Norwich Under The Water
On a day when yet another news story appeared to further reinforce the spectre of climate change (Red Admiral butterflies, which typically migrate south in winter, are reported to now be staying in the UK year-round according to a new report from the Butterfly Conservation charity), a brand new theatre work that examines the facts, fears, and consequences of global warming is being performed this week, in and around the Cloister Garth of Norwich Cathedral.
'Norwich Under The Water' is a work written and performed by Vatic Theatre, a new local theatre company who, working alongside UEA climatologists and local communities, ponder the assertion that a two metre rise in water levels would see the River Wensum lapping at the base of Norwich Cathedral. With a specially composed soundtrack by Bill Vine, 'Norwich Under The Water' examines these warnings, and record the memories and fears of the local population.
On arriving at the cathedral cloisters audiences are provided with wireless headphones and encouraged to explore the labyrinth and lawn of the central garth. We listen to a triaged soundtrack of overlapping poetry, expert scientific opinion, and vox-pop reminiscence from Norwich residents who remember the Great Flood of 1953.
As we move to the cloisters our headphones are gracefully married to ambient field recordings overlaid by Bill Vine's atmospheric and moving musical score. We are introduced to the sounds of the river, the cathedral and also the weather, before ending with a recording of an old Norfolk sea shanty sung by Gavin Bryers. Meanwhile, we have a chance to explore the exhibition of photo collages, posters, and poetry, and are invited to write our own climate concerns onto a string of paper boats that are stretched between the exhibits.
The third part of the performance is a graceful and ponderous piece of physical theatre, a dance performed on and around the labyrinth by Sophie Utting, together with fellow Vatic members Andrew Sanger, Daisy Black, and Ben Nash. As the dancers circumnavigate the labyrinth, and as we continue listening to the musical soundtrack, the unscripted sounds of cathedral bells and of a jet plane flying overhead each add their own layer of unscripted reality to the experience.
'Norwich Under The Sea' is not just a work of environment agitprop. It is a sincere and thoughtful attempt to examine facts, to highlight their relevance to our lives in Norwich, and to lay bare our choices. Its gracefully delivered message, whilst playing to our anxieties and fears, also inspires hope, albeit with a rallying cry and with an unquestionable sense of urgency.
Whilst the production in its current form is largely site-specific, it would be wonderful if it could be adapted for performance elsewhere in the city, and even throughout the low-lying areas of our county. The cathedral audiences' size was limited by the use of wireless headphones within the cathedral grounds, but Vine's evocative soundtrack would sound awesome if played deep in the Norfolk countryide, or on the windswept marshes of the North Norfolk coast. Even though all the performances at Norwich Cathedral sold out quickly, the sentiment of 'Norwich Under The Water' seems too important not to take beyond the city walls.
'Norwich Under The Water' was created by Vatic Theatre, developed and produced in partnership with Norwich Theatre and was enabled with the support of Norwich Puppet Theatre and Norwich Cathedral.
