Cornish sporting treasures on a world stage

Kernocopia was a pioneering partnership between Cornwall’s sporting, cultural, arts and heritage communities to celebrate the 2012 London Olympics. It was the first time these cultural forms had worked together with a singular goal – to interpret Cornwall’s sporting stories and roll them out on a global stage.

Funded by Cornwall Council, CDC, Eden Project and Feast, the project was Cornwall’s official submission to the Cultural Olympiad, but being Cornish, it was offbeat. Golden Tree Productions commissioned a team of artists to work with community groups and bring 25 Cornish sporting stories to life. This experiment saw the cross-pollination of wresting, ruby, sailing and rowing with film, song, dance, poetry and theatre.

From Tamar to Land’s End, workshops, residencies and performances took place, along with a schools programme, to help young people learn about their sporting heritage. Kernocopia culminated in a theatrical pop-up performance that took place in venues across the South West during the summer of 2012.

An estimated 6.5k people enjoyed opening celebrations in Weymouth, with the vessel in procession viewed by an enormous 140k people.’

Directed and performed by Will Coleman.

Hal Silvester as Lead Designer/Maker,
Brett Harvey as Performance Director,
Bec Applebee as Performer and Community Engagement Officer
Jim Carey as Musical Director

The team designed and built a ‘wagon-train’ set, which toured iconic locations from cliff-tops to castles across Cornwall.

The company hosted afternoon programmes of ‘cultural offerings’ with local community groups and schools, celebrating Cornish distinctiveness and diversity whilst using the present-day experience of refugees and asylum-seekers to challenge notions of identity.’

The Largest mechanical puppet ever constructed in Britain, a brainchild of Goldentree productions, The Man Engine is a celebration of Cornish mining history and a demonstration of Cornish ingenuity and engineering.

Built originally to celebrate Cornwall’s Mining World Heritage status this is a project of Epic proportions. During The Man Engine’s first tour he was seen live by 149,000 people far exceeding his target of 7000. This huge mechanical Miner captivated all those who saw him. He is being ressurected and will be touring throughout the U K again throughout 2018

My involvement with the Man Engine is as the Soloist singer and puppeteer. What a treat. This is a physical job pulling ropes and being part of an amazing team of Artists, Engineers, Mechanics, Drivers, Designers and fabulous Volunteers.