A new story in a legendary world
An original black-and-white film inspired by Fritz Lang’s 1927 classic Metropolis—not a screening of the original.
Scrap Arts Music
Electronic Press Kit · Canada
Children of Metropolis
An original feature-length film. Five live musicians. A city of sound built from 88 invented instruments.
The production
A film that is played live.
Every sound has a physical source
Rhythm, melody and atmosphere emerge from sculptural instruments handcrafted from salvaged industrial materials.
Cinema becomes live performance
The musicians’ athletic precision and the visible architecture of large, mobile, articulated instruments make the score part of the spectacle.
1927reimagined for a new century
Original film · Live score · Invented instruments
The story…
Forty years after Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, the city has recovered. In this futuristic world of robots and advanced technology, a scientist’s catastrophic miscalculation causes a new disaster. An ordinary citizen—a creative musician and inventor—sets out to repair this very human mistake. Along the way, he invents novel musical instruments, sends away for fish-faced submarines and size-altering ray guns, and forms unexpected friendships with the Sprites. Sometimes comic, sometimes serious, his journey explores what happens when technology intended to transform society does not go as planned—and how ingenuity, friendship and imagination might help put things right.
The work also points toward the future: we hope to expand this world through collaborations in robotics, film and dance.
Watch the trailer
One work.
Many doors.
A multidisciplinary performance combining contemporary percussion, object theatre and cinematic storytelling. Entirely non-verbal, it connects naturally with MainStage, family and international audiences.
90 minutesincluding a 20-minute intermission
Family-friendlyvisual storytelling across languages
Programming fit
Where the work connects.
A high-impact anchor for multidisciplinary and international programming—bridging music, theatre, film and design.
Presenter copy
Scrap Arts Music transforms salvaged industrial materials into extraordinary sculptural instruments—and those instruments into a complete world of sound. In Children of Metropolis, five musicians perform an original live score alongside the company’s own feature-length black-and-white film, inspired by Fritz Lang’s 1927 classic. Entirely non-verbal and visually striking, the production crosses music, film and theatre, connecting naturally with both MainStage and family audiences.
Scrap Arts Music 将回收的工业材料转化为极具雕塑感的原创乐器，并以这些乐器构筑出一个完整的声音世界。在 Children of Metropolis 中，五位音乐家现场演奏原创配乐，与团队自制的黑白长片同步呈现。作品灵感源自弗里茨·朗1927年的经典电影《大都会》，全剧无需对白，融合音乐、电影与剧场，既适合主剧场演出，也能吸引家庭观众。
Scrap Arts Music transforme des matériaux industriels récupérés en instruments sculpturaux extraordinaires, puis ces instruments en un univers sonore complet. Dans Children of Metropolis, cinq musiciens interprètent en direct une trame sonore originale accompagnant le long métrage en noir et blanc créé par la compagnie, inspiré du classique Metropolis de Fritz Lang, réalisé en 1927. Entièrement non verbale et saisissante sur le plan visuel, la production se situe au croisement de la musique, du cinéma et du théâtre et rejoint naturellement tant les publics des grandes scènes que les familles.
Scrap Arts Music transforma materiales industriales recuperados en extraordinarios instrumentos escultóricos, y esos instrumentos en un mundo sonoro completo. En Children of Metropolis, cinco músicos interpretan en vivo una partitura original junto al largometraje en blanco y negro creado por la compañía, inspirado en el clásico Metropolis de Fritz Lang de 1927. Completamente no verbal y visualmente impactante, la producción cruza música, cine y teatro, conectando de manera natural tanto con públicos de programación principal como familiares.
Press & reviews
What critics are saying.
“Humour, wit and genuine subtlety. Pure magic.”
— Swansea Evening Post
“Children of Metropolis: A stunning performance, intriguing and delightfully mesmerizing.”
— Enchanted Circle News
“Playful and inquisitive… wholly exhilarating and unbound by genre.”
— Range Review
“Energy in spades!”
— Anchorage Daily News
“★★★★★. High-kicking, virtuosic and adrenaline-packed. Kozak just may have single-handedly performed a million acts of green.”
— Winnipeg Free Press
“This group is perhaps closer to the American maverick avant-gardist Harry Partch than anything in American popular culture.”
— Philadelphia Enquirer
“Even for the percussively jaded, this group is a knock-out.”
— The Age (Australia)
“Emotionally stirring music. Recycling can pay rich musical dividends!”
— Topeka Capitol Review
Presenter materials
Everything needed to start the conversation.
Scrap Arts Music has toured internationally since 2001 and appeared in the Closing Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Now booking 2027–2028
The city is built.
The instruments are ready.
For availability, routing and presenter conversations:
justine@scrapartsmusic.com