From the sense of light and the curve of shore to the challenges and the joy of living where land and water meet - a sea of local voices tells the story of Morecambe…almost like putting a shell to the ear.
A fascinating set of conversations, creatively crafted into an audio play, capture the pure essence of life in beautiful Morecambe Bay as experienced and told, sometimes candidly, by some of its people.
'Ebbs and Flows', produced by Ragged Edge Productions of Keswick and Lancaster University's English Literature and Creative Writing disciplines at the School of Arts, is narrated by Helen Longworth, of BBC Radio 4's The Archers.
Written by Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing Dr Tajinder Singh Hayer, the audio play was sparked by an initial aim - to hear what the people of Morecambe thought of their hometown - its past, its present and its future.
"We weren't quite sure what to expect," said Dr Hayer. "But we ended up with a wealth of material (nearly 30 hours' worth of recorded interviews). As a writer, I felt an obligation to honour the generosity of the participants.
"The script became an exploration of the different ways that a place can be known and the recurring themes in the participant interviews: the sense of light in Morecambe, the sweep of the Bay, the challenges and joy of living on the edge."
Dr Jo Carruthers, who produced the play, is really proud of what has been achieved.
"There has been a lot in the press about the relative financial and cultural deprivation of what the government often call 'coastal communities'", she explained.
"We wanted to hear what locals really think and feel about their seaside home and weaving their voices into the form of an audio play seemed a great starting point."
Thanks to a grant from the Joy Welch Research Fund, the team interviewed almost 30 people, who live and work in Morecambe, in June and July this year.
"It was such a privilege to hear so many stories about Morecambe past and present, a small selection of which we can hear in this audio play," she added.
"It's ended up being a wonderful poetic celebration of Morecambe and the passion people have about, among other things, the sea, swimming and fishing in it, the gulls, and the famous Winter Gardens."
The play was launched in Morecambe earlier this month at an academic symposium that showcased arts activities at seaside towns like Grimsby, Plymouth, Hull and Morecambe.
"The interviewees were invited," says Dr Carruthers. "We all put on individual headphones to listen and people walking past probably wondered what was going on as we stood, sat and wandered around smiling and laughing as we listened, looking out at Morecambe's spectacular mountainous seascape.
" 'Ebbs and Flows' is a beautiful work of art, very fitting for the beauty of Morecambe and the creativity of its people."
The audio play will be available to stream from Ragged Edge's website from October 3.
The audio play was written by Tajinder Singh Hayer, directed by Stefan Escreet of Ragged Edge Productions and produced by Jo Carruthers working with Jill Walmsley and Izzy Hoggmascall with incidental music by Andy Raven.
