A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings
Kneehigh has been on a roller coaster this year (2005). We have seen our work evolve over the years and found ourselves touring locally, nationally and the internationally. We were working in theatres, in the open air, site specifically and in village halls. We were gaining a reputation for groundbreaking, exhilarating work on all scales and we literally burst our banks! We hit the wall! We simply could not sustain the amount of work we wanted to produce. Early in 2005, Bill Mitchell decided to jump - not down or away, but up! He decided to form his own company ‘Wild Works’. ‘Wild Works’ will continue the journey of site-specific theatre and events that Bill had started within Kneehigh. He could build a team dedicated to creating meaningful, life-affirming, international theatre events.
And here it is! In Cornwall, working in collaboration with Kneehigh, bringing performers and artists from around the world to tell us a tale of dreams and greed, hope and wonder. How exciting is that? My toes are tingling with anticipation!
So, Summer 2005 sees the launch of ‘Wild Works’. Many of the faces will be familiar but this is the beginning of something new, ambitious and important. The two companies will work closely over the following years as colleagues and supporters, using our shared history, expertise and affection to create more world-class work, in and for Cornwall.
So life is vibrant and fragile, full of possibilities and dangers, but I love this roller coaster!
Emma Rice, Artistic Director Kneehigh Theatre
Music from the show is available on CD here
A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is presented by Kneehigh Theatre and WILD WORKS In collaboration with THOC, State Theatre of Cyprus and St James Cavalier, Malta
