City of Culture hosts local stroke community performance
On the 4th and 5th of November at 7.30pm in the Playhouse Derry/Londonderry Stroke Odysseys will present an evening of songs and short films from Derry/Londonderry’s stroke community, their families and carers. Stroke Odysseys is a musical exploration of the experience and feelings of all those touched by stroke and the stories gathered over the past few months have inspired new songs written by Orlando Gough, one of the UK’s leading composers, Rosetta Life and Wall2Wall Music.
Performing on the night will be a specially formed chorus made up of members of the stroke community, local singers and members of the public. They will be joined by leading musicians including Ruth McGinley piano, Eoin O’Callaghan voice, Kathryn O’Callaghanvoice, Laura Sheerin voice, Sarah Murphy flute, Seamus Devenny percussion, Kevin Murphy clarinets.
Throughout 2013 Chris Rawlence from Rosetta Life, composer Orlando Gough and Sarah Murphy from Wall2Wall Music have been meeting stroke survivors, the Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke groups and members of staff from the Stroke Unit, Ward 40 Altnagelvin Hospital. They have listened and collected stories, anecdotes, challenges, fears and messages of hope and inspiration and have used them as starting points for creating new pieces of music and film.
As well as involving members of the local stroke community in helping to write new songs the project has also involved members of the public and voluntary musicians and poets who felt they wanted to support the project.
Chris Rawlence from Rosetta Life says:
‘The project, we hope, is giving a voice to the local stroke community during this very special year for Derry/Londonderry. One patient involved has told me that Stroke Odysseys has helped her find herself again when she had felt silenced by illness. As well as benefiting the participants, the show will have something to say to health professionals and the wider community of Derry-Londonderry.’
Sarah Murphy of Wall2Wall Music says:
“I have been struck by the willingness of local people not necessarily affected by stroke to give up their time to help. The songs created are very moving and entertaining and say so much about what it is like living with stroke.”
Tickets for the performances are £5 and are available from the Playhouse on 028 71 268027 or www.derryplayhouse.co.uk. Stroke Odysseys is supported by City of Culture and the Big Lottery.
