Forty Staffordshire singers and dancers, a mesmerising soundtrack and stunning visuals combine to provide the narrative to PALACE – an absorbing feature film created out of the stories of people affected by homelessness. The movie, produced by Staffordshire performance art company Restoke and Stoke film-makers Junction 15, manages to conjure up something hauntingly beautiful, and ultimately delivers a powerful piece of art.
[h3]Background[/h3]
PALACE was originally a live performance performed in the redundant Bethesda Chapel – nicknamed the ‘Cathedral of the Potteries’ – in Hanley City Centre, Stoke-on-Trent.
The piece was assembled from stories of people affected by homelessness in Staffordshire and exposed lives without homes, without a safe place to sleep, set against the imposing backdrop of the magnificent Bethesda Chapel which is used spectacularly in the movie to create atmosphere and emotion, helped along by amazing 3D video mapped projections created by Illuminos.
[blockquote]Within our society, city, streets and homes people fall through the cracks. We wanted to take audiences on a transformative journey revealing majesty in the lowliest of circumstances. [/blockquote]
[h3]Now available on DVD[/h3]
So if you missed the live performance, lucky for you that the movie in now available on DVD priced at just £6 including postage. Described as tender, beautiful and brittle you can buy the DVD direct for Restoke here
Proceeds of the sale of the DVD will help to develop local opportunities for Staffordshire people to participate in future performances, films and workshops.
[blockquote]Here in this performance one could feel a summary of all that is good about Stoke-on-Trent. Artistic genius combined with social awareness and community involvement. Mike Wolfe – Sentinel Newspaper[/blockquote]
