Something completely different! (From Swindon Advertiser)

Something completely different!

10:00am Wednesday 30th August 2006 in News By Stephanie Tye

STUDENTS from New College are planning to wow audiences with one of their most extravagant theatrical displays ever.

And with one of the shows taking place inside a specially designed 16ft by 16ft bird cage, audiences should be prepared to suspend their disbelief.

The Innovation Festival, which takes place at the college from September 19, promises to push theatre, directing and acting to new limits.

And director, former student Dan-Alex Butt, hopes that his final production with New College allows Swindon to see theatre as an interactive world.

"I felt I wanted to end my six-year run of opening the Phoenix Theatre season with a big bang," said the 21-year-old picture below, left.

"So I decided that instead of directing just one show, I would direct five."

Dan, who is the founder of theatre company Danuki Grasshopper, has attracted the attention of both the theatrical and television worlds with his innovative form of movement, Staccato.

It even landed the director a part as a Cyberman in Doctor Who, where he came face to face with Swindon's own Billie Piper, who played Rose Tyler.

The festival is made up of five colourful shows all centred on the theme of communication.

It opens with Sad Syd, a story based on the life of a real cockatiel named Syd, who wants to be free but cannot communicate with his owner.

It is followed by Filthy Norman, the story of people labelled geeks and isolated from society, and Space Relations, which is designed to tackle the shape of the world today.

The second week of the festival kicks off with Humdrum - a human experiment where four people are locked in a room and pushed to insanity.

"I wanted to take four people who hated society and put them in a room together," said Dan.

"They hate people enough as it is and being locked in a room with them would surly push their temper and tolerance. It was also important to show how society can be shut away from these people."

The final show of the festival is an interpretation of the life and works of the painter Jack Vettriano.

The Innovation Festival kicks off on September 19 with Sad Syd.

Tickets for the shows cost £3.50 except for the Filthy Norman/Space Relations double bill, which costs £4 to see both performances.

All of the shows will be performed in the Phoenix Theatre, New College.

Tickets can be reserved at www.danukigrasshopper.com