Following the Fleet: DRIFTERS
“An overwhelming experience that similarly bridged the gap between old silent film and modern immersive sound”
Curator & Producer
Dec 2015 - Oct 2017
I collaborated with acclaimed international beatboxer Jason Singh on this major UK tour of John Grierson’s 1929 silent ‘trawler’ film DRIFTERS with Jason's live vocal score.
Starting in the UK's most northerly island in the Shetland Isles, we re-traced the journey from community to community originally taken to support the North Sea trawlers following the once abundant herring shoals down the East coast of the country. The first part of the tour (Aug-Sep 2016) was funded by Creative Scotland and Film Hub Scotland, and the second part (Aug-Sep 2017) was funded by Arts Council England and BFI Britain on Film.
Following the Fleet: DRIFTERS connects audiences, performer and participants across film, music and heritage with an innovative partnership-based approach to touring.
As well as Jason's beautifully atmospheric semi-improvised live performance accompanying the groundbreaking documentary, there have been audience Q&As with Jason and new commissioned scores to local archive films by local musicians in each location. Jason also delivered secondary schools beatboxing workshops in Scotland.
2017 Tour:
★ LEITH, Destiny Church
★ HULL, Hull Marina
★ SEAHOUSES, Seahouses Hub
★ SOUTH SHIELDS, The Customs House
★ ALDEBURGH, Aldeburgh Cinema
★ GREAT YARMOUTH, SeaChange Arts
2016 Tour:
★ SHETLAND, Baltasound Public Hall, Unst
★ SHETLAND, Mareel, Lerwick
★ ORKNEY, West Side Cinema, Stromness Town Hall
★ HELMSDALE, Timespan
★ ABERDEEN. The Lemon Tree
★ ANSTRUTHER, The Dreel Halls
IMAGES: Dale Smith, Sean Dooley