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Noye's Fludde at Comberton Village College, March 5th 2015

March 5th at Comberton Village College, located just outside of Cambridge, represented the final set of performances for the ACT collaboration of Benjamin Britten's charming one-act opera, Noye's Fludde. Based off Middle Age texts known as the Chester Mystery Plays, and first performed in 1958, Noye's Fludde is a dramatic retelling of the story of Noah, intended by Britten to be performed by professional and amateur performers as well as school children who make up the ark of animals. As you may well know, Computer Animation Arts and kite-maker, Karl Longbottom produced numerous props for the performance, while costumes were designed and made by the staff and students of Creative Arts For Theatre & Film. Once again the cast and crew were joined by the Orchestre de Picardie and conductor, Arie van Beek.

After the grandeur of the Cirque Jules Verne, the Comberton Village College sports hall provided a much more intimate venue, but no less ideal a space, for a performance Britten's classic opera which feels as lo-fi and is it does grand. With that in mind, the photos I've taken hopefully capture some of that intimacy and sense of collaboration, as Noye's Fludde is not only a theatrical production, but rather a way of bringing together communities to create something a little bit magical.


Animal headdresses designed by Lucy Griffiths.



Light props designed by Tine Bech.

Noye's Fludde director, Amy Lane

Geoffrey Moses as Noye.


Arie van Beek conducts the Orchestre de Picardie.



Star, Moon and Rainbow props designed by Computer Animation Arts and fabricated by Karl Longbottom.






Orchestre de Picardie musical director and chief conductor, Arie van Beek.

Noye's Fludde at the Cirque Jules Verne, Amiens - 15/01/2015

Photography by Tom Beg

Comments

  1. These are great, Tom - absolutely love that image of Amy; it couldn't be any more 'director'! All the b/w stuff of the musicians and children is wonderful - intimate, relaxed, classical. The photograph of the dove demonstrates the ordinariness of some of the props, prior to their transformation under the lights and during the performance. Again, many thanks for taking the journey with me to Comberton and for capturing the essence of the performance once again! Many thanks!

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