2019
For one glorious weekend in July, Precarious Carnaval brought together hundreds of local makers and shakers to tell the lesser known stories of the Bridgewater Canal in Salford.
Thousands of people travelled through the past, present and future of England’s first canal for three epic acts over three days and five miles of the canal. A confetti of riots, revolutions and colourful get-togethers.
This is the third collaboration between me, Renato Bolelli Rebouças and Rodolfo Amorim. It was our most ambitious project ever: involving years of planning, months of meetings and weeks of rehearsals with primary schools, choirs, dance troupes, knitting groups, boat builders, big bands, brass bands, theatre makers, youth clubs, art galleries, organ museums, community associations and loads of volunteers. It took us up a lighthouse, down a mine shaft, under a bridge and over the moon. It brought together people from across Barton, Boothstown, Eccles, Patricroft, Monton and Worsley.
It nearly killed us making this. It was so massive and so personal. A beautiful monster. A precarious carnaval.
A Est.1761 commission. Film by People Staring. Photos by Stephen King.