A note from Lua
Hello! Thank you for being here to experience my sharing of this project.
I have been working on The Sound Grief Project (TSGP) since 2017 – back then it was called YES, GRIEF & I was supported by Theatre in the Mill to experiment.
I sang a lot of loud ballads whilst crying and rolling around on the floor with a massive dead twig. And I began to think about the project as weird art meets karaoke – ‘grief-aoke’…
It was intense.
The pandemic happened and I was like, omg NO, GRIEF…no more grief…PLEASE!
I couldn’t think about this project for a year and then Transform & Bradford Producing Hub put out a call-out for a commission to make something slowly & with no pressure.
And here we are.
I knew I didn’t want to roll around on stage with a twig and cry into a mic – but still wanted to sing, and I started thinking about TSGP as a single piece of composition.
It was in my head, I could hear it!
But I had no idea how to make what I was hearing – I can sing, but I can’t read or write music, so wtf?
Fast forward 7 months and some FIERCE collaboration, and I am finally proud and excited to share with you where I am with TSGP today.
Put earplugs in if you need to! But I promise it’s not as intense as me rolling around and crying. And I hope it’s a mainly soothing and reflective experience for you, did you bring a blanket? And omg, I’m working with a Harpist!? So how beautiful is that…enjoy.
P.S – I won’t be around after the show, but there will be a reflection space for you, if you wanna reflect/ draw/ think/ talk. I would love your feedback in whatever way you feel moved to share. Thank you.
Lua x
The Sound Grief Project’ is written, composed, produced and performed by Lua Bairstow. It is co-commissioned by Transform and Bradford Producing Hub and supported by Arts Council England.
TSGP Team
Lead Artist Lua Bairstow
Harpist and Co-composition Georgie Buchanan
Composition Support Mariam Rezaei
Filmmaker Alex Nicolaou
Lighting Design Martin Langthorne
Sound Engineer Tom Orrell
Artwork Amy Bairstow
Acknowledgements Martha Cecilia, Jess Murrain, Days Like Television, Javid
Thank yous
Tracy Basu (for being with me, by my side, all the way!)
Sonia Sandhu (for listening to every version of this project in our attic & for being my daily rock)
Family (just thank you, you guys know)
Friends (just thank you, you guys know)
Lily Lavorato (for production support)
Transform, Bradford Producing Hub & Arts Council England (for making all this possible!)
Transform Team
Creative Director Amy Letman
Producer Ali Ford
Producer (Creative People) Lily Lavorato
Assistant Producer Jay Millard
Trainee Producer Patrick McGeady
Production Manager Hannah Blamire
Project Manager Tshayi Hercules
Marketing & Communications Jack Lynch & Suzanne Wynne
Press Bread and Butter PR
Design Rabbit Hole
LUA BIOGRAPHY
Lua Bairstow (they/her) is a Bradford-based multidisciplinary artist and works as a performer, writer, director and movement director.
Instagram: @lua.bair
https://www.thequeerhouse.com/artists/lua-bairstow
TRANSFORM BIOGRAPHY
Transform is an engine room for powerful performance. We create exhilarating international festivals and work year-round to catalyse future-gazing artists and creatives to reimagine what theatre can be. Presented as an extended festival from Autumn 2021 to Spring 2022, Transform 21-22 will invite audiences from across Leeds and beyond to connect with bold, brave, vivid and socially-conscious performance by powerful artists from across the globe.
www.transformfestival.org
Twitter: @transform_leeds
Instagram: @transform_leeds
Facebook: Facebook/transformleeds