A PIECE of dance theatre about dying – accompanied by an after-show Death Café – comes to Glasgow tomorrow.

The Chosen was created by Glasgow-based director Kally Lloyd-Jones, of Company Chordelia.

“It came out of a period of personal loss and grieving,” explains Kally, who lives in the west end.

“In quite a short space of time, I lost some of the most important people in my life – two of my closest friends and my godson - which was devastating.

“The experience of these very different deaths inevitably made me think about dying and the choices we make about how we die, which of course means thinking about how we live.

“Increasingly, as medicine advances, knowledge of imminent death has become a reality for everyone.”

She adds: “So the piece for me is really an exploration about what happens when people have knowledge that they will die and what that means for them and for their loved ones.”

Performed by a six-strong cast, the title of the piece is a reference to the rite of Spring - where the “chosen one” is to be sacrificed, but also revered and honoured.

“Losing people so close to me has definitely changed me,” she reflects. “Probably, that change is still happening so it’s quite hard to define exactly how.

“I think I am far less worried about stuff that doesn’t really matter and want to live life in the moment. It’s easy to forget that when life is hard but I really want to honour life by trying to do it justice -which I think is about being happy, loving and passionate about what you do.”

The performances in Glasgow, which take place at the Tron Theatre tonight and tomorrow (September 19 and 20) will be accompanied by an informal Death Cafe, where people are invited to drop by for a coffee, cake and candid conversation.

“I know I feel strongly that being able to express your feelings about loss is important, and neglected,” adds Kally.

“Death Café is a brilliant social enterprise. I hope that people find a friendly place where they can express their feelings freely in a place of safety and respect.

“My experience so far is that people find lots to talk about, a kind of relief at being able to, and a common theme is that they feel the subject is quite taboo, difficult, or even shameful. I think holding the Death Cafés highlights the need for death to be an acceptable part of life.”

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Kally and Jessica Richards, company manager of the National Theatre of Scotland, have recently been announced as the new Joint Directors of The Byre Theatre in St Andrews, but Kally is keen to continue her work with Company Chordelia.

“We are just at the beginning, and loving it, and being part of the University of St Andrews makes the Byre unique, exciting and full of interesting colleagues,” smiles Kally.

“As Jess and I are sharing the Byre role, I hope to be able to continue Company Chordelia and be an artist when it feels right.”

Bringing The Chosen on tour following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe has been exciting, Kally says.

“The Fringe has a particular intensity because there are so many shows and so many people,” she says. “The dancers are amazing artists and doing 21 shows in the same venue is an experience Scottish companies rarely get any other way, so we really took that as an opportunity to keep finding things to develop and discuss.

“Now that we are on the road, we have a different opportunity because we tweak the show a little for each new stage and the audiences are brilliant and receptive and really talk to us. Glasgow is our home town. Performing at The Tron is always a huge pleasure .”

She laughs: “But I confess I will also feel nervous and hold my breath more during the show.”

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While the subject matter is complex, Kally believes The Chosen is ultimately about life and living.

“I think The Chosen offers audiences the chance to reflect on their own experiences, and might bring with it a sense of acceptance,” she says.

“I have made a piece which is personal to me, but which I hope has meaning for everyone.”

www.tron.co.uk