Ice Chill video - A first for Barnstorm

In a first for a Barnstorm play, The Ice Child incorporates video projections and real­time video being operated during the play. Local videographer Darragh Byrne and director Philip Hardy travelled to the highlands of Scotland last month to film the snow sequences that play a key role ithe story. Darragh is now spending time with the actors during rehearsals to advise on using thon­stage camera. For the look of the play, the video sequences are integrated with Carol Betera’s subterranean set design. These video technologies form an exciting part of the story­telling, but for the talented and multi­ faceted cast and director that has been assembled for The Ice Child; this is simply another aspect to their work in creating the best possible performance of the story in this play. It’s an innovation that emerged naturally from the story itself, rather than a decision first to put video in the performance.

Composer Jack Cawley is back on board, having composed scores for the last two Barnstorm plays. The actors are intensely engaged in the process: singing, harmonising, playing instruments as Jack weaves the musical theme into the play’s narrative, giving it a highly­charged emotional resonance.