Splash!  was an immersive outdoor narrative show. In this performance the story follows Flo and her grandfather on a ‘shero’s journey’…… The work was created with a mixed ability company through circus, physical theatre, comedy and puppetry. The story unfolds in an interactive, sonic water world.

“ Lost in a magical watery world full of strange sea creatures, Flo learns to take risks, gain independence and become confident, until she finds her way back home.”

https://www.extraordinarybodies.org.uk/our-work/splash/

https://soundcloud.com/shirley-896949324/flo-at-the-waterside

https://soundcloud.com/shirley-896949324/seaside-hawaiian-style

The show was an outdoor daytime show, that couldn’t rely on lighting, or a theatre space protected from outside sounds. Instead, we created a rich and immersive world that combined spatial sound design that surrounded the audience. The interactive sets with puppets and circus equipment brought creative ways to tell the story of our main character, Flo.

https://soundcloud.com/shirley-896949324/storm-monster2

Creating the composed music and sound design with Michael Fergie, we devised a system where the speakers were incorporated in the set. Added to the sound on the speakers by the stage, the undersea rocks had speakers in them. Fergie constructed them so the audience could sit on the rocks and feel the vibration as well as hear the sound. As a mixed ability audience was especially invited, we aimed to give an experience to those with a different perception of the event.

https://soundcloud.com/shirley-896949324/flos-underwater-acro-dance

It was fun and an absolute pleasure to work with all the differently abled performers where access and support was a priority in the making process. A big thanks to musicians Ali Houiellebecq, recorders and saxophone, Fiona Barrow violin, Pete Brandt ukuleles and bass, Mike Vince percussion and Michael Fergie sound design tech and great collaborator. 

end