JOURNEYS AND MEMORIES   
               A Tron Theatre Co-Production

'From Chicago to New York: Different Trains every time'

2001 sees Theatre Cryptic, with its international reputation for redefining our perceptions of music, staging a new genre of music that dares to defy all contemporary classical music terms.  Throughout its history Theatre Cryptic has always encouraged a stimulating environment for international artists to collaborate and take risks, and this approach has produced several original and vibrant new commissioned works, staged most recently in South America, Mexico and London.  This dynamic approach to the staging of music in its true theatrical context will be explored even further in their new collaboration with Kuotet, a string collective of four highly charged, fresh and daring musicians from New York City.  All graduates of the world famous Juilliard school, Kuotet gave their debut performance in February this year in Alice Trinity Hall, Lincoln Centre New York.


'they showed what they could do as a group, injecting the emotional drive
underpinning the music with a wonderful flowing quality.'
The Herald, Aug 2000 on Kuotet


Recognised for their unique and alternative approach to performance, taking their inspiration from artist and cultural diversity, Kuotet have attracted a large and varied audience throughout the United States and Britain.  In this collaboration with director Cathie Boyd, Kuotet and video artist Tranehousered, will bring the music of Steve Reich to the Scottish stage in a programme alongside Allegri and Istvan Marta.


'Theatre Cryptic, which has intergrated different art forms to give a stimulating journey physically and emotionally'.
Irish City Tribute, May 2000 on Theatre Cryptic


Theatre Cryptic and Kuotet aim to take you on a fantastical journey of the aural, visual and spiritual emotion guiding you gently from the meditation of the Allegri's Miserere, in a new transcription for String Quartet, with its inherent beauty of line through the compelling emotions of Istvan Marta's Doom-A Sigh, an awesome theatrical piece based on two songs recorded during his visit to Romania in 1973 where he collected tapes and photographs of ancient stories, tales and music.

Steve Reich's comments on the war through Different Trains also has a message for the listener.  Using recordings from interviews Reich made, he takes us through his 'documentary music video theatre' paralleling his train journeys through the USA as a child with the journeys made by prisoners in Germany during WW2.

'a stunning visual and aural hybrid'
The Irish Times, May 2000 on Theatre Cryptic

With the dramatic drive and evocative theatrical approach which launched Theatre Cryptic on the international stage, director Cathie Boyd will stage these three works using lighting, video, set design, costume and movement unveiling an element of visual surprise for each new piece.  Theatre Cryptic believe it essential to reconsider how music is staged in the 21st century, and how we create works which attract a new generation of audience.  Reich's music has already achieved the supposedly impossible by opening music of this new era to passer by, both old and young as Different Trains has been performed in numerous site specific train stations around the world.  His music has also recently made its most radical journey to the clubs of New York.  Theatre Cryptic is excited to be part of this revolution of change.  They, alongside Kuotet have been on the cutting edge of new visions, both have commissioned and developed their repertoire with composers, choreographers and writers including Jane Gardner, Anthea Haddow,
David Paul Jones, Eva Magyar, Alistair McDonald, Mich�le Roberts and Clare Venables.  Both are committed to redefining our conceptions of music and performance by dispensing with traditional concert etiquette and turning instead to the elements of theatre and technology to produce an exiting and vibrant new spin on our experience of music.  In this truly unique collaboration, a dynamic energy is about to be unleashed on our stages.

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