Forest Collective acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, meet, create, and perform - Wurundjeri land of the Kulin Nation.

We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and extend our respects to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs, and relationship with the land. We recognise Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of this nation.

Welcome to Tides!

I would like to welcome you back to the beautiful Abbotsford Convent for this very special performance.

As you may have seen, we originally planned to perform Folding at this time, however, we had to remove this show and decided to replace it with Tides.

The concept for Tides came from my wonderful partner Jesse, who performs with Forest Collective for the first time at these performances. You will witness his beautiful and poetic dance alongside a diverse mix of musical works, including a new major series of pieces by myself. In addition to my works, you will hear songs from the dynamic Icelandic pop star Bjork arranged by myself, a brand new work from our amazing percussionist Zela Papageorgiou that explores the cycles of the Moon, as well as a taste of some older music with pieces from Bach, Haydn and Monteverdi.

I am also excited (and very nervous) to say I will be singing for you in this performance, something I have not done in public in over a decade.

As with all Forest Collective shows we welcome you to clap when you feel.

You’re welcome to document your experience on your phone, however, please respect your fellow concert-goers.

And be sure to tag us! #forestcollective @forestcollective

- Evan J Lawson, artistic director, composer.

Choreographers note

The ocean has always been a great source of inspiration for me, there's something about it's cyclical yet completely spontaneous nature that I find very human.

Tides is a work of dance theatre, a convention where narrative and acting form the basis of the choreography and the movement is an abstraction of everyday action.

The works I have choreographed in the show focus on different elements of the human condition from anxiety to elevation.

These have been uttered into the crashing waves of history countless times like the waves which lap at our ankles over and over.

The movement in Tides is predominantly minimal and repeated. I wanted to emulate the way tides are recurrent yet two waves have never crashed the same.

WAVE

Deep, dark undertoe.

Washing machine chaos.

I wait to hear my breath.

SWELL

Swell coming up like the seaweed stench of anger.

BACH

Listen, wait, your music is my body.

COME TO ME

Tender seduction of visceral flesh.

BEACH

Memories fragment like sandcastles washing away.

UNISON

Come.... it's waiting, we are all here.

- Jesse Matthews, choreographer.

Tides - Wave (Prelude) & Swell World premiere Music by Evan J Lawson.

Prelude, Sarabande & Gigue - from Cello Suite in G major Music by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Tides - Shore World premiere Music by Evan J Lawson.

The Anchor Song (1993) Music & Lyrics by Björk, world premiere arrangement by Evan J Lawson.

Cruda Amarilli, SV 94 - from 5th Book of Madrigals (1604) Music by Claudio Monteverdi (1567 - 1643), world premiere arrangement by Evan J Lawson.

Moon Phases World premiere Music by Zela Papageorgiou For electronics and percussion

Come to Me (1993) Music & Lyrics by Björk, world premiere arrangement by Evan J Lawson.

20 min. Interval

Tides - Beach (Prelude) World premiere Music by Evan J Lawson.

O Luna Lucente - from Il Mondo della Luna (1750) Music by Joseph Haydn, Text by Carlo Goldoni, world premiere arrangement by Evan J Lawson.

Tides - Birdcall World premiere Music by Evan J Lawson.

O Mirtillo, Mirtill’anima mia, SV 95 - from 5th Book of Madrigals (1604) Music by Claudio Monteverdi (1567 - 1643), world premiere arrangement by Evan J Lawson.

Water Spirit Song (2003) Music by Ross Edwards.

Tides - Rockpool World premiere Music by Evan J Lawson.

Unison (2001) Music & Lyrics by Björk, world premiere arrangement by Evan J Lawson.

Evan J Lawson composer, musical director, singer

Jane Noonan costume

Jesse Matthews choreography, dance

Rosanne Hunt cello

Ryan Lynch clarinet, bass clarinet, cor anglais, soprano saxophone

Trea Hindley sackbut

Zela Papageorgiou percussion, composer

Tides is present by Forest Collective & Abbotsford Convent, as part of ConventLive.

Tides is supported by Creative Victoria and Regional Arts Victoria through the sustaining creative workers initiative.