Family fun bids to turn the tide
THE sea comes to the Birmingham 2022 Festival with a family fun day and large-scale outdoor theatre show packed with oceaninspired activities and stories. Created by Coventry-based Imagineer, Flow (Future Life of our Ocean’s Wealth) is aiming to be both entertaining and thoughtprovoking, encouraging people of all ages to explore their cultural connections to other people and to the planet.
Forming part of Birmingham 2022 Festival, it features alongside hundreds of other events in a celebration of creativity across the West Midlands.
There will be a big top tent on the grounds of Bishop Ullathorne School in Coventry where families can book a free half day of activities and in the evening the grounds will stage a new production called Milesians – The Coming of the Gaels.
The events follow four months of working with children in Coventry schools between September and December of last year exploring environmental themes, the current state of the world’s oceans and ways young people can help to protect the seas.
As part of the project the children created artwork and soundscapes as well as short dramas which were filmed and will be on display in the big top.
Turning the Tide, the family event, will also include spoken word, a chance to explore the water cycle, a walk-through tsunami and virtual reality headsets taking people under the sea. There are also be traditional fairground games (given an environmental angle) plus the chance to see the artwork Jack’s Frogs, which has been on display elsewhere in Coventry.
Taking place between April 18-22, at the close of both the morning and the afternoon sessions, theatre company Highly Sprung will perform an outdoor production of their show CastAway which explores the throwaway society and its effects on the planet.
Artistic director Kathi Leahy says: “The day is about getting involved with water and the oceans, in an enjoyable way through hands-on activities and games and experiencing the ocean through sound, touch and
vision. Thought provoking and fun, it’s a free day out.
“Our whole planet has been affected by climate change and rising sea levels. We are a landlocked and so the oceans aren’t really at the forefront of our minds but how we live our lives affects people across the world and the consequences of climate change affects us all.
‘‘So the more we can broaden awareness of the environmental issues and take responsibility for our actions the better.”
And in the evenings, between April 16-22, audiences can enjoy Milesians – The Coming of the Gaels. The show features a community cast, performers from Circolombia and Rebel Manifesto Aerial with a soundtrack by internationally renowned musician Johnny Donnelly, managing director of Arcana and original drummer with The Saw Doctors. Combining art, engineering, circus, aerial performance and
theatre, the show re-imagines an ancient Celtic myth in which the Milesians, or Gaels, invade Ireland, hoping to settle there. Coming up against the god-like race of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the two peoples have to choose between war and peace.
Kathi says the tale will resonate with modern audiences.
“We have a big Irish community in Coventry, many of whom crossed the water in the 1950s and ‘60s to help rebuild the city and I hope they will have a deep connection with this story.’’
Flow: Milesians – The Coming of the Gaels is performed from April 16-22. Tickets cost from £5 and need to be booked. Turning the Tide – An Ocean’s Fair is open between April 18 and 22. Half-day tickets are free but need to be booked. Both take place at Bishop Ullathorne School Grounds in Coventry. For more information and booking see imagineerproductions.co.uk/projects/flow/