The Crook of Your Arm

June 16 and 17 2016

The Other Place Royal Shakespeare Company Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK.

Written, Directed and Performed by Shannon Holmes

With music by Kurt Weill Featuring Megan Kirwin, Cello

Artwork by Mariana Ruiz de la Orden

Special thanks to;

Dr.Caroline Radcliffe, Dr. Adam Ledger (University of Birmingham), Professor Noah Drew, (Concordia University, Montréal, Canada) and Agustin Ruiz de la Orden.

The Crook of Your Arm recounts the story of my mother’s diagnoses with Alzheimers disease and the effect it has had on my family. I had not set out to tell this story or even write this particular piece, however during my research into the use of somatic vocal methods as a means for classically trained singers to find a deeper connection to text and music in performance, this story emerged. The story began to unfold as remembered experiences while I was exploring the Kurt Weill song “Je ne t’aime pas.” I have intertwined my own personal narrative through the song as a way to open up somatic memories and emotions, transferring those memories to the expression of the written music and text. The title, The Crook of Your Arm is my translation of a line in the song “le creux de tes bras”; a familiar, intimate and safe place