Where does true inspiration come from? That single question sits at the centre of Tao of Glass, a meditation on life and loss that finally reaches the West End at @sohoplace.
Composer Philip Glass and performer-director Phelim McDermott, of the company Improbable, have shared many stages before, shaping celebrated opera productions in London, New York and further afield. This piece is the most personal thing they have made together. Sparked by a dream, it threads ten reflections on living, dying and Taoist thought through ten pieces of music written especially by Glass, with McDermott leading an ensemble of players and puppeteers.
Neither quite a concert nor quite a play, the evening unfolds as a woven tapestry of storytelling, carried along by Glass’s hypnotic score and lit up by the inventive, hand-made theatricality that Improbable is known for.
Produced by Factory International, Improbable and Nica Burns. Book your tickets now.
Why it’s worth the watch
A rare, intimate meeting of one of modern music’s giants and a fearlessly inventive theatremaker.
- Philip Glass, at the core. The evening is built around ten pieces of music written specially by the legendary composer.
- A master storyteller. Phelim McDermott of Improbable performs and co-directs, bringing his signature warmth and stagecraft.
- More than a concert. Puppetry, live musicians and personal reflection blur the line between recital and theatre.
- A West End premiere. @sohoplace hosts the London debut of the pair’s most personal collaboration yet.
