DAVID Glass has been described as the Godfather of innovative and provocative physical theatre. Since setting up Ensemble in 1989, he has made a huge impact on British Theatre. The company's latest work, Unheimlich Spine, starts its UK tour at Dartford's Miskin Theatre, a great coup for a relatively small venue.

Glass is a truly remarkable man. The Ensemble goes far beyond theatre for entertainment it also works therapeutically with about 10,000 children who have been abused or severely traumatised in 25 countries around the world.

He said: "I've always felt theatre is about liberation of the emotions and the imagination and a celebration of being human." So whether it's working with kids or performing at the Miskin it is fundamentally the same methodology. "It's about being creative in relationships."

He said the Ensemble is a loose affiliation of people including actors, musicians, storytellers and filmmakers, with similar attitudes to creativity.

This new production, Unheimlich Spine forms the first part of a new cycle of work exploring changing attitudes to our bodies. The piece is inspired by The Tingler, the classic 1959 horror film starring Vincent Price and tells the story of a coroner who discovers that fear is a parasite which lives on the backbone and can crush the spinal cord.

Glass said: "There is a huge amount of laughter. It is quite surprising and moves between the comic and the completely bizarre and wacko."

q Nov 8-10, Unheimlich Spine, Miskin Theatre, Miskin Road, Dartford, 7.30pm, £6.50/£7.50, Please contact the Theatre about post show talk on 01322 629472.

November 6, 2001 13:11