Bedlam Theatre Company of Cornwall - The Torbay Millenium Pageant

TORBAY MILLENNIUM PAGEANT 2000

Poster Image Some of our wonderful cast!!!

TORBAY MILLENNIUM PAGEANT 2000

Bedlam's co-artistic directors, Emma Spurgin Hussey and Rory Wilton, created and directed the Torbay Millennium Pageant for Torbay District Council. Rehearsals ran from November to May, with a final cast of twenty seven people from the communities of Torbay, including Brixham, Paignton and Torquay. The pageant's aim was to celebrate the past, present and future of the Torbay area: the show developed into a futuristic rollercoaster ride through the historical and real life adventures of the area's well known characters. The piece was devised with the members of the cast and shaped by the co-directors into a fully scripted play.

The Millennium Pageant was performed on the 28th May at Paignton Green and 29th of May at the Palace Theatre in Paignton. The performances were accompanied by a day of live music from local Torbay bands to coincide with the 'BBC Music Live' week. The performances started at 8pm, with an approximate audience of three hundred at the Paignton Green performance and two hundred and fifty at the Palace Theatre. All involved agreed that the project had been an enormous success and the cast are presently devising a scheme to pressure Torbay District Council into making the event an annual celebration!!! Emma and Rory would like to extend their gratitude to all the cast members for their commitment, energy, inspiration and excellent company. The Torbay Millennium Pageant was a very special project for both directors and will always be held up as an example of community theatre at its most triumphant!

A very special thank you must go to Hannah Simmons, without whom the project would not have been possible.

Hannah from Torbay District Council gets out some agression on the Bongo's!

Drumming up plea for junk

FROM 'THE HERALD EXPRESS'

INTO battle with a drumstick. Supporters of Torbay's Millennium Pageant are put through their paces by Plymouth junk combo Weapons of Sound, who make all their instruments from rubbish that most people would throw away.And now the pageant itself is asking the people of Torbay for donations of junk which might add music to the story of the bay.
Spokeswoman Hannah Simmons said: 'What we need are plastic barrels, the bigger the better, to make drums and percussion instruments, and plastic tubes such as gas pipes to make a giant bass machine out of.'If you have, or know of anywhere we can get hold of stuff like this please let us know.' The performers in the pageant are trying to put together a junk orchestra and will consider anything which will make a noise. The techniques they picked up in the workshop will be handy for the pageant, which will have to make enough of a noise to bring the residents of the bay's three towns on to the streets over May bank holiday this year. Anyone with spare junk they think might be suitable should phone Hannah Simmons on 01803 296296.

TORBAY'S millennium pageant is taking shape. Volunteers are pictured here painting part of the set of the pageant under the watchful eye of designer Tony Green. The pageant, which has been created by a team of dozens of local people led by professional theatre directors, is to be performed in every one of the Bay's three towns over May bank holiday. It uses theatre, music, dance and spectacle to explore the history and evolution of Torbay. The first show is at Paignton Green on May 27, moving to Furzeham Green in Brixham on May 28 and finally at Torre Abbey Meadows, Torquay, on May 29. Anyone who would like to get involved in the production can still add their contribution by phoning Hannah Simmons on 01803 296296.

'It'll never fit in the van...'

Designs display Torbay's history

Pageant Rehersal Pictures

Many thanks to all involved for their hard work, commitment and dedication. We made many new friends during the creation of the Pageant but most of all we had a lot of fun! In fact, it was 'Charming!!!!!'

'Ohhh, nice leg's..'