Lucy Guerin Inc is currently developing an ambitious new dance work titled The Forest, reflecting the many identities that forests hold in the human imagination. Our deep connection to trees has existed throughout history, alongside the symbolism of the forest as a vast, unknown labyrinth, populated with unsettling encounters with the non-human.
The Forest embodies the forms of trees and their growth, characterised by intricate branching patterns and interrelated communication systems through a lush choreographic and musical score. It also shifts into the dark reaches of the human subconscious where myths, folk tales and eco-horror manifest our anxieties about the natural world. In an era grappling with the impacts of climate change and environmental uncertainty, the concept of the forest continues to haunt the popular imagination as a reminder of our complex relationship to the nature.
The Forest is a large-scale contemporary dance work choreographed by Lucy Guerin and featuring eight exceptional dancers. Dramaturgy is by acclaimed theatre-maker Adena Jacobs.
Eugyeene Teh will design a rich and immersive forest on stage with environmental sustainability as a primary focus. Known for his innovative practice, Teh’s set will be built to tour easily, minimising its ecological footprint. With lighting design by Paul Lim, The Forest will be adaptable to medium and large proscenium or black box theatres.
Music for The Forest will be composed by Matthias Schack-Arnott using techniques of branching and division. Schack-Arnott will create a layered electronic sound score, generating infinite variations of tone, rhythm, volume, and tempo from a single source, enhancing the work’s physical and visual elements.
Premiering in 2026, The Forest will be tour-ready for performance.