The Stopping Place

an epic participatory choral project 

Premiere Autumn 2021

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Atchin tans n Romani [stopping places] the different geographical sites known only to Romani communities at which they stop during the year and mark the places where Romani and gorja [non-Romani] meet.

 

Pusomori and Kaven are sisters who were born into the Romani community but now live in two very different worlds. Separated as teenagers Pusomori continued her travelling life while Kaven, who is poshrat [a mixed blood Romani] has settled. Kaven desperately misses Pusomori and cannot understand why she puts up with her life as a woman in the Romani community. However, when Pusomori is caught in ‘The Big Halt’ which forbids ‘gypsies’ to travel and is interred in a camp Kaven must finally choose which side she is on.

 

The Stopping Place is a large-scale participatory choral project in partnership with Opera North, The London Borough of Newham and the University of East London and central to the project is community engagement and participation in a high quality and innovative performance that could not be developed or realised without those participants.

 

The project uses arts practices to capture the cultural journeys that reflect our diverse communities which will then will be staged as installations over the next year and integrated into the design of the final production.

 

We are delighted to be working with Newham Music to create an all-female choir for the performance.

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"We are delighted to be partnering Brolly in the delivery of their exciting new project the Stopping Place which is a great opportunity to develop arts participation and engagement in the borough and to deliver high quality performance work that reflects and celebrates the diversity of our community."

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Monica Thomas 

Commissioner, Resident Engagement and Participation

London Borough of Newham