The Grand Ball of Rosevear

The Isles of Scilly Museum, Community Arts  – Commission 2022/23

Certificate of Recognition

The Grand Ball Project has been awarded a Certificate of Recognition by Gorsedh Kernow and has been nominated for a Cornwall Heritage Award 2024 for Collaboration.

The animated film ‘Puffins Watch” by Amanda Lorens and children from The Five Islands Academy was selected by the Cornwall Film Festival ‘ Best in The West ‘ category.
The fabulous Story Quilt created by The Lyonese Quilters, staff from the museum and myself has been nominated for Cornwall Heritage Object of the year 2024. 

Congratulations everyone who took part in this fabulous Project

The Grand Ball Project:

As a Theatre practitioner and producer, and like others before me, one inspirational story that truly fired my imagination was the tale of ‘The Grand Ball of Rosevear’ cited in the autobiography of Sir James Nicholas Douglass written in 1900. Rosevear being such a wild, desolate, sea quenched and inhospitable island. 

What an incredible and unlikely place to hold such an event. 

The inhabitants of all Five Islands were invited, or so the story goes. A ‘Ball’ to lift the spirits of everyone that took part. The idea of this historical event is ripe with personal experience, history, intrigue, mystery, music, excitement, dance, festivities, and human connection. 

My aim throughout the project was to ignite a creative spark working with and within the community and to watch this ember grow. I wanted to shine a light on the Islands remarkable creative talent that should never be underestimated. 

I have been so richly rewarded. The outcomes have been far beyond anything than I could have ever imagined. 

There have been so many highlights for me throughout this process that it is hard to name them all, with work created of such exceptional quality. 

Story quilt 

The Lyonese quilters ‘Story quilt’, tells the story of the building of the Lighthouse using the Trinity house plans from all three builds. The quilt was beautifully designed by Karrie Skaife, with each panel sewn by members of the quilting group with such skill. I was lucky to have been able to add the middle panel the quilt of the ‘Ball’  itself.

It is now exhibited pride of place in The Isles of Scilly Museum 

Project week

The Five Islands Academy embraced our ideas and together we created a truly inspirational Project week that would be the envy of any school. Working with both Secondary and Primary school students we created a week long, deep learning opportunity for all students. The Workshops were devised and run by  Artists and Scientists from both the Islands and the mainland, all experts in their fields. The workshops included Dance – Sally Knight/ Bec Applebee, Science –Shawn Brown. Sculpture – Sue Hill, Animation – Amanda Lorens. With new music, creative writing, print making, singing, bands and much much more.

The week was hugely successful firing the imagination.

The Grand Ball Barn Dance

Central to the project was the idea of the ball itself. Unfortunately we were unable to land on Rosevear as it is now a nature reserve. So instead working with the fantastic local band the Barnacles we created a Nos Lowen style barn dance with a set comprised of tunes that have either been written on Scilly or are influenced by Scilly. This was a first on the Islands. The event was opened by Chris Lethbridge singing his beautiful ballad ‘The Grand Ball’

St Mary’s Theatre Club

The Bishop Rock Lighthouse Play

The treacherous rocks and hidden reefs around the Isles of Scilly are renowned for causing many disastrous shipwrecks throughout history. This new play honours those astonishing men and women who risked their own lives to create a light in the dark; The Bishop Rock Lighthouse. Commissioned by Trinity house the building of this incredible Lighthouse commenced in 1847 and was eventually finished in 1887.

This new theatrical piece celebrates the remarkable building of the Bishop Rock Lighthouse not once – but three times. It tells tales of ordinary men and women achieving extraordinary feats. With characters unique to Scilly and stories of wrecks and ghosts, alongside accounts of great courage and ingenuity. One amazing fact about the build was that not one person was lost during its construction.

The St Mary’s theatre club were one of the major partners of the project. They were looking to do something new and to reignite some enthusiasm within the club after the difficult effects of Covid. They also wanted to attract some new members.

The Club are famous for their Panto’s , so really rose to the challenge, daring to take a leap of faith and to try something completely different. I devised a New Play written by Anna Murphy with extra contributions by brilliant young Scillonian writer Sophie Wainwright. We ended up with a cast of over 40 people that included 14 actors, Two amazing local choirs The St Mary’s based Siren’s and Enys Keur who are based on St Martins. With accompanying music by Piers Lewin played by local musicians Piers, Nick , Chris and myself. With incredible technical support from Jack Chandler from The Old Town Inn.

Together we were able to produce something powerful, funny and deeply moving.which played to a sell out audience.

Piers Lewin 

 New musical compositions.

It has been inspirational, and a truly joyful experience that I will never forget. 

Having been brought up in the Redruth area I was lucky to have visited the incredible Christmas Caves housed in West End  Department Stores.

Having a child of my own I was aware of how things had changed and that there was a desperate need for some community engagement at this time of year. When the project began over 10 yrs ago there were no or very few winter seasonal events happening in the town and footfall was low.

Festival of Events

With the support of Krowji, artists Sean Donahoe, Kate Beasley and an empty shop we created a Festival of events that grew and continues to this day. From one single workshop with interested teachers the annual procession was born. At it’s height the project held a  comprehensive timetable of practical creative art based workshops with charities and community groups in the local area that included Carefree, Penhaligans Friends, Curnow  School , Curnow and Illogan primary School, Lanner primary school, The Murdock day centre, local brownies troops, Redruth school as well as open community workshops. All of the workshops were designed to be inclusive and allow ownership of the festival and to increase footfall into the town. At the centre of the project was the free to enter Christmas Grotto. (The Grotto moved around the town every year always making use of an empty shop.)

Community

In the Grotto you could leave a wish on the wishing tree, watch the model trains and play with the mechanical toys provided by the Mosley Heritage museum. You could look at historical pictures of Father Christmas through the ages, Marvel at the travel maps of the world, charts and the mountains of packages labelled for far flung destinations. I wanted the experience to be as inclusive as possible and encourage everyone to enter. There are many migrant families within our community who have chosen to live, work and make Cornwall home. So it was important to recognise that this can be a difficult time for many with friends and relations else where in the world. It felt important to me for those entering the Grotto to see that the parcels were heading off to countries and communities that they loved.  You could play penguin skittles and of course anyone of any age could meet the man himself who was played by a professional local actor, providing seasonal work and a high quality theatrical experience.

Lantern Procession

One of the highlights of the events was the lantern procession parading through the town from top to tow . Now used as a focal point to switch on the town lights which have taken priority.

I am glad to say that the event still runs today.