A dancer kneels on the ground with his arms stretched out to the sides. A group of dancers surrounds him reaching out to grab his head, arms and chest.

Figures in Extinction

Figures in Extinction

SCOTTISH PREMIERE

Dance and theatre legends Crystal Pite and Simon McBurney unite with internationally acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) to confront the climate crisis through spellbinding movement and sound.

We live in an age of disconnection – from the natural world and one another. Can we name what we’re losing? What does it mean to bear witness to a destruction we both cause and endure?

Returning to the International Festival following sold-out performances across Europe, NDT and Complicité present Figures in Extinction. This collaboration between visionary choreographer Crystal Pite and groundbreaking theatre-maker Simon McBurney confronts hard truths about humanity's impact on the world and explores art’s meaning in the face of mass destruction. Both artists are celebrated for their International Festival triumphs – Pite’s inventive Assembly Hall and McBurney’s boundary-pushing The Encounter.

Fusing contemporary dance with striking soundscapes and dialogue – from the crack of melting ice caps to the jarring chatter of social media influencers – Figures in Extinction calls for unity in a fractured world, finding a collective spark of hope in the darkness.

5 Stars

a work of serious thought, urgent entreaty and utterly sumptuous dance

The Observer

0 Stars

a puzzling, poignant, movement-packed exploration of life, the universe and everything

Financial Times

0 Stars

Fabulous lighting...mesmerising visual and sound effects take us from an orange-red tundra to an ice landscape

Trouw

The Warm Up: Figures in Extinction

Listen to The Warm Up, your bite-sized audio introduction to the performance.

Theatre legend Simon McBurney reveals his collaborative creative process and dancer Genevieve O’Keeffe shares how these ideas translate into performance.

Listen on Soundcloud or Spotify.

Supported by James and Morag Anderson

Programme

A keepsake freesheet is available at the venue for this performance.

Production Credits

CastCloseOpen
  • NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER / COMPLICITÉ
Creative & Production TeamsCloseOpen
  • Simon McBurney
    Director & Co-Creator
  • Crystal Pite
    Choreographer & Co-Creator
CreditsCloseOpen
  • Co-produced by Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) and Complicité

    Co-commissioned by Factory International

    Co-produced by schrit_tmacher Festival, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg and Montpellier Danse

Dive Deeper

Listen to The Warm Up: your audio introduction to the performance.

Read more

People are silhouetted against a screen showing white sparks and lines.
Get to Know

Get to know: Figures in Extinction

Discover the inspiration behind Figures in Extinction.Figures in Extinction fuses contemporary dance with an array of rich and unique source materials. Born…

0 Stars

I'm trying to recognise and excavate what's true … I'm looking for moments of resonance

Crystal Pite

Image gallery

Photo Gallery

A man in a suit stands in the spotlight, as many other performers in business attire pose either side of him
© Credit : Rahi Rezvani
A performer lies tucked-up on the floor with huge animal horns worn over their arms, pointed backwards and above them.
© Credit : RAHI REZVANI
Performers lit by gold light bow their heads and hold their hands up
© Credit : Rahi Rezvani
Five performers in vests puppet the skeleton of a large dog. Their backdrop resembles smoking coals.
© Credit : RAHI REZVANI
A dancer leans back far enough that their head is upside down and their front torso arched. Their arms flex above them. Other performers are silhouetted in the background.
© Credit : RAHI REZVANI

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