DIG THIS! Tonight is the first night of a spectacle that will include a performing JCB digger, dancers, singers and musicians at the Olympic Sailing venue.
Hundreds of Dorset pupils are teaming up with young musicians, dancers, plus a teOlyam of 20 actors from London to bring to life the tragic tale of Viking skeletons found on Weymouth’s Ridgeway.
The Chalk Legends explores how the 51 decapitated skeletons of young Scandinavian men, discovered during construction of Weymouth Relief Road in 2009 came to be there.
The large-scale community-based project is inspired by the London 2012 Games and is part of the Maritime Mix Cultural Olympiad by the Sea.
Three promenade performances – where the audience can wander around the set and orchestra – will be held, tonight at 8pm and tomorrow at 5pm and 8pm, at the former naval hangar at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy on the island.
A total of 210 children are involved, from Dorchester and St Osmund’s Middle Schools, Dorchester, The Gryphon School, Sherborne, St Mary’s Middle School, Puddletown, Weymouth’s St Augustine’s Primary School and Wyke Regis Junior School.
Bournemouth Symphony and Dorset Youth Orchestras, Bournemouth’s new music ensemble Kokoro and actors from the Drama Centre, London complete the cast.
Nick Thorne, Chalk Legends event producer, said: “It’s going fantastically well.
“The orchestra and 210 local schoolchildren took part in rehearsals at the sailing academy yesterday.
“The JCB will be part of the performance space with four actors dressed up in roadwork gear in front of it.
“We’re reaching capacity for ticketed spectators to tonight’s performance, we’ve got a limited number of tickets available for tomorrow night and tickets are available for the Saturday matinee show.
Around 32 Year 6 choir singers from Wyke Junior School will be part of tonight’s performance.
Tickets cost £9 for adults and £5 for children and can be booked in advance by calling visit 01202 644725.
A Box Office situated in the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy will enable people to buy tickets on the door.
Visit chalklegends.com
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