Passing the Baton

The carousel contains images from the Passing the Baton project.

About

“There’s music in the water here. It’s in the trees and in the coal seams. It runs right through the core of the people.”

The wild and wonderful Passing The Baton began a new tour in the Forest of Dean in 2018. With live music and magical theatre, this intergenerational project focused on stories from the local area of the Forest of Dean, particularly around the life of Augustus Morgan, Lydbrook Brass Band Founder.

Originally created during a rehearsal and development process involving the local community - and then written by playwright Mike Akers, the play is based on familial memories from Lydbrook Band member, and Augustus’s grandson Robert Morgan.

From 2019, Passing The Baton is going places. Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, we will be taking Passing The Baton across the UK, forming new partnerships in four different locations. We will be preparing individually tailored programmes of work to reflect the needs of each community.

The original Passing the Baton performance reached over 1250 people across the Forest of Dean during 2017 & 2018, and received great responses from the community. The project aims to work with people who wouldn’t normally engage with the arts, uncovering stories from each community we work with through experimentation and creativity.

Please stay connected for further updates - on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or contact us via email at hello@wyldwoodarts.co.uk

"Not that I want to run down village halls but you don't expect to see things this good - this was up here!” (raises arm above head)
Audience member 2017

"I think everyone in the Forest should see it!"
Sue Middleton, Programme Manager, Forester’s Forest

Artists

Devised by the original Company:
Director Rachel Adams
Assistant Director Adam Blake
Chez Dunfois (EveryBODY Dance, Pif-Paf Theatre, Perfomers Without Borders)
Katie Storer (Mufti Games, The Desperate Men, Ramshaklicious, Beyond the Ridiculous)
Josh Lucas (Running Dog Theatre) & Pat Moran (Kneehigh, Bristol Old Vic)

Original music arrangement by Pat Moran and the Original Company

Credits

Produced by Wyldwood Arts, with funding from Arts Council England, Forestry Commission as part of Forester's Forest Celebration Programme, Henry Smith Charity, The Summerfield Trust.