The Arrival

A Tamasha and Circus Space collaboration

Created by Kristine Landon-Smith and Sita Brahmachari
Inspired by the graphic novel by Shaun Tan

This spring, we begin the countdown to our 2012 show: a theatre-circus production based on Shaun Tan’s graphic novel The Arrival.

When Kristine was first given a copy of Tan's book in 2005, she was immediately inspired. Through images alone, we follow a migrant who bids farewell to his family to begin a new life in strange country. Interweaving stories of hope, fear, persecution and new beginnings, Tan creates a surreal and fantastical world of alien creatures, strange encounters and shapeshifting buildings.

Tamasha is developing the show into a unique theatre-circus production in collaboration with circus artists from the north London school, The Circus Space - see the photographs from the most recent workshop here. To widen the pool of performers for this show, we are also running a two-week circus training course specifically for black, Asian and minority ethnic performers - click here.
 

Artist Commissions

As part of The Arrival project, Tamasha will be offering artist commissions in each of the three years leading up to the production in 2012. Each will explore the imagery in the book and add layers of material and interpretation to the show as it develops. We're delighted to announce that the first commission has been awarded to sound and visual artists, Oswaldo Macia and Juan Toledo - click here to find out more.