Listen to a sample scene from the original version of Susurrus here

4 August - 6 September 2009, Assembly @ Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh Fringe (click links to book)

: : : (British Council and Made in Scotland showcases)

10 - 27 September 2009, Botanic Gardens Oxford, with Oxford Playhouse

10, 11 & 17, 18 October 2009, Milanoltre Festival, Milan

Written and directed by David Leddy

Performed by Stewart Ennis, Paul Thomas Hickey, Karen Ramsey and Wendy Seager

Recorded and mixed by Michael Lancaster

Map artwork by Laura Molloy

Audiences follow a map around an exquisite botanic garden as they listen to the piece on MP3 player and headphones. They are even given umbrellas if the weather looks dodgy!

Susurrus is a play without actors, without a stage and with only one person in the audience. You. It is part radio play, part avant-garde sonic art, part lesson in bird dissection and part stroll in the park. The listener hears snippets about opera, memorial benches and botany which fit together into a mournful and poignant story of love and loss which is "a sensual reinterpretation of A Midsummer Nights' Dream with a contemporary edge" (The List).

Susurrus was first presented to great acclaim and sell-out audiences at Glasgow’s botanic gardens in 2006. It was later mentioned by both The Guardian and The Scotsman as one of their top arts events of the year. The original version was written and directed by David Leddy, performed by Stewart Ennis, David Leddy, Gabriel Quigley and Karen Ramsey, recorded by Diana Simpson with map artwork by Laura Molloy. It ran 26 June – 22 July 2006 as part of Bard In The Botanics in the Botanic Gardens, Glasgow. It was supported by the Playwrights' Studio Scotland.

PRESS QUOTES:

* * * * "The brilliance of David Leddy's Susurrus… is both a clever refraction of Shakespeare's themes and a distinct drama in it's own right." The Guardian

* * * * "Exsquisitely realised" The Herald

* * * * "A magical blend of sorrow, anger, compassion, excellent writing and magnificent music." The Scotsman

Pick of the Fringe 2009 - "Beautiful... site-specific genius David Leddy" The Scotsman

Pick of the Fringe 2009 - The Guardian

"A sensual reinterpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream with a contemporary edge" The List

SOUND FILES:

Listen to an excerpt from Susurrus here

IMAGES:

David editing Susurrus texts on the wall of his living room (!) :

SUSURRUS - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR PROMOTERS

Susurrus is a flexible, site-based piece which is most commonly presented in botanic gardens, private gardens or public parks. It can also be rewritten for other spaces. In Milan, for example, it will be shown in the halls and cloisters of the converted monastery of Leonardo Da Vinci museum. There are three basic options in presenting the piece:

1. A generic version suitable for most parks or botanic gardens (available immediately, most cost-effective for the promoter).

2. A newly recorded site-specific version produced by Fire Exit (additional costs to promoter for rewriting and recording)

3. A newly recorded translation in a foreign language, produced by the promoter.

Fire Exit / David Leddy provides:

: : MP3 files of the piece itself

: : Specifically designed artwork and programme artwork for each site

: : Generic signage artwork for any site.

: : Consultation on the most effective way of running the piece

: : Script / programmes of the generic piece can also be provided for sale to the public

Promoter provides:

: : MP3 players and headphones to Fire Exit spec - usually iPod shuffle 1GB (approx £30) and Sennheiser HD201 headphone (approx £15). Some promoters get a sponsor to provide this equipment. Numbers of players depends on projected audience demand. Promoters commonly provide 20-30 sets, but this is flexible. More sets can easily be purchased during the run if audience demand increases.

: : Travel, per diems and good-quality accommodation for two trips (one research site visit and one final set-up) by one person (usually David Leddy himself)

: : On-site staffing for set-up and day-to-day running of the piece (often covered by internal staff at the venue if they are brought in as a co-presenter)

: : Copying of maps and programmes (usually A3 photocopy on green paper)

: : A4 signage (photocopied and laminated on green paper) and ground-stakes (often not necessary in smaller gardens)

To discuss availability email:

info ['at' symbol] DavidLeddy [dot] com