Mara and Llew recently performed  a new collborative dance/theatre work  with choreographer Shaun Parker  "This Show is About People" at the Melbourne International Arts Festival 2007and at the Sydney Festival 2008. 

‘…the musical accompaniment;  two musicians (Llew Kiek and Nick Wales) and four vocalists (Mara Kiek, Jarnie Birmingham, Silvia Entchera and Tobias Cole) who double as onstage characters – were extraordinary. ‘  DANCE UK

‘Collaborating with superb musicians and singers as well as dancers in This Show - Mara and Llew Kiek are the music directors - Parker ignores boundaries and lets different voices speak to one another: in text, in the purity of medieval song, the keening close harmonies of traditional Bulgarian vocal music, the joy of gospel and the vitality of pop…a splendid group of artists.’  THE AUSTRALIAN  

Australian Theatre of the Deaf's "Friction" premiered at Darlinghurst Theatre Kings Cross in November 2004. Llew composed and performed the score, directed by Kate Gaul and written by Tony Strachan and Kate Gaul.

Mara performed with Synergy Percussion for the Sydney premiere of Meryl Tankard's "Pearl" for the 30th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House 2003. Previewed as "Living Oceans" in New York on September 25 2001, Mara co-wrote and recorded the soundtrack with Michael Askill. Restaged in Chicago in June 2002, the Sydney season featured the music performed live.

Mara first worked with Meryl Tankard on "Chants de Marriage 2 " for the Adelaide Festival of 1992, but is best known for her work as musical director of "Songs with Mara", which had seven seasons in Australia and overseas during the 1990s. SWM is a haunting work, set on an earthen floor with sunken pools of water. It evokes the spirit, sound and texture of Eastern Europe. 

Nigel Jamieson first directed Llew in "Kelly's Republic" for the 97 Sydney Festival at the Opera House forecourt. Llew played electric guitar and bozouki in Peter Kennard's evocative score.

At the 1998 Adelaide Festival, Nigel directed Mara and her "Trio Zora" in Nicholas Lens "Flamma Flamma", which was the opening night spectacular in Elder Park. A classical requiem with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, a Bulgarian style trio,  8 operatic voices and classical choir chorus, the action was provided by a parade of hundreds of local people bearing paper constructions which were ultimately set ablaze and launched on the River Torrens.

See Home Land for information about Legs and Mara!/Martenitsa's stunning collaboration - our 3rd work with Nigel.

Mara provided the solo voice in Sydney Theatre Company's New Stages production of "Portrait of an Invisible Man" The music for this production was by Sarah De Jong, with direction by Nigel Kellaway. 

Llew contributed to the guitar oriented soundtrack of Bell Shakespeare's "Henry 4" with music by Alan John.

In the early 90s Mara's musical direction of "People Like Us" for Kay Tai Chan and One Extra Company was an important precursor for her work on "Songs with Mara". The music was drawn from many sources, including work by Llew, but involved the entire company singing along with the core singers of Mara, Jeannie Lewis, Margret RoadKnight, Jarnie Birmingham and Moya Simpson.

At the 1990 Adelaide Festival the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust presented Jeannie Lewis in "Voxy Lady". This was Llew's first major musical direction project. Works were commissioned from Llew and several Australian composers. Llew and Guy Dickerson produced the master tape of the score for the show.  Jean has recorded "Yesterday Today and Tomorrow" (from the show) on her 2003 CD "Southheart".

Pics Top: "Pearl" at Sydney Opera House; Poster "Songs with Mara"; Flamma Flamma, Elder Park;  Trio Zora at Elder Park "Flamma Flamma" : Anne Hildyard, Silvia Entcheva and Mara; stage and lower wall with giant projection at Home Land;