creations
choreographer | Movement Director | Creative director
Sophie has created work for dance, theatre, circus, musicals and film, and strives to develop inclusve, accessible work fusing her diverse skillset. Her contemporary style brings with it comedy, physicallity and strong imagary, and reaches a diverse audience range.
NORTH X NORTH
Ongoing projects starting in September 2022. A collaboration with John Ross.
Visit www.northxnorth.co.uk for further details and upcoming opportunities.
The Drop 0.1 | Building Blocks, An Exhibition Of Sound
(2023)
Dundee Rep Theatre, Dundee, Scotland
Role: Creative Director
fetele pelican
PREMIERED: October 6th 2022
TEATRU NOTARRA, BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
Role: Choreographer / Movement Director .
Translation: Monica Andronescu
Director: Horia Suru
Set and Costume: Doina Levintza
Composer: Petre Ancuta
Make-up artist: Alexandru Abagiu
Graphic Design: Victor Diaconu
Lighting design: Mircea Mitroi
Written By The Wardrobe Ensamble
Currently play at Teatrul Notarra, Bucharest | Click here for next showing >>>
Fetele Pelican Page | Teatrul Notarra’s Website | Click here to view >>>
Imagine a house with pink walls, a fireplace on which a Frida Kahlo painting is hung, with Buddha statues and shelves full of books written by Simone de Beauvoir and Sylvia Plath... The Pelican family lived in this big house. A mother with an overwhelming personality, four daughters marked for life by the way she draws the reality around them and a son who finds it difficult to find his place in this female universe. A family story, in which, on their mother's birthday, the heirs gather in the old house to celebrate her…as truths begin to emerge. Love, couple problems, infertility, feminism, betrayals in love, the rush for inheritance, the redefinition of art in the 21st century and, above all, the hypocrisy that hides in family relationships, you will find it all in Pelican Girls. A story about a modern family. A story where serious things are discussed with crazy humor over a glass (or 6) of prosecco.
Letiția – Crenguța Hariton, Indra – Isabela Neamțu, Sonia – Sorina Ștefănescu, Maya – Alexandra Murăruș, Iasmina – Victoria Cociaș, Danni – Alexandru Mike Gheorghiu, Dodo – Șerban Gomoi / Rareș Andrici, Aurora – Anda Caropol, Lara / Avocata – Mihaela Subțirică, Luca – Răzvan Bănică
Currently playing
SI LINISTEA ARE PULZ
(2019)
Teatrul Andre Muresanu, Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania
“The show runs in the dictated cadence not only of music but also by the choreography of Sophie Duncan.”
The is adaptation of the play, ‘Even Stillness Breathes Softly Against A Brick Wall’ by Brad Birch, follows 3 young couples facing the monotony of their day to day existance almost entirely narrated by themselves. The slow build up of tention, love, lust and life acts as a great reflection on to modern society and cubical working lives which eventually leads to their meltdown.
Originally created for just 2 actors, this forth collaboration with Director Horia Suru pushed the idea of the forth wall physically and technically with carefully choreographed movements in space in which actors move through a house with their sound travelling with them. The immersive concept of the show asks the audience to move and travel freely in the space, choosing which character they prefer to watch.
Premiered: 7th March, 2019
Role: Choreographer / Movement Direction
Director: Horia Suru
Set Design: Romulus Boicu
Written by Brad Birch
Shows: Monthly | Audience: 80 | Cast: 9 Actors
ZIUA RECUNOSTINSTE
(2019)
Teatru Toma Caragiu, Ploiest, Romania
Although it is the fifth collaboration with Director Horia Suru, this is the first show created for the Revista Theatre - the Romanian equivalent of cabaret / variety style performance. The show will feature dancers, actors and singers in the well respected Teatru Toma Caragiu, in Ploiesti, around 40minutes from the National Capital, Bucuresti. The original concept follows the story of a group of artists, auditioning for a new production due to premier in China. Each artist has their moment in the spotlight, causing catty squabbles, one-upmanship and comedy throughout. With a score of adapted, well known music including funk, folk, swing and pop, played by the theatre’s resident live band, the show aims to revive the Revista style to a modern day audience.
Role: Choreographer
Direction: Horia Suru
Set Design: Romulus Boicu
Musical Arrangement: Petre Ancuta
Written by Daniel Chirilla
AMPHITRYON 38
(2016)
Teatru Municipal Bacovia, Bacau, Romania
Based on the Greek legend of Zeus' rape of Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon, illustrates that neither the wiles of men nor the caprices of gods are effective against the constancy of devotion of a wife (Alkmena.) Jupiter attempts to rape Alkmena but discovers he must reckon with a woman far too intelligent to be led astray by passion.
Shows: Monthly Audience Per Show: 230 Cast: 6 Actors, 3 Dancers
Role: Choreographer / Movement Director
Director: Horia Suru
Set Design: Cristian Marin
Original Script: Jean Giraudoux
IN CREATION
JINGAH!
(2021)
The Squire Theatre , Nottingham, UK
Role: Choreographer / Assistant Director / Acrobatic Designer
Director / Composers: Chloe Charody & Duncan Townsend
Written by Chloe Charody & Duncan Townsend
In 2018, together with City Arts Nottingham, Chloé Charody Creations successfully secured funding from Arts Council England to create a free community and education-based production of JINGAH!. However, the unexpected delays caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic have now led to what is called “The JINGAH! Project”.
The JINGAH! Project has been developing for the last 2 years which has seen London based puppet & costume making company Mandinga Arts turn Maxim Krioukov’s design of Patrick Poppywopple into a 4-meter high interactive puppet; Nottingham-based artist Jessica Kemp turn Maxim’s design of The Evil Thorny Vine into a 6-meter high aerial puppet controlled by an aerial singer, two violinists, a cellist and contortionist; students from Nottingham Trent University create JINGAH!’s set; Chloé & Duncan finish JINGAH!’s songs, Chloé compose JINGAH!’s elaborate orchestral score, choreographer Sophie Duncan develop JINGAH!’s choreography and our partners City Arts Nottingham engage children in Nottingham (whose exposure to high quality arts is limited) in JINGAH!’s outreach programme.
A prototype show was presented in September 2021, to a great response, and is currently in the process of potentially being presented again in early 2023, on a much large scale.
PAST Productions
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Theatre Anthony Hopkins, Theatr Clwyd, Mold, Wales
(2021)
Role: Assistant Director
Director: Tamara Harvey
Designer: Adrian Gee
Choreographer: Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster
Lighting Designer: Johanna Town
Sound Designer: Matthew Williams
Musical Director: Akintayo Akinbode
Fight Directors: Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown of Rc-Annie Ltd
Casting Director: Kay Magson CDG
Written by Christian Patterson
Beauty is funny, smart and ready to rock,
The Beast is grumpy, hairy and in for a shock!
Will the curse be lifted?
Will all turn out well?
Can love save the day?
Only time will tell!
Theatr Clwyd’s acclaimed rock ’n’ roll panto written by Wales’ Christian Patterson (Jack and The Beanstalk, Dick Whittington) is back, with bonkers frocks, dazzling sets and the anarchic panto puppets!
This production was Sophie’s first step into the world of Pantomime, and the first full production created after the 2020/21 COVID pandemic.
Shows: 50 Audience per show: Up to 600 Cast: 10 Actor / Musicians
COLUMBINUS
(2016)
TEATRU MUNICIPAL BAIA MARE, BAIA MARE, ROMANIA
WINNER: Best Show @ National Theatre Bucharest's Teen Fest 2017
Role: Choreographer
Director: Horia Suru
COLUMBINUS is the true story of the events that took place at Columbine High School on the 20th April 1999. Two young men, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, both months from graduation, shot and killed 12 students and 1 teacher, and injuring 21 others during the rampage. In addition to the shootings, the complex and highly planned attack involveding diversions , bombs set in numerous locations and a multitude. After the massacre, the pair committed suicide.
The show is currently playing monthly at Teatru Municipal Baia Mare, the show features real footage from Eric and Dylan, CCTV from the school, news broadcasts and 991 recordings.
Shows: monthly Audience per show: 250 Cast: 8 Actors
LODDO
(2015)
MACAU DESIGN CENTRE, MACAU S.A.R., CHINA
Role: Choreographer / Director
Loddo was a hugely successful charity event featuring 12 acts including dance, acrobatics, banqin, contortion, aerial hoop, juggling, singing and live music. Sophie created several pieces in the show, footage of which you can see on the SHORT WORKS page. She also directed the show and organised a variety of ways to help raise money for The Samaritians Hong Kong, after the unfortuate death of a colleague. All the pieces in the show were performed by current cast members of The House Of Dancing Water, and over 50 crew and helped with the running of this fabulous event. By the end of the evening, over 35,000HKD (£3100) was raised and thanks to its huge success, it it due to be repeated again this coming summer, by a new team of House Of Dancing Water employees.
Shows: 1 Audience: 200 Cast: 24
EPIDEMIC
(2012)
OLD VIC TUNNELS, LONDON, ENGLAND
Role: Assistant Choreographer
Director: Alexander Ferris Producer: Steve Winters Choreographer: JOHN ROSS
"Epidemic was a new musical which focused on the unreported epidemics that affect our communities; rising obesity levels, the taboo subject of mental health and the availability of information. With a diverse volunteer company made up of 43 performers, a choir of 62, five musicians, and a further 71 people volunteering backstage, Epidemic opened to the public at The Old Vic Tunnels to a total audience of over 1,600 people." - oldvictheatre.com
Shows: 14 Audience: 1600+ Cast: 43 artists, 62 choir, 5 musicians
UNSOUND
(2012)
ROBIN HOWARD THEATRE, LONDON, ENGLAND
Role: Creator / Performer
See the full piece here.
UNSOUND was adapted from Hunter S. Thompson's 1972 novel "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", with some inspiration from the 1998 film. This physical theatre piece was written, created and performed by Sophie Duncan, in collaboration with set designer Tom Blakey, to be performed for one night only at The Place's annual choreographic platform for new choreographer's Resoultions!.
Shows performed: 1 Audience: 100+ Cast: 1
DOMNULUI PROFESOR, CU DRAGOSTE
(2011)
TREATRU MARIA FILOTTI, BRAILA, ROMANIA
Role: Choreographer / Movement Director
Director: Horia Suru
Based on the 1969 film, 'To Sir, With Love', this Romanian adaptation of the classic tell the story of a classroom of delinquent teens, of whom everyone has given up on. Until, Mark Thakery, an engineer, comes as a supply teacher and changes everything. The show is gritty, rough at the edges and is the epitome of the harsh lower-class reality of post-war East London.
Shows: 78 Audience: 8000+ Cast: 24