UOEIA * the histories of yodelling around the world * UK mini tour October 2013

Ergo Phizmiz presents “UOEIA” 

* the histories of yodelling around the world

A production of DePlayer

UK tour October 2013 * Dates tba soon

Yodelling: the crack in the human voice when pushed to its limit, the plaintive wail of man against mountains. From the Pygmy tribes in the jungles of Africa, to the mountains of Switzerland, or the plains of the Wild West, to frantic Persian ululations and yelps, yodelling is a worldwide phenomenon that betrays its perceived image as a benchmark of kitsch.

In “UOEIA: Favola in Jodel”, Ergo Phizmiz presents the history of yodelling through music, masks, puppetry, collage, and animation. Based on the books “Yodel in Hi-Fi” and “Yodel-Ay-Eee-Ooo” by Bart Plantenga, and performed by Swiss Family Phizmiz, UOEIA invites you through time and culture, yodelling from cavemen to the modern age.

A Young Lady and Her Cat Spend a Quiet Night In (Board Game Intermezzo)

What a ridiculous board game!

Better off to be ignored game!

Big fat man is in the middle.

It is all a silly riddle,

Such a lot of stupid piddle.

Roll your dice 

then,

move your piece.

I don't like it 

in 

the 

least.

Lots of dreams and lots of castles,

It is all a lot of hassle!

Massive baby disappears -

what does all of it amountter?

I have gone and lost my counter!

Use a penny, 

anything,

I'm sick 

of this 

bloody 

thing!

War is raging all around,

Bombs are crashing 

to the ground,

Very noisy!

Bang bang bang!

If you roll a six, 

then maybe,

you might find yourself 

a baby.

Then I hope

My

Dear Friend,

This game

will be

at an end.

GARGANTUA: An Excessive Entertainment by Ergo Phizmiz - Full video

GARGANTUA: An Excessive Entertainment by Ergo Phizmiz from Ergo Phizmiz on Vimeo.

"MUSIC FOR PLEASURE" - New album on digital download now

 

Ergo Phizmiz / "MUSIC FOR PLEASURE"

 

A 17 track behemoth of Ergo Phizmiz's singular take on guitar based rock'n'roll & pop music. Twisty nightmares, bakery mythologies, monsters, wordplay, camels, the album boasts 17 slices of uber-catchy, noisy reverie, including cover versions of rock'n'roll classics "The Bird's The Word", "I Try to Find" and "Little Things".

 

 

 

"The Sap" is a subterranean homesick nonsense vomit, "The Luncheon Bell" a full-stomach of noise-tea, "Boomgie" is a stomp on a scale to compete with any of history's stompers, "Funny Hydromatic" is a non-driver's version of car rock, and we defy you not to be singing "The Camel is the Mammal" into next year.

 

 

Every track is imbued with the trademark combination of sly humour and attention to the craftsmanship of songwriting, and is a must-add to anyone's collection of music by Ergo Phizmiz.

 

Recorded 2009 - 2010 at the Mechanischemmusikkabinett, Devon.

 

Written, Composed, Performed & Produced by Ergo Phizmiz

Additional bass, guitar, vocals by The Travelling Mongoose.

 

This album is available exclusively on Bandcamp. If you have enjoyed Ergo Phizmiz's free music, please chip in and buy this, and do spread the word.

"The Golem - An Inanimate Matter"

Stay up late on 21st August to watch Channel 4 (UK television) at 00.25. There ye shall find "The Golem: An Inanimate Matter", a short animation film commissioned by Random Acts / Animate Projects. Directed & Animated by Vicki Bennett; Written, Composed & Narrated by Ergo Phizmiz.

More info here.

GALA - Recorded live at Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival

"An entertaining and colourful scena, musically illustrated by Phizmiz’s wittily sampled montage." - The Daily Telegraph

"Fabulous...hilarious...we came out blinking, dazed, and happy" - The3PennyOpera.com

Hear a live recording of "GALA" at Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival ...



Look at Claire Shovelton's photographs of "GALA" here.

Read a review of "GALA" (**** "Fabulously weird...fantastic stuff") at OneStopArts.

A full video of the show is coming soon. Huge thanks to everybody involved in this production, it was a real treat.

Puppet Centre and Tête à Tête co-production in collaboration with Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

Music and Words: Ergo Phizmiz
Director: Bill Bankes-Jones
Designer/Puppetry: Isobel Smith
Music Director: Timothy Burke
Assistant Music Director: James Young
Stage Manager: Claire Bamford
Lighting & Production Management: Bob Watts

Photographs by Claire Shovelton

Gala: Becca Marriot
Jesus Christ Superstar: Alex Gilchrist
Maid: Laura Monaghan
Dali Machine built by: Paul Harrison
Violin Samples played by: Amie Willingale
Puppeteers: Isobel Smith, Teele Uustani, Darren East

Trinity Laben Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Head of Vocal Studies: Linda Hurst
Puppet Centre Director: Linda Lewis

Gala is a puppet-opera inspired by the aged Gala Dali’s rapacious relationship with Jeff Fenholt, a young actor then playing the role of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway.
In a collaboration springing from the 2012 Puppetry in Opera Conference, Tête à Tête works with Isobel Smith (Grist to the Mill), and puppeteers together with singers from Trinity Laban on a longer commission from Festival favourite Ergo Phizmiz following his 2012 Lite Bite Care in the Community.

Photographs by Claire Shovelton

 

Gala is supported by Grants for the Arts and The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust.

New articles on Ergo Phizmiz and "GALA" in Animations Online, The Independent & Fulham Chronicle

"GALA" by Ergo Phizmiz opens Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival 2013.

Read an interview with Ergo Phizmiz on composing puppet opera, on Animations Online

 

Read a preview of "Gala" and Tête à Tête in Metro

Read a preview of "GALA" on Animations Online

Read an interview with Bill Bankes-Jones on directing "Gala" in Animations Online

Read a preview of Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival in The Independent

Read the Fulham Chronicle's preview of "Gala" and Tête à Tête


Read a preview of Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival in The Londonist

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