Stourbridge dancer Harriet Ellis joins Army on military exercise to prepare for new Edinburgh Festival Fringe role in 5 Soldiers

Harriet Ellis is the sole female member in the quintet cast of 5 Soldiers: The Body is the Frontline, and she recently joined her fellow dancers on three days of combat exercises with the Army, deep in the Scottish countryside.

The dancers joined ‘Exercise Solway Eagle’, which involved members of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Scots DG) who are soon to be deployed on an overseas peacekeeping mission.

Joining the exercise allowed the dancers to get direct experience of life in the Army, the training and the camaraderie, and to see how the military trains for the stress and danger of conflict.

Dancers Luke Bradshaw, Oliver Russell, Harriet Ellis, Duncan Anderson and Reece Causton will perform 5 Soldiers at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe throughout August.

The production, which is intensely physical and takes a compassionate look at what our society expects of soldiers, has a strong focus on the role of women.

Harriet said: “Women are taking an ever-more prominent role in the Army and on the frontline and I think it’s important to look at the new opportunities that are opening up, and the challenges that can bring.

“Being here has really helped me understand what our soldiers go through. We’ve learned something about what it’s like to be in a forward base in a war zone, to be part of an ambush, to encounter a roadside bomb, and what happens when they come under artillery fire.

“All these things are real life to them but far outside most people’s experience, and exactly what we have to put across in our performances.”

Stourbridge dancer Harriet Ellis and her fellow cast of 5 Soldiers which is being performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe throughout August.

The dancers discovered what it was like to be out on patrol in enemy territory, be part of an ambush, deal with a roadside bomb blast and undergo an artillery bombardment. They also witnessed a live fire exercise involving heavy machine guns and grenades.

Captain Edward Mitchell, who helped look after the group while they were in the Galloway Forest, said: “This was an ideal opportunity for the dancers to see what soldiering is about, what really happens when we prepare for a tour of duty overseas and how soldiers learn to survive and fight in combat conditions.

“It’s also been an opportunity to chat with soldiers with very different levels of experience, some who joined relatively recently and others who have served in many situations and places.”

The cast of 5 Soldiers practice evacuating injured person as part of their Exercise Solway Eagle Army training.

The 5 Soldiers tour are part of a wider initiative by the Army. Lieutenant Colonel Sue Wright, the Army’s first ever officer for the arts, has been organising festivals, photographic exhibitions and performances to build connections with wider society.

She said: “Many people simply don’t have connections with the Army in the way they used to. We are society’s Army, it’s important that people know who we are and what we do.

“The arts are a way we can engage in new and different conversations with those who often don’t meet soldiers in their day-to-day life. Through initiatives this we can talk to them about issues we are all interested in like diversity and inclusiveness.

“We firmly believe that as society’s army we should reflect the society we serve and sometimes the arts are a superb way to celebrate our soldiers and show people the amazing work they do for all of us.”

Following its fringe run throughout August, 5 Soldiers will embark on a six-week tour of Army drill halls, including two performances at the Birmingham REP on October 13 and 14.