Locus Amoenus – ATRESBANDES theatre company
Every step we take, we are struggling to reach paradise, an idyllic place where everyday problems disappear. We dream about our vision of paradise, struggling to get a little closer. This struggle is a journey and we often forget to look at the landscape along the way.
Three strangers meet on a train, not knowing that in one hour, the train will crash and they will all die. Their attempts to connect and communicate lead to misunderstandings as they race towards their final destination.
ATRESBANDES theatre company from Barcelona have rapidly established a reputation as creators of sharp, perceptive work for international audiences. They have won numerous awards including Best Direction at Skena Up 2014 in Kosovo for Locus Amoenus and First Prize and Audience Prize at BE Festival 2012 for Solfatara.
Next UK dates:
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017, Summerhall, 15 – 27 August.
Locus Amoenus toured the UK in 2016 and is available for bookings in 2018.
Devised and performed by: Mònica Almirall Batet, Miquel Segovia Garrell, Albert Pérez Hidalgo
Voice recordings: Iara Solano Arana, Sammy Metcalfe
Lighting design: Alberto Rodríguez
Sound design: Joan Solé
Producers: Sarah-Jane Watkinson (UK) and Nùria Segovia Garrell (Spain)
About the piece
Locus Amoenus takes its title from a Latin term meaning “pleasant place”, characterised in literature and visual arts throughout history as a sunlit glade or meadow. The piece explores the notion of paradise through the meeting of three strangers travelling on a train. Performed mostly in English, the dialogue and action interacts with projected text, that acts both as a narrator and as a guide to the inner lives of the characters, revealing their future hopes and past disappointments. It was created in a series of residencies at mac, Birmingham, awarded when the company won both the Jury Prize at BE Festival in 2012 for Solfatara. The building at mac is surrounded by beautiful parkland and provided the company with the inspiration to create their own locus amoenus.
More about ATRESBANDES here: www.atresbandes.com
Best Direction, Skena Up Festival 2014, Kosovo
Nominated for BBVA Theatre Prize, Barcelona 2015
“Meticulous … impeccably staged.” ★★★★ The Stage
“Thought-provoking, inventive and persistently funny.” British Theatre Guide
“Quirky and completely charming … very fine indeed.” Manchester Theatre Awards
“Accomplished and delightful” ★★★★ Bouquets and Brickbats
“Endearing and enjoyable” The State of the Arts
“As hauntingly beautiful as it is genuinely honest and relatable.” ★★★★★ The New Current
Locus Amoenus was created in partnership with Festival TNT – Terrassa Noves Tendències/CAET with additional support from ICEC, mac Birmingham, BE Festival, Institut Ramon Llull, CC Can Felipa, CC Navas and VESC.
