Hawk’s Well surprises Sligo shoppers with Christmas treat
The Hawk’s Well Theatre recently delighted shoppers with a surprise ‘Sligo Sings’ Christmas Performance on O’Connell Street, Sligo. The theatre transformed the second storey windows of the famous heritage pub Hargadon Bros. into a stage!
‘Sligo Sings’ is the Hawk’s Well theatre’s popular annual popup choir programme which culminates in a feel good evening celebrating the power of community and song. In the last six years an incredible 1,000 people have taken part! Singers have come from workplace choirs, village & social groups. Some with years of experience, others trying it out for the very first time.
Due to Covid restrictions ‘Sligo Sings’ could not take place in the theatre this year. The Hawk’s Well team were determined to keep Sligo Singing. In November they issued an invitation to singers to video themselves singing the Christmas classic ‘White Christmas’. The many colourful videos received from workplaces and individuals were combined to create a beautiful rendition of the song.
The sense of fun was evident in the videos. In the Sligo Park Hotel the playful staff rocked around the Christmas Tree with General Manager Gerry Moore in full Santa Outfit! Garda Tara Lyons & Garda Martin Donohoe wore tinsel. Fireman David Lynch opted to sing beside the safe glow of a fire on television. In Sligo General Hospital Lee Cawley from the Hospital Musical Society performed beside a Santa figure wedged in a Christmas tree with legs in the air. David McCoy from The Strandhill Lodge & Suites was taking no chances popping a facemask onto his Santa decorations.
The team from the Hawk’s Well Theatre quietly took to O’Connell Street; popping digital singers photos in the street windows, installing sound equipment and lights. At lunchtime Tuesday 15 th December, Choirmaster Dave Flynn with Sinéad Conway & Luke Devaney appeared at the upper windows of Hargadon Bros. pub and performed White Christmas accompanied by the virtual choir to the delight of passers-by.
Organiser Deirdre Melvin from the Hawk’s Well Theatre said: “This was so much fun. It was lovely to open up the videos and see smiling faces in Christmas attire. All of us at the theatre miss the buzz Sligo Sings brings each year. While digital will never replace the connection of live experience it was brilliant of so many people to take time to learn and record themselves singing White Christmas.
“We wanted to share their lovely voices with as many people as possible, in as safe a way as possible. Performing after lunchtime in the town centre provided the optimum way to maintain social distancing and enabled us to put on a show! Thanks to Hargdons Bros we were able to allocate one window per performer ensuring ample space for musicians to perform safely.” The recently widened footpaths on O’Connell street provided passers-by with lots of space to look up enjoy the music.
Sligo Sings 2020 is supported by Sligo County Council. The Virtual Choir and Street Performance is available to watch on the Hawk’s Well Theatre website. The theatre despite being closed for live performance are delighted to present a festive online programme for audiences to enjoy over the holiday season. Visit www.hawkswell.ie