Watch Mad Hatter’s Tea Party on BBC iPlayer until 22nd Jan 2015
If you didn’t manage to get a ticket for Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at the Royal Opera House because there were no tickets left or if you missed the live stream on the 18th December 2014 then this is your chance. It can now be viewed on BBC iPlayer until 22nd January.
To watch it click on this link http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p02f1qgv/the-mad-hatters-tea-party
Leda and the Swan by Kim Brandstrup now on YouTube featuring Tommy Franzen, Zenaida Yanowsky and Fiona Shaw
This film was shown at the Royal Opera House 5th-7th November as part of Deloitte Ignite. I hope you enjoy!
Choreographer and director Kim Brandstrup’s short dance film Leda and the Swan, commissioned by The Royal Ballet for Deloitte Ignite 2014. Performed by dancers Zenaida Yanowsky and Tommy Franzen, and Yeats’s poetry read by actor Fiona Shaw.
Find out more at http://www.roh.org.uk/about/deloitte-…
The annual contemporary arts festival at the Royal Opera House. Deloitte Ignite 2014 was curated by The Royal Ballet and The National Gallery’s Minna Moore Ede, this year’s festival is a feast of dance and visual art.
The month-long festival celebrated and explored the origin of myth and creation through dance, visual art, film, music and movement. The festival focused on two archetypal myths: Prometheus, the Titan who creates man from clay and steals fire from the Gods, and Leda and the Swan, the mysterious conjunction of a mortal woman and the god Zeus, disguised as a swan.
The trailer for The Five & the Prophecy of Prana
I’m opening a show at the Barbican next week on the 2nd of October. We play until 4th October before we head out on tour. I do the first 3 weeks of the tour and then I will leave to start on my next project. To book tickets for the Barbican click here.
To see where the show will be going on tour click here. My last show will be in Blackpool on the 29th October.
Enjoy the trailer!
My interview and front page in Kyrko Bladet
In last June I was interviewed by Emelie Krugly (www.emeliekrugly.com) and photographed by Rikard Osterlund (www.rikard.co.uk) for the Swedish Church magazine called Kyrko Bladet. The theme was courage so I talk about how courage has gotten me through my life and career. Click on this link to read the article http://issuu.com/svenskakyrkanlondon/docs/nr3_2014_web
Tommy Franzen and ‘The Five & The Prophecy of Prana’
I’m so happy and overwhelmed by what the reviewers have said about my performance of Wang Tang in The Five & The Prophecy of Prana. Playing a role like Wang Tang has been a dream role for me since I was a little boy. I’ve always been very much into martial arts and if it wasn’t for my passion for dancing, I think I would’ve gone down the martial arts route instead. So mixing my dream role with two of my biggest passions, martial arts and dancing, I’ve really been able to embrace this whole project on a deep level. I’m so grateful for the opportunity that Kenrick Sandy and Mikey J Asante has given me.
For people who follows me and my career I wanted share with you the quotes I’ve had from the press regarding this show. I can’t tell you how honoured I am to have some reviewers writing these things about me…
The Times by Donald Hutera
“The troubled Master Wang Tang must whip them into shape. He’s played by the wonderful Tommy Franzén, a dancer whose economy, agility and strength can hardly be bettered. Franzén might be the reason alone to watch The Five & The Prophecy of Prana. ”
Original article – http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/stage/dance/article3902282.ece
The Guardian by Judith Mackrell
“Tommy Franzén as Wang Tang is outstanding. As an actor Franzén is delightful, convincing both as maudlin drunk and wise seer. As a dancer he’s mesmerising, not only in the virtuoso hip-hop routines but in the silken lyricism of his t’ai chi-inspired solos. In his performance alone, you can see a whole new future for hip-hop.”
Original article – http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/oct/24/boy-blue-five-prophecy-prana-review
The Independent by Zoe Anderson
“Delinquents are given a chance to redeem themselves by training with the monk, danced by the marvellous Tommy Franzén. Franzén is heroic, finding both the dignity of an old sage and the quicksilver attack of a warrior.”
Original article – http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/dance-review-boy-blue-entertainment-barbican-theatre-london-8901108.html#
The Telegraph by Sarah Crompton
“The leading character is Wang Tang – mentor and teacher to the young gang of five, but a man with a troubled past. He is danced by Tommy Franzen, famous both for his television appearances and performances in shows as diverse as Kate Prince’s Some Like it Hip Hop and Russell Maliphant’s The Rodin Project. In everything he does, he has such silkily, weightless skills he is the epitome of grace.”
Original article – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/10402127/The-Five-and-the-Prophecy-of-Prana-Barbican-Centre-review.html
British Theatre guide
“Winner of this year’s Critic Circle’s National Dance Award for Outstanding Performance in Modern Dance (Male), Tommy Franzén (Some Like It Hip-Hop and Russell Maliphant’s The Rodin Project) is for me the star of the show.”
Original article – http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/the-five-and-th-barbican-theatr-9550
The Stage.co.uk by Neil Norman
“The dancers combine streetdance moves with martial arts with some brilliance – especially the amazing Tommy Franzen.”
Original article – http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/39085/the-five-and-the-prophecy-of-prana
Dancetabs by Lise Smith
“Franzén is in fine form as troubled hero Wang Tang, melding tutting and b-boying and kung-fu with the elegant fluidity of a tai-chi form.”
Original article – http://dancetabs.com/2013/10/boy-blue-entertainment-the-five-and-the-prophecy-of-prana-london/
Londondance.com by Graham Watts
“The performances throughout the cast were excellent. Tommy Franzén provided depth to the complicated central character of Wang Tang, the sole surviving good Guardian who battles the demons of scandal and drink.”
Original article – http://londondance.com/articles/reviews/boy-blue-entertainment-the-five-and-the-prophecy-3/
Photo by Hugo Glendinning
Show finished 2nd Nov 2014 so as of time of writing there is still time to see the show. Book your tickets here!
Kate Prince, Tommy Franzen and Some Like It Hip Hop on BBC London News
For anyone who missed us on telly then you can watch it here on BBC iPlayer. From 19.20 onwards.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01n3bpq/BBC_London_News_03_10_2012/
Interested in joining a discount club? It’s saving me money every day. Go to ==> www.SavvySavings.org.uk and find out how!
‘Underneath My Skin’ online release! A film by Sylvia de Boer and Tommy Franzen
Today is the 23rd of September 2012 and the day of the ‘Underneath My Skin’ online release. Underneath My Skin is a short dance film written and directed by Sylvia de Boer and Tommy Franzén. I hope you enjoy!
http://sylviadeboer.com/underneathmyskin/
Ps. Feel free to leave a little donation on the website to enable us to create more work in the future.
If I guaranteed to save you money, would you click this? www.SavvySavings.org.uk
My interview with dance photographer/journalist Carole Edrich about Gene Kelly
I got interviewed by Carole Edrich about Gene Kelly following his 100th Anniversary this year. The article with be in the next month’s Dance Today.
Here is the link to Carole’s Blog speaking about our interview:
http://dancetog.com/2012/09/12/tommy-franzen/
Interested in joining a discount club? It’s saving me money every day. Go to ==> www.savvysavings.org.uk and find out how!
Russell Maliphant Company – The Rodin Project @Sadlerswells 5th February 2012
I’m dancing with Russell Maliphant Company at the moment and we have one show at Sadler’s Wells as part of British Dance Edition 5th February 2012.
“As part of British Dance Edition London 2012, Russell Maliphant presents a special showing of his new dance piece, which returns to Sadler’s Wells in October. After the triumph of his Olivier Award-nominated and Critics’ Circle National Dance Award-winning AfterLight, this new production is inspired by the works of the great French sculptor, Auguste Rodin.
For this work, Maliphant has collaborated with a group of extraordinary performers, using a movement vocabulary influenced by the dance forms of popping, breaking and contemporary dance, integrated through Maliphant’s language of flow, form and dynamics.”
Book tickets here! http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/Russell-Maliphant-Company
I’ll be judging and performing at UDO World Streetdance Championships 2011
The UDO World Street Dance Championships 2011 will be held in Blackpool from 26-28th August. I’ll be judging the competition, perform a solo and selling my merchandise.
