And we’re off

Posted 9th Mar 09 by Mr and Mrs Word in News

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Lamps made from type-writers? Home-made musical notation? The audience sit on stage, while the musicians perform on the floor under a chandelier made from hair-scissors?

That’ll be the opening night of the festival that took off from the truly unique setting of Stoke Newington International Airport. Exquisite sets from Mary Hampton and Caroline Weeks (and some wonderful duets, too) topped off a strange and wonderful event: Yeats, Emily Dickinson and Edna St. Vincent Millay have never sounded so sweet set to Mary and Caroline’s arrangements.

David and Ping Henningham’s jerry-rigged ballad printing assembly line was a sight to behold as Jon Bilborough gamely followed the musical notation flying in front of him on a washing-line-cum-musical-score in what has to be the first ever live ballad screen-printing set to music.

Most of the ballads were snapped up on the night, but two will find lucky homes with lucky mailout subscribers, so sign now: we will give them away this week.

You can also buy them from The Henningham’s Virtual Bookshelf. And see the other amazing things they make and do.

Pictures speak a thousand words as they say, so see what you may have missed after the jump:

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