Cecilia Crossland, Christopher Elson, Mairi Phillips, Manon Wilkinson
Conceived and directed by Paul Davies
Design by Guðný Hrund Sigurðardóttir
Movement Director: Catherine Bennett
Design Deputy: Bourdon Brindille
Production & Technical Manager: Rich Andrew
Costume: Amy Barrett
Carpentry: Eifion Porter

Text by Heiner Müller
English translation by Marc von Henning (Faber & Faber 1995)

Thanks!
Dave Morgans
Jessica Thomas
Rebecca Davies
Heather Kelman
Georgia McKie

Mature themes. Suggested age minimum 15.

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We are delighted to welcome back Icelandic designer, Guðný Hrund Sigurðardóttir, who worked with Volcano on A Clockwork Orange, Blinda and Alice in Wonderland. Guðný has been hard at work this week with Artistic Director, Doctor Paul Davis.

12 - 28 Tach 2019

Cynhyrchiad newydd Volcano ar gyfer tymor yr hydref 2019 yw addasiad gwaradwyddus Heiner Müller o Hamlet gan Shakespeare, sy'n fframio trasiedi ddomestig Hamlet o fewn cynllwynion gwleidyddol Ewrop fin nos.

Nid perfformiad cyffredin mo HAMLETMACHINE gan Volcano. Gan amlygu'n llawn cartref ceudyllog y cwmni mewn hen archfarchnad ar y Stryd Fawr, rydym yn eich gwahodd chi ar daith ryfeddol, o amgueddfa chwilfrydedd erchyll i ardd o hyfrydwch; trwy goridorau grym a phleser i ddwnsiwn malurion. Gan gymysgu perfformiad byw ac arddangosfa ryfedd gydag elfennau rhyngweithiol a synhwyraidd, mae HAMLETMACHINE yn brofiad syfrdanol, doniol a hyfryd o annifyr i gynulleidfaoedd.

Fy mhrif ddiddordeb pan fyddaf yn ysgrifennu dramâu yw dinistrio pethau. Ers tri deg o flynyddoedd mae Hamlet wedi bod yn obsesiwn i mi, felly ysgrifennais destun byr sef, Hamletmachine, lle ceisiais fynd ati i ddinistrio Hamlet. [...] Fy mhrif ysgogiad yw cwtogi pethau i lawr at yr ysgerbwd, rhwygo eu croen a'u cnawd. Yna, byddaf wedi gorffen efo nhw. HEINER MÜLLER

Ein tasg gyntaf oedd chwalu beth oedd wedi'i adeiladu eisoes. Ar adegau, gwnaed y broses chwalu hon yn ofalus. Ar adegau eraill, byddai'r ddrama neu'r testun yn disgyn i'r llawr yn ddiofal - roedd anafiadau, a chryn dipyn o waith glanhau i'w wneud. PAUL DAVIES

Radical Classic™ gan Volcano

CAST: Cecilia Crossland, Christopher Elson, Mairi Phillips, Manon Wilkinson
Crëwyd a chyfarwyddwyd gan Paul Davies
Dyluniad gan Guðný Hrund Sigurðardóttir
Cyfarwyddwr Symudiadau: Catherine Bennett
Dirprwy Dylunio: Bourdon Brindille
Rheolwr Cynhyrchu a Thechnegol: Rich Andrew
Gwisgoedd: Amy Barrett
Gwaith Coed: Eifion Porter
Testun gan Heiner Müller
Cyfieithiad Saesneg gan Marc von Henning (Faber & Faber 1995)

Diolch!
Dave Morgans
Jessica Thomas
Rebecca Davies
Heather Kelman
Georgia McKie
Themâu aeddfed. Oedran a argymhellir: o leiaf 15 oed

We look forward to seeing you soon at Volcano! Do keep an eye on our social media (links below) and share as much as you can about this most unusual and wonderful of shows, #hamletmachine