5 SOLDIERS
The Body is the Frontline
A thrilling and humane portrait of army life telling the stories of five men and women serving on the front line. 5 SOLDIERS received praise from soldiers, veterans, peace activists, critics and civilians for highlighting preparations for war, soldiers’ personalities, off-duty camaraderie, boredom, high-jinx and the role of women in the Armed Forces.
In 2008, choreographer Rosie Kay joined the 4th Battalion The Rifles, to watch and participate in full battle exercises, and visited the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre for our Armed Forces. What came of these observations is this award-winning, five-star work with Kay’s trademark intense physical and athletic dance theatre.
***** “Lust, shock and awe.. .5 SOLDIERS is a disturbing, illuminating and necessary glimpse into a world we mostly prefer to ignore” The Guardian, Top 10 Dance of 2015
***** “War from a female perspective packs a punch.. .taut, visceral, compassionate”
The Observer
5 SOLDIERS has toured the world for 15 successful years, to Germany, Spain, Denmark and the USA. The work was nominated for a National Dance Award (Best Choreography), had a sell-out run at Edinburgh Festival and was highly commended by the Royal Society for Public Health (UK) for its work and impact on military communities.
5 SOLDIERS- The Body is the Frontline is now being developed as a dance documentary.
The show is available for touring.
Email: contact@k-2co.co.uk for further details.
“War is an overwhelmingly male business, but the power of 5 Soldiers derives from Kay’s female perspective.... Rosie Kay’s taut, visceral, compassionate piece, the body is the frontline....War from a female perspective packs a punch.” ★★★★★ 5 Stars The Observer
“Lust, shock and awe… 5 SOLDIERS is a disturbing, illuminating and necessary glimpse into a world we mostly prefer to ignore” ★★★★ Judith Mackrell in The Guardian, Top 10 Dance of 2015
“not only keeps us riveted, but helps close the gap of understanding between the armed forces and the general public.” ★★★★★ The Scotsman
“Rosie Kay’s five soldiers are dancers, but in-depth background researches have grounded her moves and their delivery in the physicality, camaraderie and mental challenges of army life.” ★★★★★ The Herald
“5 Soldiers is simply a five-star must-see however you view the armed forces”
The Birmingham Press ★★★★★
“Rosie Kay makes the experience of injury feel viscerally real… 5 Soldiers is an extraordinary exploration of modern war as a physical experience.” ★★★★★ The Independent
“The story these five soldiers tell is devastating. The integrity with which they work is majestic in this shudderingly frank demonstration of what it can cost to be a soldier.” ★★★★★ Edinburgh Guide
“This is an important piece that serves as a reminder that no matter how we talk of war, the front line is still made up of ordinary people with hopes and dreams, just like the rest of us.” ★★★★★ Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
“Not a moment drags in this high-octane hour of humourous highs and gut-wrenching lows… This accessible but uncompromising piece is not to be missed.” ★★★★★
BroadwayBaby.com