The evening begins with a short opera about the pursuit of love, fish and chips, and a loo. This charming and quirky escapade intertwines melodies of life and laughter, with every character just one song away from discovering that we all have a lot more in common than we think.
The piece was co-created by people with lived experience of homelessness in Streetwise Opera’s weekly workshops at the Nottingham Playhouse, working with librettist Paterson Joseph, composer David Austin Grey, director Beth Kapila, designer Debbie Duru and music director Tim Lole, inspired by the music of Joseph Bologne (Chevalier de Saint-Georges), George Bridgetower and other composers of African and Caribbean heritage.
The event continues with a performance by actor and writer Paterson Joseph of his monologue “Sancho & Me – For One Night Only”. This play focuses on the life and works of British abolitionist, writer and composer Charles Ignatius Sancho, who was born on a slave ship on the Atlantic Ocean in 1729, and yet became a writer, composer, shopkeeper and respected ‘man of letters’ in 18th century London.
This event is part of Streetwise Opera’s Re:Discover festival, which also features interactive workshops, talks and an exhibition at Nottingham Playhouse. Find out more at streetwiseopera.org/projects/rediscover.