La Voix Humaine/Tonseisha/Unleashed

A triple bill begins with Inmotion Theatre Co presenting Francis Poulenc's one-act telephonic opera for one woman (with a libretto by Jean Cocteau, based on his 1930 play). A woman speaks on the telephone with her (invisible and inaudible) departing lover, who is leaving her to marry someone else the following day. Poulenc's music takes us into the dark and luminous musicscapes of the woman's inner world. Starring soprano Katerina Mina, pianist Jean-Yves Cornet, with actors Men in Blue, James Ricetto and Alex Lehman. The director is Ilan Reichel. Followed by an excerpt from 'Tonseisha: The Man Who Abandoned the World'. Presented by saltpeter, Kim B Ashton's new opera based on Erik Patterson's play is abour a young Japanese woman who is haunted by the loss of two men: her father, whom she barely knew, and cult novelist Richard Brautigan, whom she's never met. Cast includes Kim B Ashton, Philippa Boyle, Vera Chok, Ilze Ikse, Sean Patterson, Jamie Wood. The director is Gary Merry. The evening ends with 'Unleashed', Philip Venables's 'anti-opera' about sexuality, violence and masculinity in our modern world. 'Unleashed' uses real text from interview transcripts with men about their sex lives – none of it is fiction or fantasy. Directed by librettist Nick Blackburn. Presented by Fourfortytwo and the Blackburn Company.