N.A.O.C. entertaining Northampton audiences since 1898

WATFORD GAP - Call for help to celebrate 50 years of the M1

My name is Benjamin Till. I'm a composer and film maker and have just been asked by BBC Radio Northants to create a musical film based at Watford Gap services to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the M1. I'm looking for singers and performers to take part in the project.

I'm interested in the following:

1) People with memories or quirky stories about the service station - both from the golden days, when it was something of a destination in itself, but also from more recent times. I'd love to think we might find someone who met their future wife there, or someone that remembers seeing a rock star turning up with their entourage... Or simply one of the people who used to go there for a good meal - or a late night coffee. I'd also love to hear from people with memories of the M1 in that area, or people who remember when the road first came.

2) Singers who might be interested in joining a special scratch choir - working up a section of the final piece once a week for 5 weeks. To be in the choir you need to be a confident/ competent singer and you need to be from Northants - or close enough to rehearse in the town once a week.

3) Very good singers, who might be interested in a solo in the piece; priority in this area will be given to those with memories about the place but those with great, character filled voices and faces will also be very welcome.

4) Dancers, magicians, very good musicians, jugglers... anyone from the county - any age - with a skill that might either help us with the music side, or might be really interesting visually for the film.

So, I guess I'm just emailing you to see if you'd help me to spread the word a bit. We're doing a day of open auditions at Weston Favell shopping centre on Saturday July 4th from 10am-4pm - so anyone interested - even if they just want to find out more information - should feel free to pop along for five minutes at some point between those hours.

For more information - or if you can't make Saturday 4th but still want to be involved - feel free to email me on

ben@benjamintill.com

Regards

Benjamin

My previous films include Coventry Market: The Musical (nominated for a SONY award) and A1: The Road Musical, reviews below:

"There's something remarkably touching about the amateurs singing their hearts out about issues they truly believe in. What emerges is a unique portrait of British life and the kind of original, risk-taking programme that C4 are good at - and should do more of. A great idea deftly executed, this heralds the arrival of an exciting new directorial talent" (The Mail on
Sunday)

"The end result is a sublimely moving documentary portrait which plays like Mamma Mia as imagined by John Grierson" (The Scotsman, best documentary, pick of the week).

"Few chunks of telly leave you gob-smacked at their sheer cheeky brilliance, but this musical documentary about the A1 manages it. Yes we said "musical documentary". And yes, we said it was brilliant. And no, we haven't gone
barmy. Just trust us on this one, okay?" (London Lite)

"smart, funny, political and heart-clenchingly moving. Just try listening to the old men of a former colliery choir mourning the miners' strike without a tear in your eye" (Evening Standard)Thank you for your interest in Northampton Amateur Operatic Company. We have been delighting audiences throughout Northamptonshire and beyond since 1898.