Archival CV - Richard James Allen
LIVE WORKS: TEXT/DANCE/PERFORMANCE WORKS
Written by Richard James Allen
Directed and Choreographed by
Richard James Allen and Karen Pearlman
(~ except at noted)
THAT WAS FAST, TASDANCE OR PHYSICAL TV Productions
(~ except at noted)
2009 DO AVATARS DREAM OF HUMAN SLEEP?
A Short Sweet + Dance Presentation
A ‘mixed reality’ (real life and Second Life) performance work with thirteen dancers interacting across live and projected performance spaces.
Director, Choreographer
Review
• “One of the highlights of the evening was the extraordinary Richard James Allen's 'Do Avatars Dream of Human Sleep'. It combined both computer generated imagery and on stage performance in a terrific blended world where they interact and the boundaries are blurred. It begins with computer work but then curly haired, lion - like Allen catapults suited but barefoot onto the stage. At times the choreography for the rather large cast was quite sculptural and there were some spectacular solos for Allen. More please!"
Lynne Lancaster, ArtsHub
2008 THIS HEART ATTACK
Choreographer
Choreography for six dancers performing live with Faker at Acer Arena at the 2008 ARIA Awards.
• Broadcast on Channel TEN (webpage).
Review
• "Faker's spirited rendition of 'This Heart Attack' looked amazing,
with an electrifying set of dancing skeletons in the background." ninemsn.com.au
2008 EDITING IS A FORM OF CHOREOGRAPHY
A presentation at the Australian Screen Editors Guild Awards
A dance demonstration of ideas in Cutting Rhythms: Shaping the Film Edit (Focal Press, 2009) written, directed and introduced by Karen Pearlman, performed by Grace Stewart, and choreographed by Richard James Allen.
Choreographer
2005 THE VISITANTS
A piece commissioned by the Dirty Feet, a collective of Sydney based contemporary dancers
2002 RUBBERMAN’S DICTIONARY
“Richard James Allen is Australia's most successful performance poet - having achieved high artistic recognition in all three fields of performance poet, performance and poetry. In performance poetry Richard has made a unique contribution through his integration of the live performance of poetry with dance and yoga in a number of significant works.”
Nick Sykes, Secretary of the Poets Union Inc., 1995-1998,
and author of “Manifesto for an Australian Oral Poetry”.
2001 ARMISTICE
2000 THE RELIC
“The ultimate performance poem.”
An Audience Member, Friend in Hand Hotel, Glebe, Sydney.
1996 NEW LIFE ON THE 2ND FLOOR:
THE FRIGHTENING OF ANGELS
13 ACTS OF UNFULFILLED LOVE
THE HOPE MACHINE
"The effect of the three pieces together is of seeing living beings choosing vibrancy and hope, having been exposed to a range of forces both life-giving and destructive."
Angela Rockell, Real Time
1994 WHAT TO NAME YOUR BABY, 1995 SAM IN A PRAM
“Naming your baby can be as hard emotionally as labor is physically.”.
Dulcie Leimbach, The New York Times
"A multi-media funfest and think tank all rolled into one."
Jeff Hockley, The Examiner
"A whirlwind of magnificent dance…superbly choreographed.”
The Advocate
"Bustling yet sweet."
Bill Deresiewicz, Dancemagazine
1993 BRIDGE
"To craft the myriad jagged fragments of madness into a...mosaic containing beauty, wisdom and humour is an admirable feat."
Dennis Nicholson, Mattoid
1992 REHEARSALS FOR HEAVEN
"Pearlman and Allen's work is utterly distinctive in its seamless and effortless intertwining of voice and dance...I was impressed with the ease with which Pearlman and Allen transformed a large group of students into an effective, collaborative team. The work combined everyday movements, dance and a range of vocal forms into an engaging experience for performers and audience. Pearlman and Allen are excellent teachers."
Keith Gallasch, Co-Director, Open City
1992 MORE SEX
"Thanks also for Excerpts from the World. It seems to me that you are engaged in a unique project and am looking forward to its further developments."
Don Mamouney, Artistic Director, Sidetrack Performance Group
1992 HOPE AND LUCK
"All concerned were intrigued and delighted at the idea of having on campus a cross-media dance company which brings to play theater, dance and poetry...We consider that your stay here amply fulfilled their high expectations. Your cross-media poetry reading of Excerpts from the World, your workshops, and your performance of Blue Cities were entertaining and thought-provoking events."
Henry S. Albinski, Director, Australian and New Zealand Studies Centre,
The Pennsylvania State University
1990 PLAN AHEAD
"As a study in madness, it's terrifying."
Deborah Jowitt, The Village Voice
1990 LUCK
"Text and movement slide more subtly apart in Luck...shadowy but beguiling."
Deborah Jowitt, The Village Voice
1988 HOTELS
"A wild romp."
Jack Anderson, The New York Times
1987 ON ARCHAEOLOGY: A DISCOURSE ON THEATRE
An Entr'Acte Theatre Production, premiered at The Performance Space, Sydney, 1987.
Director: Nick Tsoutas. Richard James Allen: Contributor to script.
1987 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER: OVER TEN MILLION COPIES SOLD
"Real harmony of poetry and dance without making either art imitate the other."
Jack Anderson, The New York Times
1987 ALPHABET x 2
"Stunning."
Paul Bloch, Commonwealth Times
"So ferociously watchable...their developing style...has an exhilaratingly wide reach, a willingness to juxtapose patterns and pace...in clever variety."
Mary Brennan, Glasgow Herald
1987 THE LAUGHING MOVIE
"The quirky choreography, as full of delightful non sequiturs as Mr. Allen's tantalizing poems, proposes a dizzying number of ideas and images that click into place for an instant, like a film run fast forward, or a kaleidoscope."
Susan F. Hunter, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution
1986 WHITE
"Powerful images of love, torment, exhaustion and pain."
Marcia Urban, The Coastline News
1985 THINK TOO MUCH
"Exhilarating for its speed, energy and attack."
Jill Sykes, The Sydney Morning Herald
1985 AMERICA
"Moving...courageous...never flagged for an instant."
Nancy Jack Todd, The Falmouth Enterprise
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