Brewhouse Arts Centre, South West
Wassail Theatre Company
Whispering Willows
In collaboration with Brewhouse, Wassail Theatre Company created a new theatre show exploring how young people see their future, using Somerset’s willow industry as a starting point.
It’s 1929. Morris has been planting, harvesting, basket making, and drinking tea on his Somerset willow farm since before he can remember.
Every year the same pattern repeats itself. Plant, harvest, weave. Plant, harvest, weave.
One day he pulls up a particularly large piece of willow with a girl clinging to the end of it! She eats too much, breaks everything in his workshop, and is a complete nuisance. But as time moves on, they teach each other the ways of the willow. Planting, harvesting, weaving… the cycle continues and all is well in their world until the chaos of WW2 and the invention of plastic threaten to destroy the farm and their livelihoods.
Can they find a new use for willow before it’s too late?
Outdoor performances of Whispering Willows took place on the 3rd and 4th June at the Coates English Willow Visitor Centre and on the 12th June at the Brewhouse.
Wassail Theatre Company
Wassail produce audience-led theatre in Somerset and beyond. The word ‘wassail’ is Old English meaning “be healthful” and it’s with this sentiment that Wassail makes its work. Wassail believes in using theatre as a catalyst for creating healthy communities and seeks to contribute to a society where people from different backgrounds can regularly come together to celebrate their diversity. The genesis of Wassail’s ideas are born out of the people & places in Somerset.
Whispering Willows is directed by Jesse Briton and devised by the company.
