In this very special performance, six members of the Warwickshire community, ranging in age from 25-83, share their deeply personal stories. United in having encountered a life changing event(s) and facing darkness and despair, they have emerged to seize life and freedom, and now want their stories to be heard. Each story, although personal, touches us all.

The storytellers include Emma Brown, a flautist, researcher, and disability activist; Saeedeh Mohammadzadeh, an Iranian refugee; James Roe, a Paralympic gold medallist; Jane James, a playwright and co-host of the One Stiletto In The Grave podcast with Sunny Ormonde (Lilian Bellamy in The Archers). Jane was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2019 and has made a full recovery. Other storytellers include Antony Lewis, father of Conrad Lewis who was the 353rd British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan and founder of the 353 Charity, and Krystyna Allen, a wife, mother, grandmother, pioneer of Sure Start, and dementia carer.

Illuminating the spoken word, David Le Page, Artistic Director of The Swan, has created a beautiful, empathetic programme of music, drawing on the expression, beauty and life-affirming qualities that Baroque music brings, interweaving the stories with music, echoing the contrapuntal qualities of this genre, featuring harpsichordist, jazz pianist and composer David Gordon. 

In these special Night Owl series concerts, the audience are immersed in the orchestra, allowing for a more intimate experience. This relaxed and experimental format also enables the stories to be shared in a warm and friendly, inclusive, welcoming atmosphere - stories which are at times harrowing but often also hilarious.

Our speakers’ incredible journeys encompass grief, amputation, cancer, dementia care and the long and perilous journey of a refugee from Iran to Stratford-upon-Avon. How does the human spirit cope with the unimaginable? How do people restart their lives? 

Emma Brown, musician and disability activist says: “I feel like I’ve reclaimed my body. I am different, I don’t have feet but that’s okay. I have cool sparkly prosthetics and a wheelchair with multicoloured lights on. I am not defined by my disability but I’m also not any less without it. My prosthetics feel like a part of me now and I like showing them off because it shows how far I’ve come.”

Orchestra of the Swan invited you to hear Emma’s and the other stories, interlaced with the brilliance of Baroque music featuring music by Rameau, Corelli, Buxtehude, Bach, Purcell and Handel in this unmissable and unique concert, on Tuesday 12 November, at Stratford PlayHouse.

Tickets cost £30 and £5 for under 35s.