‘Way Above the Houses’

Client: Quays Culture

Audience: People living in and around Salford Quays

Narrative: Celebrating the meaning of home

The brief:

The brief for this show was to create a show with, for and about the people of Salford. We started working with the community right from the start – not only were they part of the show, they helped shape it. The show told the story of Salford and the people that live there.

With participation at its core, we brought in a dedicated Participation Producer to run workshops and gather stories from the local community. We also brought our Umbrella Project – a way for the community to physically get involved in the show.

We worked with composer Ted Barnes to create an original soundtrack for the show (and a hand-drawn poster!) and with BSL interpreter Dave Ellington to interpret the show and provide signing lyrics for the community choir. The show included a walk through the Quays, and culminated with a breathtaking performance on our aerial ring, suspended from a crane, with singing and aerial running – all brought down to earth by the singing and umbrella performances.