The Epic of Everest and the dancing Lamas of Tibet

Performance Following the 1924 expedition to Mount Everest which ended so tragically with the death of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine, The Epic of Everest, was released; an extraordinary silent film which documented both the climb and some of the earliest moving images from Tibet. IN 1924 the film was presented in the UK and Europe with a group of Tibetan monks who performed a prologue to the screenings featuring dance and Tantric music. Join us here at the Flavel for a unique evening featuring Monks from the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery who will present a live dance performance then an introduction to ‘The Epic of Everest’ film followed by the screening of the film (87 minutes) including a Prologue and Blessing by the monks as was done 100 years ago when the film was originally shown. Expect mesmerising chants of Buddhist texts to swirling costumed masked dances accompanied by ancient Tantric musical instruments: horns made from human leg bones, skull-drums, cymbals, bells and the great dungchen (long horns), as the monks evoke the atmosphere of sacred Tibet offering an experience of an ancient, endangered culture.