Bells

Mayor of London’s SHOWTIME Festival

Bells at Victoria Park, Finchley. Ballard Lane, North Finchley N3 2NE at 9pm 25th July.

Bells at Lewisham Big Screen, Blackheath Common, All saints Drive, Blackheath SE3 0TY at 9.45pm on 2nd August

Bells at Turnham Green Park, Chiswick, W4 4JF at 9pm on 4th August

Akademi presents their magnificent, large scale outdoor production ‘Bells’ in collaboration with the international Belgian company, Theatre Tol, in three outer London boroughs: Lewisham, Hounslow and Barnet over the summer of 2012 as part of the Mayor of London’s outdoor festival, SHOWTIME.

Working with London 2012 Festival, Arts Council England and leading cultural organisations the Mayor of London has commissioned a world-class programme of events to celebrate the 2012 Games. From giant dinosaurs charging through London's streets and thrilling aerial displays, to inspirational shows created for London's great outdoors, the Mayor of London Presents programme encompasses hundreds of free cultural events, performance and installations in all 33 boroughs.

Akademi will be working in collaboration with Theatre Tol, an international Belgian performing arts company known for working in unusual spaces and creating site-specific works.

The spectacle will unite the best international talent in South Asian dance as well as flying aerialists from Theatre Tol. The combination of artistic cultures and disciplines promises to create a breathtaking magical experience with a dramatic wedding procession, the appearance of aerial fairies and an accompanying Kathak performance to celebrate the memorable finale.

‘Bells;’ was first performed in July 2007 for the Trafalgar Square Festival and will be reworked with an enhanced storyboard to celebrate the 2012 Olympic year. Originally choreographed by Kumudini Lakhia and reworked by Amina Khayyam and Urja Thakore with an original musical score from Atul Desai and Niraj Chag, Akademi are thrilled to be relaunching one of their most celebrated works.


The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: '2012 is not only about heroic sporting competition, it is an unprecedented opportunity to showcase on an international stage the prodigious artistic talent that the best big city has to offer. Throughout the summer we are hosting a veritable smorgasbord of world-class cultural events, which will be springing up in high streets and parks, as well as lidos, waterways and other nooks and crannies. With hundreds of events across London, this will be the biggest festival of outdoor arts the capital has ever seen, creating a lifetime of memories and making this a summer like no other.'