Pauper’s Path – a triumph!

A folk opera celebrating the extraordinary resilience of ordinary people

“With The Pauper’s Path, his latest folk opera, Mick Ryan has come up with another superb collection of songs depicting the life of the pauper in the workhouse. With the grand setting of the Minster and set against the backdrop of the Workhouse and complete with brass band backing, Southwell  Folk Festival provided two very fine locations for the debut of this production. Having Paul Downes as musical director, and Maggie Boyle and Judy Dunlop two of the singers, The Pauper’s Path cannot fail to make an impact at venues and festivals up and down the country.”

Sue Houston, Whitby Folk Week

The Pauper’s Path, the brand new folk written by Mick Ryan and commissioned by the Festival in association with the National Trust was a resounding success at the 2011 Festival. The Pauper’s Path portrays, through original song, music, and dialogue a broad and balanced view of the history and issues surround the Union Workhouses of the Victorian era and in particular the Southwell Workhouse.It seeks to give a view which, while acknowledging the condition of the residents’ lives and their loss of freedom, identity and dignity, also acknowledges the philanthropic intention of the Union Workhouse founders and Management Boards. Songs depicting the austerity of life inside the institution are offset by those illustrating memories , dreams and hopes of a different life beyond the walls.

The 7 characters are played by an illustrious company comprising:

• Mick Ryan
• Paul Downes
• Roy Clinging
• Heather Bradford
• Judy Dunlop
• Maggie Boyle
• Phoebe Kirrage

We received Arts Council Funding for this project which enabled the folk opera to receive two premiere weekend showings – on Thursday night in Southwell Minster and on the Saturday in the grounds of the National Trust’s Southwell Workhouse. At these two performances there was also be a special appearance by members of the award winning Thoresby Colliery Brass Band.

Following on from the two sell-out shows at the festival, the Paupers Path then toured three more National Trust venues as part of the Arts Council funded project. Friday 8^th July saw the company braving the elements in an outdoor performance at the Museum of Childhood, Sudbury Hall, Derbys. After a rain free first half, the heavens opened, but the audience doggedly stuck it out. The performance received an encore and the audience an ovation from the cast for their resoluteness in refusing to let the English weather spoil their enjoyment! Saturday’s sell-out performance was in the intimate and atmospheric setting of Gibson Mill, set against the stunning backdrop of Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge. For the final show the company moved across the country to Quarry Bank Mill, a fascinating legacy of the cotton industry’s heyday. Some of the people who had been unable to get tickets for Gibson Mill travelled across to witness a superb performance from the company, who were rewarded with record CD sales after the show. A further show was held at Thoresby Riding Hall, Nr Ollerton, Notts, on  4th Feb 2012 with proceeds going to the Southwell Care Project , a local charity which the Festival is supporting.

The Festival would like to thank the staff from the participating National Trust properties for their contribution to a very successful project, in particular, Rachel, Wendy and Paul from the Workhouse, Hannah, Lesley and Rosie from Sudbury Hall, Susi and Murray from Gibson Mill and Roz and Rachel from Quarry Bank Mill.

Mick Ryan has pursued a successful career as a folk singer since the mid-1970’s. In the late 1980’s he started to develop his writing skills and is now highly regarded as an ‘outstanding singer, songsmith and musical playwright’. He has written several works, his most recent, before this, being The Navvy’s Wife which has received wide critical and popular acclaim.

Supported by the UK Arts Council.