As the band strikes up and the glitter-ball twirls, the bandstand is brought to life by glamorous dancing couples from the roaring twenties to the thrifty fifties.
‘Shall We Dance?’ is a show designed for bandstands, inspired by local older people’s memories about dance and their dance partners. The audience is transported back to a time when the intricate rituals of courtship were played out on the dance floors of village halls and grand ballrooms alike. As one costume is peeled off to reveal another, the music races through years gone by. Newly composed soundscapes, entwined with old favourites and interspersed with recorded memories, deliver a memorable soundtrack for a visual feast.
This is a mid-scale production for audiences of all ages, performed on and around a bandstand by a cast of ten performers. The show is either toured with its own bandstand or can be adapted and made specific to a local bandstand. A live installation ‘The Documentation Booth’ also accompanies the performance and is open to members of the public; it displays photographs, sound recordings and video footage gathered during the research period.
‘I met my husband on the dance floor; well you did. Some girls might
ask for a dance, but I didn’t like to do that. If they wanted me they
would have to come and get me.’
Sheila Lemon, Brighton
For more information on hiring the bandstand and dance floor please click here.
