New Adventures |

Leading company members, Steve Kirkham and Madeleine Brennan made history recently when they led workshops with professional actors, dancers and young people in Bosnia, at the invitation of Theatre Director, Haris Pasovic of the East West Centre in Sarajevo http://www.eastwest.ba

Haris, Maddy and Steve in Sarajevo

Over 4 days Steve and Maddy introduced the work of New Adventures and re:bourne for the first time. The visit created quite a buzz within the theatre and dance world, local and national press and seems to have created an appetite for New Adventures and the work of Matthew Bourne.

Maddy Brennan speaks of an unforgettable week...

"What an incredible time Steve and I had in Sarajevo! From the outset we were made to feel so welcome by Haris, Ismar and all the students. It seems that they have a real thirst for cultural and artistic contact from outside the country.

Chatting with Haris I got the impression that he has an uphill battle with state theatre and all the bureaucracy that entails; particularly with the sort of work he wants to produce. It seems that he is passionately committed to exposing all the children, students and professionals he works with to as much exciting and different work from all over Europe as he can.

I found it so moving to be in a country which has come through so much with such resilience and managed to maintain its optimism and hope despite living and surviving in such horrific conditions. Some of the stories we heard were overwhelming. What was so wonderful was how excited and thrilled everybody was about us being there and I spent a lot of the week with a lump the size of an egg in my throat!

As regards the work we covered during the week everybody threw themselves into it with so much enthusiasm particularly the 50 children we had every evening, ranging in age from 7 to 16!!

I have to say, that it felt like a life-changing week for me and really made me re-evaluate my own thoughts about how spoilt we are over here with the choices that are available to us, that we completely take for granted.

Steve and I both had a fantastic time and felt that it could not have gone better and I think Haris felt the same. It felt like we made more than just a work connection and we hope to maintain a great relationship with him and The EastWest Theatre Company.

This was incredible week. I'll remember it always"