Director
Markus Fischer

Music
Turnage : Blood on the Floor

Ensemble Modern
Peter Rundell (conductor)

Performers
Eva Dewaele, Bruno Guilloré (principal dancers)
Ballet of the Theater Luzern

Richard Wherlock (choreographer)


Night falls. A young woman waits alone in a railway station. She has missed her last train. The station building is crowded with strange people and becomes a symbol of her hopes and dreams, her fears and nightmares. Suddenly her loneliness changes into a frightening trip, fascinating and hypnotising. The station platforms, the waiting room and its subways reveal both the threat and the promise of unexpected erotic adventures and chance encounters with strangers...

This breathtaking dance film, by Swiss director Markus Fischer and the English choreographer Richard Wherlock, uses elements of thriller and crime films. Wherlock headed the Theater Luzern when the film was shot and has since 1999/2000 been in charge of the ballet of the Komische Oper Berlin.

All dancers are members of the Theater Luzern. The music featured is by the exciting English composer Mark-Anthony Turnage. After being 'discovered' by Simon Rattle in Birmingham, Turnage has established himself as a major and original voice in modern composition. His tough but lyrical style takes in elements of jazz, TV themes and film music. This suite, Blood on the Floor, shows clear influence of jazz; its urban lyricism is tinged with tragedy, and is a poignant tribute to Turnage's brother Andy, who died a drugs-related death.

A thought-provoking dance drama, which combines the realism of a feature film with the highly stylised art of modern dance. Shot on location this programme combines excellent camerawork, lighting, editing, dance movement and music into a powerful and frightening parable of our time.

Awarded the 2001 Prix Italia for Television Performing Arts.