SUMMER 2015
Mid-afternoon. October 1942.
A plane crashes. A sole survivor.
Liberator explored an unusual idea: could we create a “box set” of performances, each made for a unique space - glad, barn, hilltop and marsh - in Porlock Vale? After watching one episode, would our audiences be compelled to watch others as they unfolded over the summer of 2015?
The seed idea linked to the crash of a Liberator, an American bomber, on Porlock Marsh in 1942 when 11 airmen lost their lives and one person, a staff sergeant, survived. Each episode drew ever closer to the crash site, the final episode returning all fragments of the story to the Marsh.
It was an emotional journey for many, not least because the production was able to engage those in the community for whom the Liberator crash and its legacy remain strong, alongside relatives of the airmen who died.
It was our first production integrating child and adult performers - Ernie, Lenny, Ollie and Raffy were aged just 6, 7 and 8, which stands as an incredible marker in our understanding of what young performers are capable of.
After the first episode, each sold out, receiving critical acclaim from near and far.
Partners
The Crown Estate, National Trust Holnicote Estate and Porlock Manor Estate
Artistic Direction Sarah Shorten
Cast Duncan Hume with Ernie (8), Lenny (6), Ollie (7) and Raffy (6)
Drums Danny Cox
Sound Deveril
Design Ruth Webb
Photography Rod Higginson
“Never have we felt so connected to those who supported us”
