SITUATIONS AND ATTENBOROUGH CENTRE FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS PRESENT REFRAIN AT NEWHAVEN FORT, EAST SUSSEX
9 – 11 June, Newhaven, East Sussex
Over three days in summer 2017, visitors can experience Newhaven Fort as never before, through a new immersive, choral experience devised by composer and artist Verity Standen.
REFRAIN explores the stories of conscientious objection with a professional ensemble and local male singers.
Newhaven Fort is the last of a long series of defences built on the cliffs overlooking Seaford Bay. During the First World War the Fort became a part of larger defences, linking with Seaford – the site of a work camp that now lies buried underneath the town. The North Camp at Seaford housed a number of conscientious objectors, firstly before their deportation to Northern France, and subsequently for those who refused to fight and were put to work on the road improvements between Seaford and Newhaven.
Local singers are being recruited for the project via refrain.online or by contacting Nancy Gillio-Terry on ngterry@john-lewis.com with any questions. Singers do not have to be professional and can come from any sort of musical background or otherwise.
The project will also take place this year at Richmond Castle, Yorkshire and St Helens, Merseyside.
Verity Standen said: “I am thrilled to be working with such a diverse range of voices - men drawn from all walks of life. I try to leave room for the performers to make the music their own within the compositions I’m writing. I expect the piece to sound and feel totally different in each location, as it will be shaped by the local singers, the architecture and history of each site, and each audience who will explore it in a different way.”
Laura McDermott, Creative Director, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, said: “We are delighted to present this work in Sussex with Situations. It’s our first major off-site project and working as a co-producer on this project chimes with the values we use to guide the public programme at Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts: human rights, social justice, creative education and access to the arts for all. These values are inspired by Sir Richard Attenborough, after whom our centre is named. It feels particularly pertinent to be working on a project about conscientious objectors in the First World War.
“Verity Standen’s work is incredibly potent and moving and I’m sure she will do justice to the rich local history of Conscientious Objection in East Sussex. It’s thrilling for us to collaborate with Situations – one of the UK’s most visionary artistic producers – as we begin to expand the scope of our artistic programme beyond the walls of our building."
Claire Doherty, Director, Situations, said: “REFRAIN represents Situations commitment to growing art out of place and to offering the chance to hear untold stories. REFRAIN offers the opportunity to experience these sites as never before, against the background of the extraordinary struggles over conscience.”
Performances:
Newhaven Fort, Fort Road, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9DS
Friday 9th June 7.30pm and 8.45pm
Saturday 10th June 2017 10am, 11.30am and 1.30pm
Sunday 11th June 11am and 12.30pm
For more information and to book tickets, please visit www.refrain.online
For press information contact: Nicola Jeffs, Nicola@attenboroughcentre.com / 01273 678 8820
