Vox Motus talk silent Dragons...

Dragon was a massive hit for Vox Motus and the NTS in 2013. It's still touring too: the magic of physical theatre is that there is no need for a translation. I managed to chat with the director, Candice Edmunds, who not only interpreted Oliver Emanuel's script that saved the companies a bunch of cash, but was warmly received by the critics and young people. Here's the full transcript...

Every Vox Motus show seems to introduce a new set of techniques! What do you have lined up for the one?

Dragon is a story told without words so it has been a great excuse to really go to town on our visual techniques. I hope it's a show that keeps surprising you with new ideas. Puppetry is very central to the story. Likewise what I hope are our trademark inventive choreographic sequences. The original music for this show - by composer Tim Phillips - is also fundamental to the storytelling. He has written a beautiful epic score to help us tell our story.


How did you involve a fellow southsider, Oliver Emanuel on script duties - and given the nature of this performance, where does a script writer come into the process?

The very first step on the journey of this production was to engage the right writer. We knew we wanted a detailed, nuanced story but no dialogue. And that is exactly what Oliver Emanuel has delivered. He has also brought a great deal of his own personal experiences to Dragon.

The script does not look like a traditional script, but it feels like it has been written just for Jamie and I.
Oliver found a language and style that really helped fire our imaginations and managed to commit that to paper. It's been a very rewarding collaboration and a very unique process.

And finally - the show is aged at nine plus, putting it in that difficult all ages category. Is this a show that will work for adults as well as teenagers, or are you aiming for a younger audience?

'Nine plus' is simply an indication that there are dark themes within the work that an audience any younger might find distressing. It is by no means prescriptive. Our protagonist, Tommy, is a young teenager, and this is a story about his experience of the world. We have found that the slick, visual style of Vox Motus' work has always appealed to teenagers and adults alike. Dragon is really an opportunity to widen our audience, not limit it.