Behind the Glass
Live conversations about the process and making of Tao of Glass
Produced by Improbable. Tao of Glass was originally commissioned by Manchester International Festival, Improbable, Perth Festival, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival and Carolina Performing Arts – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in association with Naomi Milgrom AO.
An exploration of life, loss and a single question: Where does true inspiration come from?
Behind the scenes of the ★★★★★ production of Tao of Glass with performer-director Phelim McDermott and collaborator Ragnar Friedank.
In 2019, Phelim McDermott and Phillip Glass created Tao of Glass, an acclaimed production marrying ten meditations on life, death and taoist wisdom with ten brand new pieces of music from Glass. As this collaboration came to life, we recorded the whole thing as it happened. Made with collaborator and film-maker Ragnar Friedank, who shared never-before-seen-footage with Phelim McDermott live for the first time.
These special episodes were a live, impromptu work-in-progress sharing as we dove into the archive of rehearsal footage, interviews and captures of performance, and we wanted you to dive in with us. You didn’t have to have seen the show, you could have seen every performance. You could watch one or both of these filmcasts. These episodes were for anyone with a curiosity about starting with nothing and seeing where you end up.
Tao of Glass Creative Team:
Philip Glass – Composer
Phelim McDermott – Writer & Co-Director
Kirsty Housley – Co-Director
Fly Davis – Designer
Colin Grenfell – Lighting Designer
Giles Thomas – Sound Designer
Ragnar Freidank – Collaborator
Chris Vatalaro – Musical Director
Jen Tan – Assistant Director
Lyndie Wright – Puppet Designer & Puppet Maker
Camille Etchart – Design Associate
Sorcha Steele – Sound Associate
Matt Lever – Lighting Associate
Tao of Glass Performers:
David Emmings – Puppeteer
Janet Etuk – Puppeteer
Phelim McDermott – Performer
Jack McNeill – Ensemble (Clarinet)
Rakhi Singh – Ensemble (Violin)
Katherine Tinker – Ensemble (Piano)
Chris Vatalaro – Ensemble (Percussion)
Sarah Wright – Puppeteer & Puppet Co-ordinator
Reviews for Tao of Glass:
★★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★★ The Times
★★★★★ What’s On Stage
★★★★★ A Younger Theatre
★★★★★ Bachtrack
★★★★★ North West End
★★★★★ Theatre Reviews North
★★★★ The Telegraph
★★★★ The Observer
★★★★ The Arts Desk