THE SURREAL SYMPHONY
Masks, Music and Meaning
The Surreal Symphony looks at how we create and absorb stories that help us make sense of life. We are an anthology of interconnected stories. Our experience and knowledge, combined with our history and cultural past, form a narrative that provides our identity and guides us through the world's complexities. It is also through this filtered lens that we observe the Surreal Symphony.
The project uses an imagined folk tradition to explore our innate need for narratives to help us understand the world and our place within it. The fictional story serves as an example of how we imagine and adapt reality as a tool to process and understand the unfathomable world we find ourselves in.
CLICK TO EXPLORE
The Music Machine
For the processional element of the performance, we built an enormous mechanical music machine which was carried along Scarborough’s historic esplanade by eight anonymous masked figures. The device led a group of creatures, symbolising the first animals to walk the earth.
This extraordinary machine combines the drone of a hurdy-gurdy with a programable analogue drum machine. Click on the adjacent media player to hear a sample of the performance.
THE SURREAL SYMPHONY
The Surreal Symphony is an immersive artistic experience which explores our innate human need for narratives and belief systems to help us understand the world and our place within it. The project's centrepiece will be a procession of fantastical creatures led by a mechanical music machine. Featuring oversized masks accompanied by live music and dance, this project will engage participants and audiences in a thought-provoking and visually captivating experience.
Objectives:
To explore the significance of storytelling and belief systems in human culture.
To create a physical representation of our need for narratives that help us make sense of the chaos of life and the universe.
To engage participants and audiences in a multi-sensory experience that stimulates reflection and self-discovery.
To promote community involvement and encourage collaboration through workshops and public engagement.
