The LISTENING POST

Creative Direction | Experience Design | Production

EXPERIENTIAL STORYTELLING IN AN UNDERGROUND RAILWAY WORKSHOP

Client: The Postal Museum / Southbank Sinfonia | Year: 2019

Opening up the Postal Museum after-hours, audiences were welcomed into the former-engineering depot of Mail Rail to explore how letters shaped the sound of the 20th Century.

Three actors gave voice to letters sent between British artists, many of which would have been transported on London’s former underground postal railway.

The Listening Post was theatre, concert and museum lates experience rolled into one, the action and music unfurling in thrillingly close proximity to the attendees.

My role

Creative Director / Producer

Developed the creative concept, narrative and audience experience
Curated artistic collaborators
Researched and wrote the script and designed the accompanying soundscape
Collaborated with actors, musicians and Postal Museum staff
Led production and delivery
Managed budget and key stakeholders

IMPACT

Sold-out evening and the first performance in Mail Rail
Widespread advance coverage in London media
Attracted a predominantly new audience to the museum
Strong audience feedback

Part of Southbank Sinfonia’s #ConcertLab series
Venue: Mail Rail at the Postal Museum, London
Actors: Henry Goodman (Ralph Vaughan Williams), Mari Izzard (Grace Williams), Hugh Sachs (Gustav Holst)
Event photography: Miro Arva
Supported by Cockayne - Grants for the Arts, the London Community Foundation, the Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust and Ambache Charitable Trust.

FEEDBACK

“Absolutely blown away. An unexpected evening, captivating storytelling, bite-size classical music - totally magical.”

Client feedback

“Wonderful setting, sensitive script and hugely talented young players. Great to discover some new-to-me female composers.”

Attendee via post-event survey

“A truly memorable evening: I so admire your capacity to think outside the box and bring together such interesting letters, music and actors in such a fascinating venue.”