Dancers’ burning ambition for launch
REHEARSALS RAMP UP FOR FREE PERFORMANCE WHICH WILL OPEN THE FIRE STATION
Preparations are in full swing for a large-scale live performance which will provide a red hot opening night for The Fire Station.
On November 23 the new £3.5m arts and culture hub will be launched in style with an outdoor spectacular, which has been give a new name of Fireflight.
The performance is the culmination of a £120,000, six-month project that reinterprets the legend of the Lambton Worm. It will be delivered by respected outdoor theatre company Periplum, who were co-commissioned by the Cultural Spring and Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture (MAC) Trust.
More than 200 local people will be involved with at least 100 performing in the opening event, which will take place outside The Fire Station at about 6pm on November 23, the same evening as the city’s Christmas lights switch on in Keel Square.
Community workshops started weeks ago in preparation for Fireflight, led by Periplum’s three delivery partners – Live Theatre, Dance City and Sunderland Music Hub.
Rebecca Pedlow, lead manager for the music hub, said: “It’s great to be working with our delivery partners and a company of Periplum’s reputation. Some of the participants are older than what we’re used to, but that’s been interesting too – it’s extended our remit and we’ve had to adapt to how we’d normally deliver sessions. We’re looking at creating some new songs with a real Sunderland feel to them and we’re working with people like Marty Longstaff from The Lake Poets to do this. About 25 people among the people attending the workshops have expressed an interest in singing so we should have a goodsized choir – although we still have room for more if anyone would like to join us.
“We’re also thinking about a soundscape for the whole performance and during the workshop sessions we’ve been asking participants to think about what Sunderland sounds like to them. That was The performance will last about 30 minutes and although it will be free, it will be ticketed. Information about tickets for Fireflight will be provided on www.theculturalspring.org. uk) and The Fire Station (www.macq.org. uk) a fortnight before the event. their homework and they came up with sounds like the cries of seagulls. It would be great to add these into the performance to give it the sound of Sunderland.”