Theatre's high flyers come to town for show

Jul 13 2010 by Sandra Brehme, The Journal

A THEATRE company famous for outdoor spectacles is to celebrate airborne triumphs and a maritime disaster, as TONY HENDERSON and SANDRA BREHME report.

THEY think big at Theater Titanick, the award-winning German theatre company which is to stage spectacular shows in Chester-le-Street today and in Carlisle later in the month.

This evening in Chester-le-Street, the company will give a free performance Firebirds, a show inspired by the film Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines.

A highlight of Durham’s International Brass Festival, it will feature pyrotechnics and also international brass musicians.

“It’s a massive achievement for County Durham to be staging such a high profile,” says Neil Hillier, strategic manager of heritage and culture for Durham County Council.

“It enhances the region’s reputation as a major cultural player on the European and global stage.”

Firebirds is a competitive two-hour parade featuring six fire-spraying, mighty flying machines ‘flown’ by daredevil pilots. The aim of the game is for each pilot to try to win over the crowd as the procession works its way through Chester-le-Street.

The parade will begin at 9pm at the Burns Green car park (behind the leisure centre) and proceed along Cone Terrace to the Market Place, with the finale at about 10pm.

The roads around Chester-le-Street Market Place will be closed.

Organisers advise that if you are travelling by car, follow signs to the Chester-le-Street Riverside main car parks and then follow the pedestrian route to the Market Place.

If you are arriving by bus, temporary bus stops will be in place on Newcastle Road (near the Civic Centre) and on Durham Road near the Ropery Lane junction. Proceed on foot from these points.

Theater Titanick actress and co-founder Clair Howells says the story of Theater Titanick began with a massive creative explosion and a sinking ship.

When Clair and her five co-founders sank an impressive model of the Titanic into Lake Aasee in Germany in 1990, the exploding fireworks marked the creative birth of a group of young artists.

Since then, the German ensemble has travelled the world, visiting four continents, playing in 16 European countries and winning prizes at international theatre festivals.

“What we offer the audience in the streets are not only big pictures but also interesting stories. I think that fascinates people,” says the Australian actress.

“Our stories are not based on understanding a language. Our characters talk during the performance. The captain of the Titanic, for instance, shouts his orders to the crew, but this works well in all languages.”

Performing in countries such as France and Spain, which have a huge street theatre tradition, the 53-year-old can tell the differences between her audiences.