Blue Apple performers help create Wonderland image and sound exhibition at Southampton’s MAST Mayflower Studios.

Blue Apple's Special Assignments Company (SAC) performers took part in special workshops at City Eye in Southampton to create a stunning soundscape and dazzling imagery with MAST Mayflower Studios and Mayflower Engage for their Wonderland Project in December 2022.  This is being exhibited at MAST in Southampton until the end of March 2023.

Wonderland was Mayflower Engage’s 2022 Community Exhibition Takeover project, where each year they invite community groups to connect with local artists to co-create exciting art installations.  This project helped to turn their building in central Southampton into a magical world for their Christmas performances of Alice, A musical Adventure in Wonderland and Down the Rabbit Hole.

Blue Apple’s SAC is facilitated by Rebecca Godden, Associate Director at Blue Apple Theatre and she accompanied the performers to take part in the workshops at the University of Winchester.

Rebecca said: “The Wonderland project was a brilliant insight into the wealth of work that MAST produces.  Being a part of this was very exciting for our actors, and since we specialise in creating original performance pieces in SAC, the participants were the perfect candidates to immerse themselves in the magical world of wonderland. The partners we worked with from Southampton Music Hub, Mayflower Engage and City Eye really nurtured the group’s talents.  Everyone relished in this truly creative opportunity and we were wowed by the final soundscape and images.  Our actors were naturals in front of and behind the camera, building on their photography skills which will help us in future film making.  It was also brilliant for us to work with instruments, which we don’t often do.  During the process musical skills were unearthed which we will be sure to use in our own work going forward!”

The exhibition is available to view at MAST Mayflower Studios until the end of March 2023.

Exploring Wonderland photography exhibit presented artwork created by Blue Apple’s Special Assignments Company and City Eye.

The Rabbit Hole presented artwork created by families from across Southampton and artist Rachel Baynton. Soundscapes were created by Blue Apple and Hope Community School.

To listen to the soundscape please visit MAST’s website here and select from the list on the right side of the page.

Below is a selection of some of the images created in the workshops. To see all the images please visit the exhibition at MAST Mayflower Studios available until the end of March 2023.

Photo credits: MAST Mayflower Studios | City Eye