Next year Public Record will be performed by community members alongside local legends from Sunderland’s music scene, artists and professional dancers from across the city at The Fire Station in Sunderland city centre.
Public Record, produced in collaboration with Sunderland Culture and Sunderland Empire, is part of National Theatre Public Acts, a nationwide programme creating extraordinary acts of theatre and community.
Last year the Public Acts programme produced five episodes of The Odyssey – one at The Fire Station – which culminated in an epic finale production which brought performers from all five locations across England together on the National Theatre’s Olivier stage in August 2023.
Now four community groups are taking part in weekly creative workshops with theatre-makers held at the Sunderland Empire and in community venues, theatre trips and creative social opportunities, working towards the production of Public Record between April 25 – 27 next year.
The four groups taking part are Back on the Map, Connect Company from Sunderland Empire, The Odyssey Alumni group and Sunderland Nigerian Family Group.
The Back on the Map group has been meeting at the charity’s base in the former Villette Road library in Hendon since July, singing, creative writing and storytelling. Back on the Map works with and for local people to transform Hendon for the better.
Nichola Austin-Ratcliffe, from Back on the Map, said the group consisted of two existing groups which had merged especially for the project: “One group is from Southmoor Academy where we do some regular enrichment sessions, the other group consists of older singers who meet here regularly. So the age range of the group is from 13 to over 70, but they’ve got on so well together.
“I think the group has certainly benefitted from the work on Public Record – the younger members in particular. I’ve seen them grow in confidence and there have been some new friendships made. It’s done them the world of good. The interaction between the generations has been gorgeous to see.”
Anthony Hope, Senior Creative Learning Manager at Sunderland Empire, said: “Community is at the absolute heart of this incredible programme, and we are extremely privileged to be working with such inspiring community leaders and partners like Back on The Map. It’s been an honour to join them, and others, as we look to bring further positive change to the lives of the communities they serve though the transformational power of live performance.”
The creative team developing Public Record includes the National Theatre’s Director of Public Acts Emily Lim, Co-Director and Choreographer Dan Canham and Sunderland-born musician Ross Millard (The Futureheads).
Helen Green, Sunderland Culture’s Head of Performance, said: “We are really gearing up now to bring all our community groups together in the New Year to start work on Public Record. It’s going to be one of the most exciting events in Sunderland in 2025 – a very contemporary and unique tribute to Sunderland’s people and music.”
The show is a celebration of Sunderland and The Fire Station will be turned into a recording studio to make a new album about the city. Each track reflects an aspect of life in Sunderland, or its proud heritage. There will be music and dancing, karaoke and DJs, a house band and a massive disco ball.
Public Record will feature a line up of local legends from Sunderland’s music scene, professional dancers and community groups – it will also bring together a cast of more than 100 people to lift the roof off The Fire Station with the sound of Sunderland.
Public Acts is supported by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The CareTech Charitable Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Mosawi
Foundation and The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust.
Tickets for Public Record will go on sale later this year at www.thefirestation.org.uk