Citrus Arts’ outdoor show Shipwrecks popped up at the Pop Up Party at Cambrian Lake Clydach Vale and the theme of environmental harm to the sea was also given a global warming twist with the boiling temperatures.
The show has been touring, taking the cleverly designed Will Datson set, the prow of wooden vessel, to audiences a wide variety of locations and in the process similarly diverse audiences.
Think Waterworld without the bonkers budget (and Kevin Costner thank goodness) meets Pirates of the Caribbean (without Johnny Depp shucks) and quite a lot of box ticking (keeping Wales Arts Council paper shufflers happy).
Citrus Arts was invited to curate a day of celebration of work from the Fourteen Committee in mid-Rhondda over the last six years and put together a street party that combined street entertainment, live music, workshops, community performances, the Shipwrecks show.
The landscape of Cambrian Lake was brought into the even with sculptures and charming art installations on and around the Lake, created from and by the local community has part of the Fourteen projects – all with a pop up book feel that then like into the structure of the Shipwrecks show.
Directed by James Doyle-Roberts, the show is set on (and around) the wrecked ship on which a solitary woman lives, gathering plastic bottles from her sea and the messages that are inside them.
Other people / survivors / creatures assault the vessel and a witty hide and seek ensures, weaving in and of pop up hatches and holes in the deck, and, being a specialist in aerial dance and theatre, up chain rigging, with impressive displays of athleticism, strength and circus skills.
Choreographed by Bridie Doyle-Roberts, eventually our four performers Hannah Darby, Fran Widdowson, Ludovic Helin and Mim Wheeler come together for an impressive finale.
You can catch the show next at:
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22nd July – Big Splash Festival, Newport
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7th August – Aberystwyth Arts Centre
https://www.citrusarts.co.uk