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Past Shows: 2006
A Company of Angels:
The Story of Charlotte Salomon
Finalist, Best Small Theater Production,
Star Tribune 2004
"A beautiful, real-life remembrance of an artist… Subtle,
powerful and well worth seeing"
(Pioneer Press, Oct 11, 2004)
"Mixes whimsy, wonder, mystery and personal myth
into a sweet telling… Heart of the Beast's best show since 'City
Rhapsody'." (Star Tribune, Oct 14, 2004)
A Horse + Bamboo Production (UK)
By Bob Frith and Alison Duddle
Directed by Alison Duddle
Company of Angels tells the haunting story of a young German Jewish artist,
Charlotte Salomon, who, in 1940-41, created "Life? Or Theatre?",
a dazzlingly brilliant collection of nearly 1300 autobiographical paintings.
Paralleling the Nazi era, "Life? Or Theatre?" complements --
and yet is very different from -- the well-known account of Anne Frank.
In fact, Salomon's work is one of the most important bodies of visual art
from the Holocaust period.
Based on her paintings, Company of Angels focuses on Charlotte's childhood,
her struggle against a family history of suicides and secrets, and how
she later turned to art for survival. Using Horse + Bamboo's uniquely vivid
style, which combines masks, puppetry, movement and specially composed
music, Company of Angels animates the life story and artistic vision of
a passionate young woman caught up in the tragedy of the Holocaust.
Local Holocaust survivors will share their stories in post-show discussions
(see schedule of speakers).
Company of Angels was first created in 2002 by Horse + Bamboo, an English
puppet and mask theater, and has toured throughout England, Ireland and
The Netherlands. Alison Duddle, co-creator and designer of Company of Angels,
directed an HOBT cast for the U.S. premiere in October 2004, as well as
three special performances in conjunction with the International Puppeteers
Festival, held in the Twin Cities in July 2005.
Support for the 2006 national tour of Company of Angels is provided by
the Regis Foundation; Jay & Rose
Phillips Family Foundation; Rimon: the Minnesota Jewish Arts Council; The
Jewish Community Foundation, the Howard B. Brin Jewish Arts Endowment,
a designated endowment of the Jewish Community Foundation of the Minneapolis
Jewish Federation Federation; and the Center for Holocaust and Genocide
Studies at the University of Minnesota.
