lifeguard makes a splash at Govanhill Baths
 |
| Adrian Howells & Ira Mandela Siobhan (Photo: Simon Murphy) |
The National
Theatre of Scotland and The Arches in association
with Govanhill Baths Community Trust
present lifeguard created
by Adrian Howells, in collaboration
with Mike Brookes, Minty Donald, Rob Drummond, Jane Mason, Nick Millar and Nichola Scrutton.
lifeguard is an intimate and
immersive theatrical experience about human beings and their relationship to
water and swimming. Taking place in the disused teaching pool of the Govanhill
Baths from 5 to 27 October 2012, the
audience will have the opportunity to enter into a
multi-sensory poolside encounter with their own ‘lifeguard’.
Through
the narrative of a relationship between a lifeguard and a swimmer, the
audience’s complex and ambiguous relationship with water is explored. A young
man, under the guidance and encouragement of an experienced, older man, is
taught to overcome his fear of water and to swim. However, just when the young
man might be tempted to think he's untouchable, something happens which changes
the lifeguard and swimmer’s lives irrevocably.
lifeguard is an intimate
performance for a small audience with live performance by Adrian Howells (the
lifeguard) and Ira Mandela Siobhan (the swimmer) ; movement and physical
'score' by Jane Mason; soundscape and music by Nichola Scrutton, lighting by Mike
Brookes; and original film projected onto the bottom of the pool by Nick Millar
and Minty Donald, who is also the designer. The dramaturg for lifeguard is Rob
Drummond.
lifeguard explores how vital
and life-affirming swimming is as a
life-saving, and health-promoting activity and how emotionally and
psychologically 'therapeutic' water is. It
also explores how water can be life-threatening and how much we fear it.
Govanhill Baths, an Edwardian swimming pool and wash house, was closed
11 years ago and is now looked after by Govanhill Baths Community Trust whose aim
is to preserve and conserve the baths for the public
benefit. The National Theatre of Scotland and The Arches are reinstating the
training pool for the purpose of this production. The production will
also include other swimmers, some of who will have learned to swim in Govanhill
Baths during the course of rehearsals.
An exhibition entitled Water Water Everywhere will also be on
display in the baths for the duration of lifeguard. This installation has
been created by the local community, including St Bride's Primary
School, Cuthbertson Primary School and Govanhill Voices community
choir, working with the National Theatre of Scotland.
PERFORMANCES
Venue: Govanhill Baths,
99 Calder Street, Glasgow G42 7RA
Dates and Times: 5 to 27 October
(no Sunday performance) at 7.30pm
Matinees: Saturday 20th & 27th
at 2.30pm
Ticket Prices: £12 full/£9
concs and previews (5th & 6th October)
Events and Accessible perfs : Post show
discussion 18th Oct and BLS Interpreted perf on 18th Oct
Box Office – 0141 565 1000
www.thearches.co.uk
Further info: www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
and www.govanhillbathstrust.com
*limited capacity production so
early booking is encouraged
