College of West Anglia graduate's art marks King’s Lynn Guildhall’s 578th anniversary of first recorded performance
Preparations are underway for an exciting art work to celebrate January’s 578th anniversary of the first recorded performance at Lynn’s Guildhall.
The first recorded performance in the Guildhall was on January 5, 1445.
Young local artist Savannah Andrews is in the process of creating a projection which will be shown in the Guildhall Theatre on King Street on January 5, 6 and 7.
The Guildhall will be open each day between 11am and 3pm for people to come and see the work for free.
Savannah has grown up in Lynn, is a College of West Anglia graduate in fine art and graphic design and has a joint honours degree in creative writing and screenwriting from the University of Worcester.
Savannah said: “I’m really excited to be making this projection for the Guildhall. I’ve been looking at the text from 1445 and thinking about how to make something around that. I have also been thinking about the candles which lit the original performance and using the theme of the Sun/Sol.
“I used to volunteer at the Arts Centre at the Guildhall and now I’m back here with Collusion so I’ve kind of come full circle in a way.”
Savannah is currently working as an assistant arts producer with Collusion who are based at the White Barn in Lynn which is in the courtyard behind the Guildhall.
Although this project, which will be called 578, will see Savannah working independently of Collusion.
Rachel Drury of Collusion said: “Collusion is very supportive of our team working independently on projects locally and across the UK. We’re super excited to see the outcome of Savannah’s work on this project.”
Creative director of the site and cultural officer at the borough council Tim FitzHigham said: “We’ve got the oldest working theatre and newest artists using the newest technology. We’re really pleased that Savannah is going to celebrate the 578th anniversary. A young local artist responding to this challenge is exactly what the Guildhall is about.
“Going through the 1445 text again we realised that some of it is not in Latin as was previously thought but Norman French. So without Savannah, we wouldn’t know that. The Guildhall keeps throwing out secrets and I, too, can’t wait to see what comes out on 5 January.”
578 by Savannah Andrews will be on show in the auditorium of the Guildhall on January 5, 6 and 7, 2023 from 11-3 every day. Free entry and no booking required.
