Chris Channing

Chris Channing (born Christopher Dean Andrews, 14 April 1962) is an English performer and theatre director. He is based in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

Early life

Channing was born in Preston, Lancashire, England, and grew up on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland.

At age 13 he became a resident student at the Royal Ballet School.[1] His direct contemporaries at the school included Alessandra Ferri and Jonathan Cope, choreographers Michael Clark and Russell Maliphant, actress Caroline O'Connor and academic Deborah Bull. He graduated in 1980, aged 18.

Biography

UK

In 1980 he joined the Northern Ballet Theatre. Under artistic director, Robert de Warren, and choreographers, André Prokovsky, Geoffrey Cauley, Michael Pink and Christopher Gable, he danced in the corps de ballet and as a soloist until the end of the summer 1983.

After leaving the Northern Ballet Theatre, Channing worked as a freelance commercial dancer in feature films and adverts with choreographers Arlene Phillips, David Taguri and Gillian Gregory.

He later worked as an actor, choreographer and stage designer at important region theatres including the Liverpool Everyman and the Dundee Rep Company and in fringe, community and prison based work.

During the academic year 1990/1991 he went attended the Blackpool and The Fylde College at Lytham St Annes and completed the General National Vocational Qualification Teacher/Training Qualification: Certificate in Counselling Skills in the Development of Learning.

Paris

In autumn 1992 Channing moved to Paris to study at L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, at École Philippe Gaulier and with Ariane Mnouchkine at Théâtre du Soleil.

He appeared in, and created numbers & tableaux for the theatre/variety shows at 'Piano dans la Cuisine' and 'Scaramouche'. He worked in close collaboration with Philippe Planquois, the artistic director of cabaret-restaurant 'Chez Madame Arthur' on numbers and ideas both within the 'Madame Arthur' shows and for outside events.

During his time in Paris he started to work as an independent performer producing his own work, starting with a comedy tableau vivant of the Mona Lisa.[2]

Italy

Channing moved to Castelvetro di Modena, Emiia Romagna, Italy in September 1994 and, as of 2015, is still based in Italy.

He directs and devises theatre shows and performances in the worlds of theatre, performance, recital, circus, fine arts, corporate events and festivals. He writes theatre scripts and adaptations and translates opera and pop songs.

He was the artistic director and curator of eight editions of the 'International Biennale of the Absurd',[3] including 'The International Competition for the Arts in Absurdity'.[4]

For ten years he specialised in 'Living Paintings' as performance art and theatre.[5][6]

He is master of ceremonies (and staging collaborator) annually at Il Ballo del Doge (The Doge's Ball) in Venice. He was master of ceremonies at the 70th birthday party of tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Channing was defined by critic and curator Alberto Masoni as "...One of the artists who manages best to blend or fuse the artistic experiences of theatre, mime, music and visual arts".

Schools and training

Theatre

Non theatre

UK theatre work as performer

UK theatre work as designer

Designer of set, costume and lighting.

UK other arts work

Liverpool 2008 DaDaFest in Liverpool City of Culture. Channing conceived and directed Horizontal Heroines: Sleep, Death and Madness in Opera, Poetry and Popular Music. Themed recital. Soprano/performer Denise Leigh. Accordion/piano Stefano Andrusyschyn.[19] Manchester 1992 He was a venue designer for the 'Manchester International Festival of Expressionism'.

Italy performances

The performances, Matisse, Caravaggio and Toulouse Lautrec, were all created as commissions for RAI television.

Performances. character pieces

Installations, one-off performances and commissions

Italian theatre

As performer / director / designer

As director / choreographer / designer

Collaborations

References

  1. Jessel, Camilla. Life at The Royal Ballet School. Methuen. 1979. pp80.
  2. Thomas, Dana. “Mona Lisa with a hairly chest. Paris's new Mona Lisa.“ The Washington Post. 19 August 1994. pp G1 G2.
  3. Dal 3 al 5 giugno a Castelvetro torna il festival dell'assurdo. Nel centro storico del borgo in programma performances stravaganti, spettacoli surreali, installazioni di opere visionarie, il mercato di oggetti inconsueti e il Mercurdo Night Party.
  4. Concorso Internazionale sull'Assurdo 2011
  5. Passi di danza, arpe, quadri, statue viventi e sorprendenti effetti speciali Così si propizia il nuovo anno la città di Alessandria
  6. Tracce di Teatro d'Autore
  7. Parry, Jann. “It is a pity he (Christopher Channing) has to spend much of the ballet in shackles since his introductory dance to flute music is delightful... He came across as an engaging personality.” The Observer. Paradise Lost. Northern Ballet Theatre. 1983.
  8. “The Mechanicals come into their own in the final scene when Christopher Channing swans around amusingly on points.” The Guardian 15 October 1981 Midsummer Night's Dream. Northern Ballet Theatre.
  9. Sorley Walker, Katherine. “The rustics' play is greatly enlivened by Christopher Channing's admirable witty Thisbe.” Daily Telegraph. 31 October 1981. Midsummer Night's Dream. Northern Ballet Theatre.
  10. Hepple, Peter. “Where 'Joseph' has a Presley like Pharaoh 'Leonardo' has a Presley like Machiavelli sung extremely well by Christopher Channing.” The Stage and Television Today. 20 September 1984.. Leonardo The Musical.
  11. “Best of the bunch musically is the finger clicking, leg kicking "Pinch of Grime" making masterful use of the silky voice of Chris Channing.” The Times. 4 July 1985. James and the Giant Peach. York, Theatre Royal.
  12. “All male revival of 1950's farce. ...Christopher Channing is the glamorous Daphne in a very successful transition across the sexes.” The Scotsman. 7 October 1985. Sailor Beware. Dundee.
  13. Brennan, Mary. “In a cast with no weak links David King gives exceptional value as Emma Hornet, so too Christopher Channing, the knowingly arch Daphne.” Glasgow Herald. 5 October 1985. Sailor Beware. Dundee.
  14. “Apart from immersion in the legend of Orson Welles and his work the cast have rehearsed the play as a radio broadcast, a ballet, a studio piece and a concert.” Dundee Courier. 8 November 1985. Moby Dick Rehearsed. Dundee.
  15. 1 2 Neil Murray
  16. Other Recent Commissions
  17. archive database
  18. Richard Gallagher
  19. Other responses to DadaFest
  20. Gallavotti, Eugenio. “Elle meets Chris Channing. Veri Capolavori.” Elle. March 1999. pp 308.
  21. Grampelli, Emanuela. “3 minutes inside the head of Chris Channing.” Marie Claire. February 2002.
  22. Il fauno è prigioniero e ci guarda in silenzio
  23. Chris Channing – “Sulle tracce di Benozzo”, Il grande mimo inglese si misura con l'arte di Benozzo Gozzoli (prima assoluta), Castelfiorentino: InCanti & Banchi - Cantastorie e dintorni in Toscana
  24. Festival internazionale del Teatro di figura: dal 2 al 5 luglio 2008 a San Miniato (Pisa)
  25. La Poesia italiana del Secondo Novecento - The italian Poetry of the second half of the 20th century - Matteo Bianchi

External links

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