The Tree of Light brings together 1,200 performers and a choir of 450 around a gigantic industrial “tree” of light, for a major new large-scale outdoor performance, taking place at dusk in parkland across the South East in the summer of 2012.
The piece tells an epic tale from the long life of a mythical tree. It’s a story of a forest born, inhabited and invaded. The forest thrives, is attacked, plundered, burned and reborn.
The piece will be a visual and sonic feast for the senses – full of drama, excitement and joy. It is an exuberant and highly physical celebration of the natural world and of our part in it.
The Tree of Light will be performed by people of all ages from across the South East. The culmination of a wider project exploring the science and art of trees, this piece is a grand community celebration and will be a very moving human spectacle highlighting the rich and fragile relationship between people and their environment.
The creative team includes creative producer Stewart Collins installation design team Block9, artistic director Charlie Morrissey and composer Orlando Gough, working with a team of choreographers including: Sophie Arstall, Caroline Bridges, Debbie Camp, Leila Chebbi, Morgan Cloud, Paula Conduit, John Darvell, Aya Kobayashi, Fiona Millward and Rachel Palmer working with groups of all ages to create the performance. The sound of the tree is being specially created by Matthew Herbert and James Matther.