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The Dog That Barked Like A Bird (and other tales)
Award-winning Teignmouth multimedia artist Mark Ware brings together live music, film and
theatre to present an enthralling evening of horror, humour, suspense and contemplation.
The multi-faceted production is showing at The Carlton Theatre, Teignmouth from Wednesday
March 2nd until Saturday March 5th at 7.30 p.m. each evening.
The surreal video composition, The Dog That Barked Like A Bird, is developed from the artist’s diary
following a severe stroke in 1996. It is an expression of Mark’s early attempts to understand altered
subjective experience caused by changes in mind and body, and offers meaning relevant to us all.
The film has attained international acclaim, and Oscar-winning writer Alan Bennett describes it as
“an extraordinary piece of work”.
George Robertson composed the music for the film, and it was performed by Patricia Calnan
(violin) George Robertson (viola) and Nick Cooper (cello).
Free Speech is a dark, comedic monologue for stage, performed by Simon Harvey. It explores
notions of good and evil, diminished responsibility and punishment, through a series of bizarre,
sometimes banal and occasionally horrific observations.
Simon Harvey has worked extensively in theatre, television and film. He has appeared in many
television series, including Coronation Street, The Bill, Thin Ice and Redcap. He played the Sphinx in
the 2005 film Mirrormask.
Live music will be performed by singer and trumpeter Jerri Hart, who recently appeared as the “one
man house band” on BBC Radio 4’s The Wondermentalist Cabaret.
The theatre foyer will house an exhibition of Mark Ware’s digital artwork relating to themes
explored in the play and the film.
These multiple elements combine seamlessly to provide an utterly incredible experience.
“Mark is an inspiration to all and an important voice that deserves to be and should be heard. He
is truly an artist for the 21st century”. (Steven Brown, Royal Exchange Theatre Company.)
“This is a stunning piece of work... I have never seen - know I never will see – stories told in this
way”
(Marc Wellin, Director, Mothlight Pictures INC, Chicago.)
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“Totally engrossing, enlightening and fascinating” (Chloe Barker, Communications Officer, Arts
Council South East.)
Mark Ware
Mark Ware received a First-class Honours Degree for his studies in Fine Art in England followed by a
Master of Fine Arts at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Subjects included Sculpture, Media
(photography, film and video production), Performance, and Film History. He has received several
awards including a Fulbright Scholarship for his studies in the USA.
Mark Ware is currently a Patron for the InterAct Reading Charity and was the winner of the 2010
Stroke Association Life After Stroke (Adult Courage) Award.
For information on the InterAct Reading Service, please visit: www.interactreading.org/
InterAct Reading Service is dedicated to supporting stroke recovery by using professional actors to
deliver a live and interactive reading service to people who have had a stroke in hospitals and at
stroke clubs.
For information on The Stroke Association Life After Stroke Awards, please visit:
http://www.stroke.org.uk/campaigns/life_after_stroke_awards/winners_archive/2010_winners/in
dex.html
Simon Harvey
Simon Harvey plays the part of Victor in the play, Free Speech. Simon studied acting at Arts
Educational School in London and has since worked extensively in theatre and television. His TV
credits include Coronation Street, Casualty, Redcap, Dalziel & Pascoe, The Bill, Thin Ice, Doctors and
In Line of Beauty as well as many episodes of Chucklevision! Theatre includes Aladdin on Tour with
the Chuckle Brothers, The Winter’s Tale and Hard Times for Compass Theatre Company, See How
They Run at the Oldham Coliseum, Charlotte’s Web at The Watermill, Newbury and Making It Up at
the Manchester Library Theatre. Films include Mirrormask for Miramax Pictures and Dolphins for
Total Film Productions.
See: www.imdb.com/name/nm0367719/
Amy Farr
Amy is currently studying Maths, English Literature, Biology and Chemistry at South Devon College.
She studies Ballet at Deborah Bond Dance Academy and helps with performing arts classes at the
Music Mill, focusing predominantly on music and dancing. She has appeared in a variety of
performances, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, and a number
of singing and dancing roles. In the future she hopes to study performing arts to degree level at
either the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, or Mountview Academy.
Patricia Calnan (violin)
Patricia studied at the Royal Academy of Music with David Martin and completed her studies under
the guidance of Helen Airoff- Dowling. She is a former member of Trio Zingara and later leader of
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the Lyric Quartet, who have achieved critical acclaim for their recordings and their concerts in the
UK and abroad.
Sir Neville Mariner CBE said, “A Quartet of very gifted musicians producing an ensemble of
remarkable vitality and maturity. Lyric indeed!!!”
A winner of the Mozart Memorial Prize, she has broadcast frequently on BBC Radio 3 and has
performed concertos with conductors such as Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Sir Charles Groves, James
Loughran and Ivan Fisher in venues including the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, the
Barbican, the Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room. Her 1610 violin is made by Giovanni Paolo
Maggini.
George Robertson (Composer of original score for The Dog That Barked Like A Bird, and viola)
Scottish born George studied at the Royal College of Music, London, under a Caird Scholarship.
Early in his career he was a member of the BBC Symphony, Bath Festival and Philharmonia
Orchestras, working with Kempe, Klemperer and Menuhin before going to play principal viola in the
Bergen Symphony Orchestra, then with Celebidache in the Stockholm Radio Orchestra. Returning to
London in 1966, he rejoined the New Philharmonia until 1977, when he began freelance work,
recording for films and television and playing with many chamber groups. He has recorded the
complete works for solo viola by Max Reger for ASV records. George has played on an astounding
number of film sessions, including the James Bond and Harry Potter films, The Golden Compass,
Gulliver’s Travels, Black Swan and Gnomeo and Juliet, to name but a few. He also works with
Paloma Faith and Robbie Williams, and has worked with The Beatles, George Michael and Oasis.
Nick Cooper (cello)
Nick Cooper is the cellist with Trans4mation - a string quartet collaborating with John Surman. They
have recorded two critically acclaimed albums for ECM, Corruscating and Spaces In Between. Nick is
also cellist with Gavin Bryars Ensemble, and with Solid Strings who record for the Village Life label,
and work with such artists as Jim Hall, Kurt Elling, Stan Sulzmann, Tony Hymas, Guy Barker and
Paloma Faith.
He has toured for the Contemporary Music Network with New York jazz trio Equal Interest, and
with saxophonist, the late Michael Brecker. He has also recorded and toured for the Michael
Nyman Band, and with German jazz clarinetist Michael Reissler.
He has credits as solo cellist on several film scores, including on Stephen Warbeck's music for
William and Miguel; Un Balcon Sur La Mer; and There Be Dragons. He played on Gary Yershon's
score for Another Year and David Ferguson's music for Dark Adapted Eye.
Previous incarnations have seen Nick as a member of the London Symphony Orchestra, as cellist in
the Balanescu String Quartet and with Chris Wood's innovative folk trio. He has appeared as
concerto soloist at London's South Bank and toured the Soviet Union performing with the
Leningrad State Chamber Orchestra.
Jerri Hart
Jerri Hart recently appeared as the “one man house-band” on BBC Radio 4’s The Wondermentalist
Cabaret. In addition to his musical and cabaret performances, Jerri has also won awards as a film
maker for his short films, the last of which included a performance by Michael Barrymore. He is
currently in the early development stages of writing his first feature film. Despite his many talents
and accolades he is understated, describing himself as, “Your average, balding, penniless, slightly
disabled 47 year old single parent.”
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See: www.Jerrihart.com
Text written by Kate Roberts: 01626 777930 / 07857668311
Tickets are available from The Carlton Theatre box office- 01626 778991, priced at £7.50 (£5.00
students)