Comprised of 9 silent short films with musical accompaniments from Dmytro Morykit, Music in Manufacture seeks to bring together two different mediums to create something entirely new.
The films mostly illustrated various manufacturing processes, such as the making of sails, glass-blowing or the weaving of a shawl using a loom. However, there were more abstract ones such as the final short entitled 'Particles'. Although I'm not sure exactly what it was depicting, it was a little like looking down a microscope. The real stars of the show, of course, were the original compositions from Morykit that, whilst all feeling like they came from the same source, each had their own distinct sound. Furthermore and rather more crucially for the project, the compositions did an excellent job of mimicking the processes they were accompanying; the loom was energetic, the bottling plant precise. St Cuthbert's Parish Church provided an excellent venue for the performance as the acoustics were amazing and, if you took your eyes off the screen, you would catch a glimpse of the beautiful surroundings.
My personal favourite was a film called 'Oil and Water', which was one of the more abstract films. As with all the works, the piano playing was outstanding but, when combined with the kaleidoscope-like effect on screen, it made for a very unique experience.
I have never seen a show like this and I doubt I will again. That is not because it was unpleasant, but simply because it was a one of a kind concept in a special location.
