Photo documentation - Honour

2 August 2014, MediaCityUK: A one-off performance of visual, dance, music and sound artists, plus a super-choir of hundreds. It explored the human impact of World War One.

Using texts from Welsh language War Poet, Hedd Wyn and archive materials from the Imperial War Museum North, audiences were given a window into the lives of those who fought on the front lines of the war and at home. Artists included Creative Director, Craig Morrison; German duo Hartung Trenz and Wales-based animator Sean Vicary, who were invited to use projected text and carefully curated imagery; Sharon Watson of Phoenix Dance Theatre, bringing physical performance to assist the storytelling; Theatre In The Quarter relaying the experiences of the region’s dockworkers enlisted to serve in battle through audio drama; and an emotionally charged ‘Super Choir’ performing a specially written piece by acclaimed composer Andy Smith and conducted by renowned Choral Director, Jeff Borradaile.

The playscript sections were created by Helen Newall, directed by Matt Baker, and constituted a storyboard for the narrative animations created by the animators. Performers were lit and micced, and visible to the audience, but the impact was of a radio or audio play within the projected visuals of the piece as a whole. Playscript performers were professional actors: Ben Tolley; Joanna Higson; Danny Childs Commissioned by Quays Culture. Funded by Arts Council England and AGMA. Supported by The Quays and MediaCityUK.