We sat down with Bex from Megahertz. MHz and Feral present Ruins, as part of Manipulate Festival at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre (The Studio) on Sunday 11 February, 6pm.
- Tell us about Ruins – what can we expect from the show?
Prepare to plunge into a hypnotic subterranean realm brimming with transformation, where glowing digital burrows illuminate expressive movement and ecstatic noise fills the air. Our story unfolds in a stark and unsettling environment, where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction. Yet, unbeknownst to them, a mysterious “critter brain” emerges, offering wisdom gleaned from our forgotten, compost-dwelling ancestors.
Through a collage of threads and tendrils, our production hopes to evoke the interconnectedness of humans, machines, and the environment.
2, Ruins is inspired by Donna Haraway’s eco-feminist writings – how did you find her work and are there other writers whose works inspire you?
We discovered Donna Haraway’s work through word-of-mouth recommendations from activists, artists, and our dramaturg, Lou Cope. We’re also inspired by other writers and artists, including:
- Manga and animation: Nausicaä Valley of the Wind, Junk Head animation (featured at Manipulate)
- Surrealists: Man Ray, Leonora Carrington, and Czech animator Jan Svankmajer
- Dance: Damien Jalet, Peeping Tom, Iona Kewney, and Collette Sadler
- Writers: ‘Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet,’ ‘Ghosts and Monsters of the Anthropocene’ by Anna Tsing, Octavia Butler, and ‘The Metamorphosis’ by Kafka
3. The show was co-created with movement artists Suzi Cunningham, Rita Hu and Philip Alexander – what has their work brought to Ruins?
Suzi Cunningham, Rita Hu, and Philip Alexander have made invaluable contributions to RUINS! During their auditions, we invited them to create human-critter hybrids inspired by our research. These “critters” have become integral to the show, allowing us to build entire worlds and rituals around them. Each artist brings a distinct movement vocabulary: Suzi’s Butoh, known as the “dance of darkness” explores deep emotions, while Rita’s freestyle and Philip’s live art/contemporary edge showcase both precision and passion. Their remarkable body intelligence and creative intuition have propelled our ideas to new heights. It’s even more impressive considering the limited space (the piece takes place inside an imposing 3×3 metre transparent cube) they share. Their ability to build trust and develop a shared movement language seamlessly is truly admirable.
4. Had you wanted to make a piece of environmentally conscious work for a while? Why now?
As for the environmental theme, we tend to create based on what resonates with us and our collaborators. Since the pandemic and COP26, we felt a pull towards something cathartic and gentler, although the end result is pretty intense (oops, haha!). Perhaps unconsciously, we gravitated towards writers and artists exploring themes of collectivism and metamorphosis. The ideas of “more-than-human entanglements” and the hidden wisdom residing beneath the earth (“inspired by the critter under the soils”) resonated deeply with us, sparking both excitement and visual/movement inspiration.
5. How does it feel to be part of Manipulate Festival?
We’re thrilled and a little nervous to be part of Manipulate Festival! We’ve long admired their programming, and it’s an incredible honour to be featured at this renowned Scottish festival right in our own backyard. The interdisciplinary work they consistently present excites us, and we’re deeply grateful for this opportunity to share our own creation with their audience
6. What else do you have lined up after Ruins?
We’re touring our outdoor dance parade, STRUT! It’s a super fun project where we collaborate with local communities. Through an open call, we find incredible dancers to perform solo choreographies of their choice alongside large-scale video projections and a moving sound system. Audiences can follow us in the streets or watch from their windows.
We have an upcoming show in Cumbernauld on 29th Feb and 1st March and our call out for Greater Craigmillar is now live, with a deadline of February 16th. Spread the word!
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MHz are also on the lookout for dancers to take part in STRUT: Greater Craigmillar (20-21 March). This is a paid opportunity for anyone with a passion for dance and a connection to the Craigmillar and Niddrie areas of Edinburgh. Applications close on Friday 16 February. Full application details available at www.m-hz.co.uk/strut-craigmillar