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Fire From Heaven: Case Study
Beryl Alsop - My LHI story
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Beryl Alsop - My LHI story
Location: Dorset
For Beryl Alsop, volunteer on the Fire from Heaven project, a highlight to remember was seeing their play work its magic on the Dorchester community.
Locals performed the Fire from Heaven play, but there was no let up in dramatic standards. Intense preparation and attention to detail were part of every performance. Acting workshops helped the Dorchester residents to pick valuable tips and hone their acting skills.
“Some of the young children had to be persuaded it was a worthwhile activity, but after a few weeks, they really got involved,” says Beryl. “One child got up and said, ‘I think it’s great – I’m being treated like an actor, not like a child."
Beryl witnessed the change that came over the community, as people caught onto the excitement of reliving actual historical events. Newcomers and long-standing residents worked side by side with a common purpose – to bring the town’s history alive.
Beryl recalls, “A new family moved into the community. They got involved in the workshops, and the youngest child became very friendly with everyone, becoming really enthused. It made a big difference to their involvement in the community.”
For the Dorchester residents, it was a chance to build on the successes of past community plays and meet new challenges. “The play was a great social mixer because all kinds of people got involved in it,” concludes Beryl.
Another group member, Maggie Ansell, recalls the magical atmosphere created at each performance. “The audience is allowed into the auditorium twenty minutes before curtain up. They walk down a corridor decked out with leaves. As they reach the auditorium, they stop dead because there are no seats.”
Members of the audience find themselves actually standing in the set itself, with the church, alehouse, and market square surrounding them, all constructed from scaffolding.
With two audience members per actor, the action takes place up close. And each cast member remains in character, even though many are friends and neighbours of the audience members.
This proximity creates a special intimacy; it’s not unusual to see everyone dancing, cheering and holding hands. As Beryl puts it, it’s a performance like no other, “There’s noise, activity, laughter, and it’s quite magical. It makes me get goose pimples thinking about it. “
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