Their work of animation, story telling and live performance has been compared to Tim Burton and David Lynch. 1927 oozes black humor, macabre tales, charming live music, surreal scenes, and devishly good characters. Celebrated at home and overseas, 1927 was founded in 2005 by Writer, Performer & Director Suzanne Andrade and Animator & Film Maker Paul Barritt. In 2006 Performer & costume maker Esme Appleton and Performer, Composer & Musician Lillian Henley joined the company. All four creative members of 1927 come from different artistic backgrounds, and it is the collaboration between these various disciplines - and the complete integration of these, that has paved the way for the company to create it’s innovative and original work. Run Riot caught up with Suzanne to hear about the latest production and their plans for 2012.

The London premiere of The Animals and Children took to the Streets opens at the BAC (8 Dec - 8 Jan).

The Animals and Children Took to the Streets - 1927 from BAC on Vimeo.

RR: You cut your teeth on the London cabaret scene, performing the beginnings of your debut show in cabaret venues, spoken word nights and comedy clubs and supported major cabaret acts and bands, including The Dresden Dolls at the Roundhouse. You've since had 2 sold out London seasons, gone on to perform to every region in the UK, and internationally in Australia, USA, Korea, Singapore, Slovenia, Ireland, Germany and New Zealand. What were you and Paul doing prior to 1927, and how did you come about forming the company?
Suzanne: Paul was doing the odd illustration job, and learning the craft of animation. I was performing on the performance poetry 'scene' telling little stories to a backdrop of music.

RR: Can you tell us about the influences of the four components of a 1927 production - namely the scripting, the musical score, the animation and the actual choreographed performance?
Suzanne: With our new show, we started with me writing some characters, Lilly exploring a few sounds on the piano, which then fed back in to me writing, and Paul showed us a few sketches from his sketch book. On tour we went to Hong Kong, and he drew some amazing pictures of the chungking mansions. These pictures then fed back in to the writing and our world started to be formed.

RR: 'The Animals...' has its victims, villains, and red herrings and is set in a dystopian metropolis of inner city paranoia. You've said in an interview with the Sydney Opera House that the inspiration came from living in the east end of London where one community of extreme wealth stands beside that of extreme poverty. How does this manifest in the story?
Suzanne: Well the story follows the folk who live in a stinking sprawling tenement block, a middle class do gooder, and the city mayor. We also have scenes with the sensationalised tabloid response to the characters in the story. We explored all these different protagonists with their different agendas interacting. Without giving away too much, it all gets a bit messy, rather amusing and a little bit scary.

RR: The protagonist is Agnes Eaves - what's in the name?
Suzanne: Eaves rhymed with lots of other words! We like a nice rhyme in 1927.

RR: You're set to be touring 'The Animals...' through out 2011 around the UK and overseas. Then in 2012, it'll be back to the creative process with an incredible collaboration with the Komische Opera in Berlin. Taking into account they specialise in German language productions of opera, operetta and musicals, can you tell us about the project?
Suzanne: Well we'll be designing the production and the interactions with animation and film in collaboration with another director, and 70 opera singers. We're learning german!

RR: Being the festive season - we have to ask - what would 1927 like to find under the Christmas tree? Lastly, what new years resolution might Agnes Eaves make?
Suzanne: 1927 want 4 new bikes please santa. Agnes' new years resolution will be something to do with charity tennis matches.

For more information, check out these links:
See the Show details on Run Riot
'The Animals and Children Took to the Streets' at the BAC
1927 (official site)
1927 at the BAC (official page)
1927 (official page on the British Council website)
 

1927 Interview from BAC on Vimeo.