We are excited to announce our fantastic new large-scale site-specific production Lumen, as part of the cultural programme in the lead-up to the TM2021 European Capital of Culture celebrations taking place in Timișoara, Romania in 2021. From the 5th to the 7th of October 2018, we will transform a disused dock on the Bega River in Timișoara into the stage for a spectacular large-scale outdoor show, which will mark the beginning of the celebrations.
Created and directed by Kevin Finnan MBE, Artistic Director of Motionhouse, Lumen celebrates the people of Timișoara, who shine as the constant light of the city during the considerable periods of flux in the country’s recent history, reflecting the theme of the celebrations, ‘Shine your light’.
We are well known for our work in unusual non-theatre spaces and we love creating large-scale spectacles for pubic events. In Lumen local choirs and dancers will bring to life the dockside, a giant aerial spectacle of boats, bicycles, construction workers and a flying room suspended from cranes will amaze from the sky and a flock of autonomous drones will thrill the audience. The skill and daring of Motionhouse will combine with the incredible digital projections by our long-term collaborator Logela, to tell the story of the ebb and flow of history on the city over recent years.
Kevin, Junior Cunningham, our rehearsal director and dancer Martina Knight are currently in Timișoara working with the community groups that are taking part in the project to make this spectacle a reality. Check out our video here to see how things are progressing so far and watch this space as we’ll be sharing images and rehearsal footage over the coming months.
Kevin Finnan said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been invited to this fascinating place to create Lumen. I want to celebrate the incredible people who live in this city and to make a story that captures their place within the history of Timișoara. Lumen is about the city and for the city and I hope that it will touch and move the local people who see it, helping to reinforce their pride and ownership of their city. By its form it will be spectacular, but I want it to be engaging and meaningful too.”