Dancer’s story comes to life at the Island

Pregnancy and the planned arrival of a new baby is one of the most precious experiences a woman can go through. Pair this special time with a cancer diagnosis and the landscape changes dramatically. Dancer and choreographer Suzannah McCreight was 16 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010.

After surgery to remove her thyroid followed by radioactive iodine treatment Suzannah was cleared of the cancer. Two years on, she has used this life-changing event as the inspiration for Plants & Hopes, which features an evocative original score by acclaimed composer Brian Irvine. The production is being staged by Belfast’s leading contemporary dance company, Maiden Voyage Dance, and is touring throughout Northern Ireland to Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Enniskillen, Cookstown, Armagh and Omagh.

Unbeknown to many 1 in 2,000 pregnancies are affected by cancer. Suzannah hopes this production will help to increase people’s understanding of this issue alongside that of thyroid cancer which affects approximately 1,900 people in the UK each year.

Drawing on the experiences she went through as the pregnant mother of a toddler whilst dealing with the life changing news that she had cancer, McCreight uses the metaphor of a garden in the performance and reflects on the struggles and joys that unfold in a space where both wanted and unwanted growth compete for attention.

“The metaphor of life in a garden seemed particularly apt with scenes of planting, growing, cutting back and transplanting,” she explained. “There is a vibrancy about the performance, like a flourishing garden that is full of life and potential. The intervention of medicine features, seemingly interrupting the natural flow of the performance’s growth. But just as in reality, the medical and organic sit side by side, they work towards the same goal – life.”

Plants & Hopes is principally funded by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Lloyds TSB Foundation and Belfast City Council.

For further information or to book tickets contact the Island Arts Centre Box Office on 9250 9254.