Siân Macfarlane : We Are llluminated

1 May-26 Jul 2015

Overview

Over the past 12 months, artist Siân Macfarlane has immersed herself in the history of leisure and celebration in Walsall. Spanning the 1800s to the present day, Siân's research has uncovered the rich and varied history of pageants, fairs, carnivals, cinemas and performance in the area, including the famed Walsall IIIuminations. Central to the film is a script written by M Charles Bardell, which charts events in Walsall's history, from the town's origins in 900 to 1900. This play, originally performed in Walsall Town Hall in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain, is re-enacted in the same location by local students, with tableaus recalling stories of Sister Dora and the Bayard Colts.