The Unthanks: Songs from the Shipyards Trilogy

Event information

Shows for Festival of the North East on the Tyne, Wear and Tees, supported by Port of Tyne.

Sponsored by The Port of Tyne and originally commissioned by Tyneside Cinema, Songs from the Shipyard is a beautiful and powerful audio visual work that traces the story of the shipyards through a film made by Richard Fenwick, accompanied by a new score from The Unthanks, performed live.

In a special trilogy of shows for Festival of the North East, The Unthanks bring Songs from the Shipyards on successive days, to locations on all three North-East rivers – the Tyne, Wear, Tees.

Songs from the Shipyards, nominated in the forthcoming Journal Culture Awards for the Arts Council Award, tells the story of the rise and fall of the shipbuilding industry and it's impact on the lives of so many people in the 20th century; an atmospheric and moving illustration of Britain's industrial journey in microcosm. The film performance is a unique event that brings archive film of the UK's shipyards and rivers to vibrant new life, re-visualised by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Richard Fenwick. Continuing their journey as England's most innovative and adventurous folk band, Mercury award nominees The Unthanks perform live to the film, combining the folk songbook of the shipyard industry with new compositions and compelling arrangements. Most compelling and timely of all, will be the inclusion of work by the poet and songwriter Graeme Miles, who sadly passed away recently, and leaves a lasting legacy of stunning work on Teeside’s industrial life.

There will be two performances of the film in one evening at the beautiful but tiny Ballroom at Preston Park Museum, while the Sunderland Minster show has a late start to ensure the cinema screen is sharp and the surroundings are cast in atmospheric darkness.

The Unthanks and Port of Tyne are proud and determined to support and be involved in the Festival of the North East at this challenging time for the region’s arts.

*The show starts at 9.30pm prompt, to make sure there is darkness in the minster, which is necessary to project the film clearly. Note that the performance (which includes The Unthanks, live) is 75 minutes long, so it won't be a late night, in spite of the late start!