Wings of the Sky takes off over Chester

A new musical play involving a cast of young people from different backgrounds, a Ukrainian opera singer, and an Iranian percussionist, all living in Chester, will be premiered in the city next month as a prelude to Refugee Week events.

Wings of the Sky, written by Richard Wiseman and composed by Matt Baker tells the story of a tribe of people who work the fields in order to eat and survive. Tensions rise as another group of people arrive in the valley seeking a place to live. Whilst the children seem to play happily, hostility between the elders grows. The story, unfolds alongside the river, over which fly the white doves of peace, unable to recognise borders.

The story has been inspired by the ideas and experiences of young people, some of whom are facing the challenges of seeking asylum. It is being delivered by the city’s Theatre in the Quarter following a successful collaboration with City of Sanctuary last year which brought choirs and school children together in a performance called Our Home at Storyhouse to mark refugee week 2024.

Matt Baker said, “It can feel as though we are living in an increasingly hostile world. And yet, this project has drawn the very best out of people of very different ages and backgrounds, and shone a very bright light on positivity in community.”

It will be performed in Chester Cathedral under thousands of paper doves which form part of internationally acclaimed sculptor Peter Walker’s installation “Peace Doves”.

Canon Anthony Lees-Smith says, “As a Cathedral of Sanctuary, we are thrilled to be welcoming Wings of the Sky to Chester Cathedral. The Peace Doves installation is all about collaboration and partnership and this production represents the fruit of much collaborative work across the city to highlight the stories of those seeking sanctuary.”

Wings of the Sky will have a cast of forty children together with a chorus formed by the University of Chester Choir and another fifty children. They will be joined by leading Ukrainian soprano Khrystyna Makar.

Designer Maria Sarah Lancashire said of the costume and props workshops taking place at venues across the city “There has been such a wonderful atmosphere at these places where a combination of singing, dancing, painting and even weaving has been taking place, with people of very different generations and backgrounds coming together.”

Also showing how the creative arts bring people together, Sam Ryley from Canteen Creative Productions will be working with volunteers to film a documentary of the whole project.

Wings of the Sky is an exciting collaboration between Chester’s Theatre in the Quarter and the Plum Project which aims to support isolated people in the Garden Quarter and the wider area. The project has also been supported by Chester City of Sanctuary Group, Theatre Porto and the churches in the Garden Quarter.

Chester Blue Coat CE Primary School, St. Martin’s Academy and Eccleston CE Primary School are the local schools involved.

The project has been made possible by the generous investment and support by Cheshire West and Chester Council, Earl of Chester Fund, Iona Dee Family Group, United Reformed Church Mission Fund, Friends of Theatre in the Quarter.

• Wings of the Sky will be performed at Chester Blue Coat on Monday 9 June and at Chester Cathedral on Thursday 12 June at 7.00pm and 8.30pm. For more information about tickets follow Theatre in the Quarter on Facebook.