Members of the cast and crew from Steelworks Theatre Company’s brand new play The Fulstow Boys took a break from rehearsals at ARC on Wednesday to visit The Danger Tree exhibition in Stockton’s Wellington Square.
The exhibition, which marks the centenary of the end of World War One, tells an immersive story of the soldiers who fought and fell during the conflict.
Colourful oil paintings depicting fields of flowers evoke scenes of poppies that have become symbolic of the war. The skies and flower forms hint at something less literal and more ominous.
The pictures trigger an augmented reality on tablets and smartphones, where the narrative tells tales of the fallen, while reminding us of the impact on loved ones.
Gordon Steel, writer and director of The Fulstow Boys said:
“We were keen to visit the exhibition as its subject really resonates with our play’s story. The Fulstow Boys covers many themes but at its heart is a story about World War One and how its effects are still felt today so it seemed natural for us to go and see The Danger Tree.
He continued:
“The cast have all told me how moving they thought it was and the augmented artwork made the experience more even more moving. The art is beautiful in itself but that extra dimension took us all by surprise.”
Based on true events and set across two time frames, The Fulstow Boys tells of a group of friends who went to war in 1914 and never returned, and the modern day story of one woman’s campaign to honour her village’s war dead. The tale of a small village’s monumental decision is both heart-breaking and hilarious
The Fulstow Boys will be performed at ARC from Tuesday 6th September until Saturday 15th September. Tickets are available online www.arconline.co.uk or from ARC’s Box Office on 01642 525199
The Danger Tree exhibition is at 24 Wellington Square, Stockton until Saturday 28 September.
https://events.stockton.gov.uk/the-danger-tree-exhibition/