James Cousins Company in East Asia
James Cousins Company takes work inspired by Murakami to Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam
Selected for the British Council’s 2013 Edinburgh Showcase, James Cousins’s latest piece, There We Have Been, takes inspiration from the troubled relationships portrayed in Haruki Murakami's bestselling novel, Norwegian Wood. Focusing on the first half of the story and the development of the relationship between the novel’s protagonist and his late best friend's girlfriend, Cousins presents a daringly intimate glimpse into a secluded world of fragile dependency. Both lyrical and intensely physical, this touching and emotionally charged 17-minute duet sees the two performers intensely folding, wrapping and balancing, with the female character never once touching the floor.
This work, together with a newly created piece Without Stars, will tour to major venues in Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City in October 2014. Together with a workshop programme offering local students training in dance techniques, the tour is designed to develop local practitioners and build audiences for high quality contemporary dance in the region.
