Rosie Kay’s award-winning dance production to appear at Theatre Royal Bath

Endorsed by the UK Armed Forces and British military for its insight and dramatic portrayal of life in the military, 5 Soldiers has received praise from serving soldiers, veterans, peace activists, critics and civilians alike.

The show has toured to Army barracks and drill halls in London and across England and has been live streamed internationally by The Army and BBC Arts Digital. The acclaimed production has also toured internationally to Europe and twice to the USA.

With recent examples that have drawn international attention, such as the war in Ukraine, the first European war since the Balkans, and the aftermath of the evacuation of Afghanistan severely affecting women’s rights, a country’s use of the military as a tool of power is still highly relevant, political and, in some cases, controversial.

5 Soldiers is choreographed and directed by Rosie Kay who was nominated for a National Dance Award 2022 for Outstanding Female Performance (Modern) for Absolute Solo II. Amongst her numerous credits, Rosie choreographed the live Commonwealth Games Handover Ceremony in 2018, watched by over 1 billion people worldwide, and worked in film as the choreographer to Sunshine on Leith in 2013. Set, costume and video for 5 SOLDIERS is by Louis Price with music composed by Annie Mahtani and lighting design by Mike Gunning.

 Image - Amy Groves as Female Officer, Frank Hickman as Sgt, Chander Van Daatselaar as Squaddie - Credit Prime Lens

Sparked by a dance injury and her psychological response to it, Rosie Kay, renowned for her extensive and often immersive research when creating new work, asked the armed forces for help and was offered an opportunity to embed on manoeuvres with 4^th Battalion The Rifles near Salisbury, as well as residencies at the military rehabilitation centre Headley Court and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. First seen in 2010, the result was 5 Soldiers.

This latest version of 5 Soldiers, which uses dance to explore the stories of a group of combatants who become fractured by war, is a thrilling and humane portrait of army life telling the stories of three men and two women serving off and on the front line. Highlighting the preparation for war, the personality traits of the soldiers, the off-duty camaraderie, boredom, high-jinx and horseplay, as well as the deeply important and, at times, contradictory role of women in the Armed Forces. 5 Soldiers offers a rare, front row insight into the effects of war on the mind and body told through dance and provides an alternative perspective to Kay’s original 5 Soldiers. 

5 Soldiers is a partnership between the arts, UK Armed Forces and British Military and local communities. Deeply realistic, stark and thrilling, 5 Soldiers offers no moral stance on war, but instead questions what it is that we ask of our soldiers and explores how the human body remains essential to war, even in the 21^st century, with Kay’s trademark intense physical and athletic dance theatre.

The national and international cast of 5 Soldiers includes: Amy Groves as Officer (Ballet Cymru, trained at London Contemporary Dance School); Annelise Bucher as Medic (The Boston Conservatory for Contemporary Dance Performance, London Contemporary Dance School, DIAVOLO Dance Theatre, Psychopomp Dance Theatre); Chander van Daatselaar as Squaddie (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Dansblok and the Nationale Operette, Water Perry Festival); Frank Hickman as Sergeant (Autin Dance Theatre, 5 SOLDIERS, US Tour, Highly Sprung, Commonwealth Games Birmingham Opening Ceremony), and Gregor Campbell as Squaddie (first professional dance production).

Image - 5 SOLDIERS - (clockwise from top left) Amy Groves, Gregor Campbell, Chander Van Daatselaar, Frank Hickman - Credit Prime Lens

Rosie Kay said: “We have a really strong cast for the 2023 tour of 5 Soldiers, many of whom have family connections to the military including Frank Hickman who plays the Sergeant. His nan’s uncle received the Victoria Cross medal in 1918 for his service in the first world war. And we are delighted to offer the opportunity for Gregor Campbell, who graduated just before the pandemic hit, to dance his first professional role.”