Christmas Champions
Description:
Christmas Champions
Directed by Tim Dalling.
Christmas Champions was originally written by BBC Folk Award winning duo Chris Wood and Hugh Lupton for BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction and is now a seasonal live multimedia show which builds upon the music of midwinter both choral and instrumental with new songs and re-workings of established carols.
The writers are joined by members of the English Acoustic Collective, Robert Harbron - Voice/ Concertina; John Dipper - Voice/ Violin; and Olivia Ross - Voice/ Viola.
This festive and unique show mixes the voices of past generations with ritual theatre, seasonal song, storytelling and music in a celebration of England’s most enduring midwinter custom; The Mummers Play. This is the true, native, vernacular mystery play and Christmas Champions brings it vividly to life through Hugh Lupton’s spellbinding story telling and the ensemble’s music, song and sense of real theatre.
“The words don't just put pictures in your head - you can feel the muddy lanes on your shoes, see the stars, smell the stale ale and tobacco in the pub, and the sweat and the hunger of the musicians as they pass the hat around.”- Review from Bury Met
The satisfyingly sophisticated production illustrated the traditional mummers' play while providing a commentary on it as a piece of art and example of social history. The Guardian
I can't actually see well enough to type through the tears brought about by how moving, lovely (and funny) this was…My words are redundant… You just have to see this Tim Dalling-directed production.” - Folk Roots Online Review
'It’s rare to hear work as powerful as Chris Wood and Hugh Lupton’s. With beautifully sculpted prose and carefully honed music they seduce the minds of those who listen, skillfully drawing on the past to make sense of the present. This is welcome nourishment for people who like to think for themselves.' - Verity Sharp, Late Junction, BBC Radio 3.
“I can hardly say how much I enjoyed that last night… Anyway. I think the show is just beautiful…and so moving.” - Erica Wagner, Literary editor of the Times