The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis

Mark Smith Productions

Hut 8

Tour Pack: Spring 2021

Curve’s Artistic Director Curve,Leicester Nikolai Foster said “It sounds like an astonishing project.”

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Choreographer Mark Smith has incorporated mathematical language into his choreography to make a ground breaking trilogy of dance that reveals the complexity, genius & diversity of Alan Turing; who was punished for being different, yet his legacy of pioneering the computer makes him relevant today. The trilogy consists of “Turing’s Machine”, “Turing’s Law” about Turing’s Homosexuality & the erasure of Gay history. “The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis” aka “3M’s invites all to imagine Alan Turing and is a collaboration with composer Michael England about Movement, Music and Maths. Hut 8 has a workshop for schools KS2 & KS3 devised in collaboration with Bletchley Park, home of the codebreakers.

Mark Smith’s vision for the dance stage is inspired by the life and work of Alan Turing, a scientist who provided the theoretical underpinnings for the modern computer. In 2019 Alan Turing won BBC 2’s Icon of the Twentieth Century and was nominated to be the face of the new £50, that will be in circulation in 2021.

Mark Smith believes it is also Alan Turing’s intersectionality that make him relevant today Hut 8 will incorporate Turing’s complex ideas about Maths and his complex identity of Homosexuality and Autism. Hut 8 will attract audience’s that are representative of a range communities and interests; scientific, LGBT, dance, and mathematics. To get the story out about the show to press and media; Mark has invited Mobius to create a national and regional campaign.

Alan Turing is also an inspiration for young people and during Mark’s second R&D he collaborated with Bletchley Park’s award winning Learning team for Maths and composer Michael England to make a workshop for schools called 3M Math, Music and Movement and successfully tested the unique learning activity with KS2 & KS3. It is anticipated that the schools workshops will promote ticket sales for matinee’s and relaxed performances of HUT 8.

Between 2018 and 2019 Choreographer Mark Smith received two Arts Council England grants for Research and Development of HUT 8. He has made 3 films illustrating the innovation in Choreography that he now wants to bring to audiences in a tour of England in spring 2021 and beyond.

Films by Ben Simmons documenting Mark Smith’s R&D journey financially supported by Arts Council England

Turing’s Machine

Turing’s Law

Turing’s letter – R&D studio videos

Collaboration & Outreach workshops, inspired by Alan Turing’s mathematical work.

Go to blogpost about Mark Smith’s pioneering workshops for KS2 & KS3Â that bring together Movement, Music and Maths: https://deafexplorer.com/2020/02/05/3m-movement-maths-music-workshops-in-schools/

Profile: Choreographer Mark Smith

Mark Smith trained at Royal Ballet School and London Studio Centre. Mark Smith is the founder and artistic director of his own dance company Deaf Men Dancing (DMD), commissioned with visual artist Rachael Gadsden by Bradley Hemmings in collaboration with Greenwich and Docklands International Festival and Ardent Hare; “Alive” toured with the Without Walls Festivals in 2011. His choreography credits include Paralympic Opening Ceremony – London 2012. He has brought his choreography to Graeae shows : The Threepenny Opera (New Wolsey Theatre/Graeae Theatre – Tour Production); Reasons To Be Cheerful (Graeae Theatre – Tour Production). In 2017 he also brought his choreography to Ramps on the Moon “Tommy” winning Best Choreographer Live Theatre & British Theatre Award. In 2018 The Last Five Years won British Theatre guide Best Directors Angharad Lee & Mark Smith. In 2019 choreographer the Musical The Colour Purple a co-production with Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome. His professional work includes: Shoes (Sadler’s Wells), Iolanthe (Wilton’s Music Hall & UK tour), My Silent World (Ballet Boyz/Channel 4’s Random Acts, Tommy (Ramp on the Moon), Die Fledermaus (Oslo Opera House), The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, 101 Dalmatians, Noah and A Marvellous Year for Plum (Chichester Festival Theatre); The Last Five Years (Millennium Wales Centre) Mark was nominated as Best Choreographer in the Off-West End Awards and the Broadway World UK Awards for Ace of Clubs, Call Me Madam & Iolanthe.

Press quotes

“Smith’s work isn’t just delightful – it is bold and interesting”
– The London Magazine
“Mark Smith’s choreography is outstanding”
– Whatsonstage;
“Smith’s work isn’t just delightful – it is bold and interesting”
– The London Magazine
“Mark produces some of the most unbelievable scenes & moves in a show I’ve ever seen”
– UK Theatre Network.
“Mark Smith has made an excellent piece of work with the two very fine dancers”
Leeway Productions The Last Five Years – Michael Kelligan
Theatre in Wales

My Silent World