Knowsley heritage and myths celebrated in outdoor spectacular

A spectacular open-air immersive theatre event will take place in Whiston in October – and Knowsley residents are being urged to get involved.

Periplum, which staged The Witching Hour which brought thousands of spectators to Birkenhead Park in 2019, is returning to the city region to create the new piece from October 7-9.

A Thousand Feet Deep is part of Knowsley’s Borough of Culture programme and will explore and celebrate the history, myths and folklore of the area in one 50-minute piece in Stadt Moers Park which will include aerial performers, pyrotechnics and a specially composed soundtrack from Liverpool’s Barry Han.

And the company, some of whose performers and creatives are also from Liverpool, is now looking for volunteers from the borough to be directly involved in the work. They need to be available for two after-hours dress rehearsals on October 5-6 as well as the three performance evenings.

Periplum’s co-artistic director Damian Wright explains: “We’re recruiting up to 25 local participants. There will be two evenings of very intensive training to make their role in the piece which includes carrying, fire, pyros and props.

“The action moves through and surrounds the audience so they’ll very much be on the front line and will have an amazing time.”

Around 3,000 tickets are being made available for each evening.

Along with up to eight Periplum performers, A Thousand Feet Deep (the title references the local mining industry) will also feature narration from actors Eithne Browne and Keddy Sutton, and from writer and performer Ashleigh Nugent.

“We were given the challenge of trying to draw together a narrative that’s unique and united the borough,” Wright adds. “It integrates stories from seven towns and two villages, and combines industry, magical characters and folklore.”

Knowsley residents who are interested in becoming part of the event only have until this Thursday, September 1 to apply.

Email jo.dry@knowlsey.gov.uk with the subject heading 'A Thousand Feet Deep Volunteer Opportunity'.

A Thousand Feet Deep is at Stadt Moers Park from October 7-9.

Top: Periplum's The Witching Hour in 2019. Photo by Tom Arran