a smith

a smith is the working name of Andy Smith, a UK born theatre maker and performance artist based in Oslo since 2006. He began using the name in 2001 to ask questions of authorship and craftsmanship in contemporary practice, and in an attempt to create a space around the work for the audience that might see it. Recent solo works include The Ibsen Hut (2006) for Nationaltheatret, Norway and Innvandrer (2007).

He is a regular collaborator with the UK-based writer and performer Tim Crouch, developing and co-directing his plays An Oak Tree and ENGLAND, a play for galleries which received three awards at The Edinburgh Festival last year. Both of these productions are now touring worldwide. This team is also currently developing the author, a commission for The Royal Court Theatre, London, which will premiere in October 2009. Other recent collaborations include hvor er du? an interactive work for young people with Amund Sjølie Sveen, Transitt (2006) with Ning Ensemble, ME NO YOU (2007) and Pappa Pust (2008) with performance artist Rasmus Jørgensen.

MUSIC is a short work that has grown out of my work as a director on other projects with Ning. It is a personal response: to what I see as being some of their concerns and interests as a company, and what I think a piece of music theatre might be. Above all it is an attempt for us (performers and audience) to explore and examine some of the phenomena of music and theatre together.

I think it’s good that music and theatre combine in most various ways. Even better is if they are able to combine successfully: inform each other, play off each other, and convince me as an audience member that they should be here onstage together, which is not often the case. If I would want to combine them I would start by asking myself: Should they be combined? Why? What might the result be? Is that a good thing? Is it possible? I would then begin, making sure throughout the process that I return to these questions, both in order to keep it that way and to remain convinced that the combination is a good one.

www.asmithontheinternet.com