A Soundbeam Story
10th July 2007 2pm Merlin Theatre Code: 1003 Author: Crysse Morrison
From the opening, this unique collaboration between Critchill School, Frome Festival, Frome College, and the Merlin Theatre captivated and enthralled the near-capacity audience. Sixty-two participants are named in the programme, and that sense of community involvement was palpable throughout this moving and visually exquisite journey by seventeen children through sound and music.
Director Annabelle Macfadyen introduced the event as 'a playful expression of the elements' and invited us to find our own stories as we watched the children, or simply to enjoy the colours and the music. It was impossible not to do both.
Soundbeam is a piece of equipment which enables movement to trigger sounds - as elegantly demonstrated at the start of the performance by Edward Barlow - and the children at Critchill School have used this device with help from expert Phil Heeley to develop creative self-expression through movement to music. Working with the children and staff, Annabelle Macfadyen encouraged improvisations which express individual personalities as well as a sense of real enjoyment and elemental wonder.
Add to this the superb live music composed by Frome College students with support from Jason Thornton and Julie Payne, fabulous visuals created by the magical costumes of Larry Brassington and projected imagery from Howard Vause, and it's clear to see why The Soundbeam Story developed into a stunning piece of theatre, as well as a profound experience for everyone involved.
The children were always at the heart of the show, and they seemed enthralled and delighted to present their authentic movement in the dramatic sequence of earth, water, air and fire in a series of wonderfully illuminated pageants. The earth children enjoyed crawling under a huge golden membrane to make us laugh with their undulations, while the waterbabes lulled us with fluid movements. Air elements gave us delightful dance, Annabelle joining the twirling children blowing feathers as a white cloud enticed the audience to join in with these playful movements. Finally fire, with the hi-energy and stage confidence of a rock concert stage act, bringing the performance to a brilliant climax. As the saying goes, not a dry eye in the house.
Appreciation and thanks to Frome Festival, the catalyst for this exceptional event, and also to the vision of the Merlin Theatre and to JUMPS for responding to their appeal for funding. The school pupils and college students all demonstrated in this performance how valuable this experience has been, hopefully for each of them, and certainly to the community.
July 2007
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