Laggin’ Behind?

Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Friday 17th November, 7.30pm, FREE

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An evening with choirs, photographs, film and instrumental music exploring Fuel Poverty. Alongside food banks and homelessness lurks the ever-present threat of fuel poverty for families and the aged who are cold in their own homes and who are without the resources to change their condition.

Lagging Behind? is a specially commissioned suite for choir and band inspired by new and archive film and photographs: a creative exploration through imagery and music of the changing housing landscapes in the North East of England from the 50’s until now. Composers Ken Patterson and Richard Scott have responded to old and newly digitized photographs in the AmberSide Collection, including Sirkka Liisa Kontinnen’s recent work Byker Revisited, T.Dan Smith’s own photographs of the transformation of the West End, John Davies’ images of the brutalist towers of the 70’s and the paintings of mining family life by Herbert Cooper. Newly filmed testimonies explore the experience of Fuel Poverty and poor housing conditions with a filmed interview of T.Dan Smith himself.

The songs are performed, live on stage, by a massed choir of Heaton Voices, Wansbeck Voices and guest choristers alongside musicians Gerry Hunt, Keith Hill and an ensemble from local community groups.

This work was commissioned by, and created in collaboration with, National Energy Action, the Newcastle based charity, celebrating their 35th year.
suite inspired by new and archive film and photographs from AMBER with music by Ken Patterson and Richard Scott.

Commissioned and supported by the National Energy Action charity.