Touring across the UK from 2-11 February 2023, Bag of Bones is a deeply personal piece of music theatre set in a dark forest, at the heart of which is an exploration of identity, transgenerational trauma and healing.
Inspired by folk literature and tales, multi-instrumentalist and composer Alice Zawadzki takes inspiration from her Polish roots and family history to present a vehicle for the audience to examine their own ‘bags of bones’ – the metaphorical baggage we all carry through life – and what happens when we try to sever ourselves from these inherited stories.
Showcasing a cross-breed ensemble comprising keys, accordion and strings, Alice’s story is told through four ten-minute scenes examining four characters at different stages of a woman’s life. The scene is set by an old witchy crone who carries the bones of an old lover in a sack on her back, refusing to say goodbye and passing them down through the generations that follow her.
It’s a story of drama, folklore and reflection, told through theatricality and improvisation – new music at its most thrilling, dangerous and cathartic. Classical instrumental pieces will act as interludes to Alice’s music, including movements from David Lang’s Mystery Sonata No.1 and Henryk Górecki’s String Quartet No. 2.

Northern Bag Of Bones Tour Dates:
Thursday 9 February – Future Yard, Birkenhead
Friday 10 February – Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
Saturday 11 February – The Warehouse in Holbeck, Leeds
Line-up
Alice ZawadzkiCreative Director, voice
Rakhi Singh MusicDirector, violin
Charles Kieny Accordion,synthesiser
Bruno Heinen Keyboard
Simmy Singh Violin
Carol Ella Viola
Nick Trygstad Cello
Programme
Alice Zawadzki Bag of Bones – World Premiere
Featuring musical interludes by:
David Lang Mystery Sonata No. 1, Joy
Henryk Górecki String Quartet No. 2, IV.
Simón Díaz Tonada de lunallena (arr. Misha Mullov-Abbado)
Trad. Que Florezca La Luz (South America, arr. Misha Mullov-Abbado)
Andrea Tarrodi Miroirs
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Header and footer image: Camilla Greenwell