A community musical celebrating the concept of freedom will be performed for the second and final time in Cockermouth next week.
Our Freedom: Then and Now is a new programme of community-based events in arts centres and libraries across the UK, highlighting what Our Freedom means to local people and their communities, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
Kirkgate Arts and Heritage worked with storyteller Jessie McMeekin and musician JP Worsfold, in collaboration with musician Dave Camlin, to create a community musical.
It was performed for the first time by around 50 local people at Cockermouth’s Christmas lights switch-on last month.
This weekend, people will get the chance to see a slightly extended version of the work at The Kirkgate Centre on Sunday, December 14.
Entry is free but people are asked to book via the Kirkgate website at Our Freedom: Then and Now Cockermouth Musical Indoor Performance.
Kirkgate chief executive Emma Heys said: “Jessie, JP and Dave created the community musical, inspired by stories from Cockermouth at the end of the Second World War and in the post-war period.
“They used research from the Cockermouth Heritage Collection, alongside reflections from the people living in the town today on what freedom means to them.
“We were delighted with the response to the musical at the Christmas lights switch-on and we’re sure people will enjoy the chance to see this longer version, this time in the comfort and warmth of the Kirkgate and minus the rain on Main Street!”
Jessie and JP worked with members of the Cockermouth Heritage Group to learn more about its research into the town during World War Two to create songs and stories for the musical.
They then worked with Cumbrian composer Dave to arrange the songs for a choir.
Dave and JP led singing workshops, creating a ‘scratch’ choir of local people who will again perform them live, while storyteller Jessie will once more weave in the powerful stories of children evacuated to Cockermouth from the North East to escape the air raids, and refugees housed at Moota YMCA.
Cockermouth’s Kirkgate Centre was chosen as the sole Cumbrian project to participate in the £2 million national creative programme, which is supported by the Government through Arts Council England, the Future Arts Centres and Libraries Connected initiative and will see 60 arts centres and libraries across Britain present community-led projects exploring the legacy of VE Day and VJ Day.
