Hoipolloi

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Hoipolloi was a British touring theatre company committed to creating new work for theatre that imaginatively engages their audience and makes them laugh. [1] Their work includes ensemble shows such as The Doubtful Guest and My Uncle Arly, and collaborations with fictional Welsh artist "Hugh Hughes", including the shows Floating and Story of a Rabbit . [2]

Contents

History

The company was founded in 1994 by Shôn Dale-Jones (now Artistic Director) and Stefanie Müller (Associate Director). Dale-Jones and Müller met at the International Theatre School Jacques Lecoq, [3] and initially worked with other performers they had met at the school. The Lecoq approach to theatre was a large influence on the company’s work. Since 1994, Hoipolloi have created and toured 18 new shows. [2] The company was wound down in 2020 after 26 years. [4] In 2020 Shôn Dale-Jones decided to work as an independent freelance artist. Since then Dale-Jones has worked in Belgium on EVERY WORD WAS ONCE AN ANIMAL as a collaborative maker/performer with Ontroerend Goed ; co-written and recorded a radio play for BBC Radio 4, YOUR CALL, with his daughter Josie Dale-Jones; written and directed a show for teenagers in Norway (Brageteatret) called STRAIGHT FACE; worked with Metis Arts on LOVE LETTERS TO A LIVEABLE FUTURE; created and performed a live and digital version of a play, POSSIBLE, commissioned by National Theatre Wales . In 2022 Dale-Jones created STILL FLOATING, under his new company name SDJ Productions which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe at Summerhall on Aug 5th. He is currently developing an adaptation of Tolstoy’s The Snow Storm with BBC Audio Wales and a TV show, REAL RADICALS with BBC Studios.

Productions

All Hoipolloi productions were devised by the company's core artistic team, led by Artistic Director Shôn Dale-Jones, including input from the performers, with improvisation playing a large role in the creation of each show. [5] Hoipolloi shows are often highly theatrical and humorous. Shôn Dale-Jones’ interest in nonsense literature is reflected in Hoipolloi’s last two ensemble shows, The Doubtful Guest, inspired by the book of the same name by Edward Gorey, and My Uncle Arly, which was inspired by the work of Edward Lear .

Past Hoipolloi and Shôn Dale-Jones productions

Hugh Hughes

Since 2005, Hoipolloi have purported to have collaborated with the fictional Welsh artist Hugh Hughes, whose shows Floating, Story of a Rabbit and Hugh Hughes in... 360 have brought Hoipolloi success, each winning an award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Floating won a Total Theatre Award in 2006, [7] Story of a Rabbit was awarded a Fringe First in 2007 [8] [ better source needed ]and 360 received a Three Weeks Editors' Award in 2009. [9]

Hughes’ theatrical style is unusual, often involving flip-charts and power-point presentations, and sometimes resembling a lecture more than a play. [10] In 2010, the Barbican Centre commissioned Hugh and Hoipolloi to turn all three shows into a residency called The Wonderful World of Hugh Hughes. [11]

In September 2011, BBC Radio 4 broadcast Floating as an afternoon play. [12]

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References

  1. ↑ "Hoipolloi". Archived from the original on 2008-12-24. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  2. 1 2 "Our work : Hoipolloi". Archived from the original on 2020-02-16. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  3. ↑ http://www.watfordtheatre.co.uk/pl94cast.html%5B%5D
  4. ↑ "Hoipolloi - Annual Report".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ "FAQs : Hoipolloi". Archived from the original on 2018-01-18. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  6. ↑ "Previous work : Hoipolloi". Archived from the original on 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  7. ↑ "Previous Total Theatre Awards Winners". TOTAL THEATRE NETWORK. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  8. ↑ "Story of a Rabbit : Hoipolloi". Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  9. ↑ Cooke, Chris; Moses, Caroline. "ThreeWeeks Edinburgh Editors' Awards 2009" . Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  10. ↑ "theatr-cymru.co.uk". Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  11. ↑ "The Wonderful World of Hugh Hughes : Hoipolloi". Archived from the original on 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  12. ↑ "Hugh Hughes in‌ Floating on BBC Radio 4 | The Wonderful World of Hugh Hughes". Archived from the original on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
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