A mesmerising 4800 seconds – New dance show stops the clock

4 August 2023
Chantry Dance present A Matter of Time

A thrilling collaboration between three innovative choreographers is bringing an exciting new dance show to audiences in Halifax.

A Matter of Time, an exciting and dramatic triple bill of dance from professional dance company Chantry Dance, is touring the UK and will play at the Victoria Theatre Halifax on Wednesday 4 October.

Chantry Dance’s co-Artistic Directors, Rae Piper and Paul Chantry, are the award-winning producers of the dance film ‘Whoever You Are’ (winner of 29 international awards, screened in Hollywood in 2022), and choreographers of the Olivier Award nominated productions of David Walliam’s ‘Gangsta Granny’ and ‘Billionaire Boy’. This year they are creating A Matter of Time in an explosive collaboration with Kristian Cunningham, who is known for his work in the Midlands as an innovative director, choreographer and producer of numerous sell-out productions.

A Matter of Time is a mesmerising triple bill exploring our relationship with time.

The three pieces are Ghost Dances - a fusion of contemporary dance and puppetry with Nicholas Maw's eponymous 1988 suite which follows a woman’s journey through time as she learns to reconcile the uncertainty of the future with the lessons of the past to fully live the present moment – a struggle we’re all familiar with. The second piece is Ariadne’s Lament which is inspired by Roman poet Catullus’ carmen 64 and conceives Ariadne as an ageing showgirl abandoned by her one love, the Theatre (Theseus). The third piece, In Time of Daffodils, is danced to Chanticleer's remarkable musical setting of ee cummings' poem of the same name. This beautiful, evocative piece is a reminder of the simple things in life and that life is about journeys not destinations - the goal of living is to grow.

The cast includes UK and European dancers who have performed in London’s West End and at the Royal Opera House.

Audience feedback from previous Chantry Dance tours includes:
“What a beautiful, strong and sensitive show. Totally moved”; "The whole story, staging, costumes, choreography and performance was electrifying and we were glued to our seats”; "Mesmerising, breath-taking & beautiful".

A Matter of Time will play at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax on Wednesday 4 October at 7:30pm. A short post-show Q&A with the cast and creative team is included.

Tickets for A Matter of Time are available from £19.25.