World Premiere of Revel Marks Return of Scotland’s Acclaimed Company Chordelia
Scotland’s award-winning Company Chordelia make a long-awaited return with a major new show
Created and performed by Kally Lloyd-Jones and Steinvör Palsson, Revel is a 60+ coming-of-age story about ageing, resilience, joie de vivre – and dancing!
The funny, fierce and physical show will have its World Premiere at Byre Theatre St Andrews on Thursday 17th September before touring Scotland until 23rd October.
This Autumn, audiences are invited to step into the dressing room of every show Kally and Steinvör have ever been in – past, present and future.
A 60+ coming-of-age story, Revel is a witty and moving new show fusing dance, physical theatre, dialogue and music.
Moving between Kally and Steinvor’s real backstage relationship as they get ready (they are always getting ready) and their surreal inner worlds, the two dancers reflect on life in their 60s, with all the losses, gains and adjustments of ageing. Now, these two acclaimed Scottish performers navigate their memories and the shifting realities of their bodies with wry humour as they prepare to step once more onto the stage. In a world where we battle with who we are told to be, who we wish we were, and who we actually are, this funny, fierce and physical show embraces the challenge of learning to accept and revel in ourselves as we are now.
Revel is created and performed by Company Chordelia’s founding Artistic Director Kally Lloyd-Jones alongside Edinburgh dance artist and choreographer Steinvör Palsson.
At the age of 61 and 67 respectively, they are both returning to the stage to perform for the first time since they trod the boards together in Dance Derby, Chordelia’s hit Scottish Opera co-production in 2014.
“As I was approaching 60, it felt huge and I was really questioning what my future in dance held, or if there even was one.” says Kally. “I wanted to make this show to talk about the impact of ageing, which is particularly under-represented in dance, and to show the strength and beauty that experience, knowledge and older bodies hold. Then I discovered that I also felt the need to be in it and tell it from a personal perspective. I hadn’t realised that this would lead to an incredible sense of returning to myself and that training, pushing myself and feeling alive with dancing would be so joyous. I have discovered as much about what I can do as I have about what I can’t.”
“We are very excited to be touring all over Scotland, to venues of different sizes in different settings.” adds Steinvör “Working on this show has brought us great joy, as well as shining a light on our feelings about getting older and what that means for us as performers, and as women. We think this show will resonate with everyone who isn’t as young as they used to be. Expect to laugh and maybe to feel a bit teary.”
Revel is a brand new production marking the long-awaited return of Scotland’s renowned Company Chordelia, whose previous productions including The Chosen, Nijinsky’s Last Jump and Dance Derby garnered rave reviews and played to audiences across Scotland and beyond.
The stage design of Revel playfully recycles costumes and props from over 20 years of Company Chordelia productions and over 50 years of their own personal lives – from the scarlet ballet shoes used in 2007s Red Shoes to Steinvor’s childhood ballet tutus lovingly saved by her mother.
Revel is funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland. It is supported by Dance Base, The Work Room’s Residency programme, Byre Youth & Community Arts and Luminate. Development supported by Magnetic North.
Age: 12+ Run Time: 55 mins
Revel Scottish Tour Dates 2026
Thursday 17th September The Byre Theatre St Andrews 7pm byretheatre.com / 01334 475000
Saturday 19th September Dunoon Burgh Hall tbc dunoonburghhall.org.uk / 01369 701776
Wednesday 23rd September Mareel, Lerwick, Shetland 7.30pm shetlandarts.org / 01595 745500
Saturday 26th September Edinburgh Festival Theatre Studio 7.30pm capitaltheatres.com / 0131 529 6000
Wednesday 30th September Eastgate Theatre Peebles 7.30pm eastgatearts.com / 01721 725777
Thursday 8th October Paisley Arts Centre 7.30pm oneren.org / 0300 300 1210
Friday 16th October Universal Hall, Findhorn 7.30pm universalhall.co.uk / 01309 691170
Tuesday 20th October The Barn, Banchory 7pm thebarnarts.co.uk / 01330 825431
Thursday 22nd October Dundee Rep 7.30pm dundeerep.co.uk / 01382 223530
Friday 23rd October Citizens Theatre, Glasgow 7.45pm citz.co.uk / 0141 429 0022
Image: Viktoria Begg
