Show details
Artistic Director Martin Danziger
Directors Louise Allan and Robbie Jack
Choreographer Nicola Muir
Musical director Mairi McGregor
Project Manager Nicky McCabe
Designer Kerith Ogden
Company Theatre Modo and Caithness Community Projects
19th September, 2003
Community street performance bringing together over 400 performers in a
spectacle of music, drama, song, dance and fire through the streets of Wick
attracting an audience of 5,000.
The thing that really impressed here though, besides the spectacular puppets, fireworks and the too-cool-for-school motorbikes was the sense of excitement possessing the audience and the endless groups of performers alike. Not only was their real skill on display here, there was a tangible feeling of celebration. To bring together such a large cast and audience, and to create a such a truly festive event, is a real triumph for all involved. This empowering enthusiasm, combined with a truly spectacular event was a great premiere for this new enterprise and brings promise of great things for the community of Caithness.
Edinburgh GuideThousands of people packed the streets of Wick last Friday to see “Assipattle”, and I have no hesitation in declaring the show an absolute triumph. Two highlights that really made the evening for me. The sheer exuberance of the young cast was a joy to behold. They all worked tremendously hard and never flagged or lost concentration once as far as I could see. The stilt walkers in particular earned my undying admiration.
www.caithness.orgWhat a show! What a night! And what a brilliant way to end a spectacular summer – with a truly amazing spectacle!
Caithness Community Projects exceeded everyone’s expectations with its dramatic pageant Assipattle, and the crowds really turned out in force to give their support.
While it is great for a full and appreciative crowd to enjoy the spectacle, at the end of the day what really mattered was not the audience but the 400 youngsters from all over the county taking part in an event that they will never forget. Dancers, singers, acrobats, drummers, stilt-walkers, jugglers, plate spinners, fire-throwers…. The kids all gave their hearts and souls to it and they really did achieve something special.
So what was it all about? In the cold light of day, as the confetti gets swept up and the costumes are all packed away in mothballs, what did it all achieve? The crowd certainly enjoyed a night’s entertainment, and the kids learnt a lot more than just their routines for the show – lessons that will hopefully stay with them for life, about personal confidence and working as a team.
Arguably though, the biggest benefit will be to the community as a whole. For a place the size of Caithness to pull together so many strands and mount a project on this scale… well, I think we can all feel that little bit more confident, more proud of our community.
John O’Groat JournalA night to fire the imagination
A crowd estimated at 5000 turned out on Friday evening to see the legend of Assipattle unfold on the streets of Wick in a night of fun, fire, and fantastic community effort.
It was a street show to eclipse any seen in Wick before. With a cast of thousands and an audience of thousands, Assipattle was a feast of fun and fire – a spectacular of massive proportions.
Singers, dancers, musicians, jugglers, plate-spinners, drummers, acrobats and actors… they all gave it their best shot, and the result was a show that any community could be proud of. And what a performance it was .
These were local children at their best – happy, enthusiastic and dedicated. They were as proud to be a part of this as all the mums and dads and grannies and granddads in the audience watching them.
The community of Caithness pulled together to put this show on and that is something the county needs more of.
Caithness Courier
