Exploring the legacy of memory - new show arrives in Washington with music by Maximo Park frontman
Hold On Let Go, from Unfolding Theatre, explores the idea of memory, and what we pass on
Washington Arts centre is kicking off the tour of a new play - with original music from the frontman of Newcastle rockers Maximo Park.
Following a successful run at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe, Unfolding Theatre’s critically acclaimed show about memory and what we pass on - Hold On Let Go - launches back in the North East this week.
Hold On Let Go explores memory and legacy - and features original songs from Maximo Park's Paul Smith.
Director Annie Rigby explains;
“Hold On Let Go takes you on a journey that starts in a kitchen and travels to the farthest reaches of our universe.
"It explores how fragmentary and partial our memories are - both as individuals and society.
"From there it asks whether we might behave differently if we were conscious of how little we hold in our memories.
“It's a lovely show to be touring as audiences return to theatres, many for the first time since before the pandemic.
"It has a very welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, and serves its audience freshly baked bread.
"It makes me laugh to think that we made Hold On Let Go before sourdough bread became a lockdown cliché.
“It's brilliant to be touring the show in 2022, when it feels more relevant than ever. It’s a real celebration of live performance, with plenty of laughter, good stories and great music.
"It’s also the first show Unfolding Theatre has made that premiered outside of the region, so it feels really special to be finally presenting Hold On Let Go in the North East.
"We never thought it would take three years to bring it home and we can't wait to welcome audiences at Arts Centre Washington.”
The show marks Paul Smith's first theatre collaboration - and he tells us more:
“Music and memory is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.
"We called the first Maxïmo Park album, A Certain Trigger because of how music can be an emotional trigger, taking you to places and memories.
"In Hold On Let Go, we’re playing with how a radio broadcast of songs and words, played within the show, can build an emotional connection with audiences.”
For the show, Annie and the creative team also led workshops with parents and newborn babies, as well as with elderly people to explore how to capture things which are usually forgotten in day to day life - some of which feed into the play as part of Paul Smith's radio station.
There is also Unfolding Theatre's signature playing with interaction - as character Alex bakes sourdough bread during each show, using the natural yeast in the air of each performance as a starter.
The audience then share in the freshly baked bread at the end of the show.
You can find out more about the show via Unfolding Theatre's website and social media and more about Paul via his social media.