Free Choral Theatre Production At Liverpool Cathedral this Month

Cut to the Chase Productions are delighted to announce that their new choral theatre production; Through The Wilderness will take place at none other than the stunning Liverpool Cathedral on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th May.

This new piece of choral theatre is part primitive ritual, part community hall event, bringing together a sacred choir, a choir of vulnerable adults and a community choir. The music merges earthbound and mystical music, ethereal and pop, with organ, piano, percussion and bells, exploiting the sonic and spatial wonders of the cathedral. It's a work in development and we're intending to grow it over the next year or so into a significant piece as such we welcome our audiences response to these early performances.

The focus of this new piece of choral theatre is spirituality. It tells the universal story of the quest for meaning - a kind of journey of the soul for twenty first century Britain. It's not aligned with any particular faith or religion and uses extracts from classic texts, pop culture and advertising.

Exploring the universal quest for meaning Through The Wilderness includes some classic perspectives on the human condition from The Pilgrims Progress to Huckleberry Finn to Bjork, filtered through the lived experiences of those at the coal face. The sung narrative will be performed by Liverpool Cathedral Youth Choir, Up for Arts and Voice Pops community choirs, led by Saphena Aziz, and an especially formed 'Through The Wilderness' choir made up of singers from Genie in the Gutter (a bridge to recovery and to creativity and performance) Tom Harrison House (specialist addiction recovery treatment for military veterans) and Liverpool Iranian Community (asylum seekers). The choir choreography will be led by Jo Blowers and Through the Wilderness physical narrative will be performed by Fallen Angels Dance Theatre choreographed by Paul Bayes Kitcher.

The unique event is accessible to everyone and free to attend but places are limited and must be reserved in advance by registering on Event Brite. Admission is by ticket only so make sure to book now to guarantee your place in the cathedral for what will be a rare, one off evening of beautiful and inspiring choral sounds in the most spectacular of venues.

Co-creators John Browne and Jen Heyes met whilst working with a group of vulnerable adults for Opera North and St George's Crypt in Leeds. This collaboration led them to develop an idea for a new piece of choral theatre which they felt compelled to explore.

Irish-born composer John Browne recently composed The Suppliant Women - which premiered in Switzerland, before gaining 5-star reviews at Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and Manchester Royal Exchange, and will be going to The Young Vic this autumn - and The Events (Guardian's no.1 theatre show of 2013). Both of these productions feature community choirs at their heart. He has also created works for Royal Opera House, English National Opera, Westminster Abbey, and Southbank Centre, and choral arrangements for the band Elbow.

Liverpool-based director and producer Jen Heyes's work includes the highly acclaimed Tony Teardrop staged at the Bombed-out Church in Liverpool, Epstein - The Man Who Made the Beatles at London's West End and TREASURED also staged at Liverpool Cathedral. Her other work includes Curiouser & Curiouser for Young Tate Liverpool with Punchdrunk Enrichment. The Spirit of Christmas concert series for Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra featuring Lesley Garrett.

Through the Wilderness is in Association with Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral Youth Choir, Tom Harrison House, Genie in the Gutter, Liverpool Iranian community

Supported by Arts Council England and P H Holt Trust

Reserve free tickets via Event Brite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/through-the-wilderness-tickets-32719677436?aff=es2

Guests are advised there will be chairs for the performance, but are encouraged to take along a cushion.

Image by James Attwood

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