Hush Now
Hush Now is an ambitious countrywide series of digital and live performances that will give voice to the unmarried mothers who were stigmatised and hidden away in Mother & Baby Homes.
For over 100 years, unmarried women who fell pregnant were stigmatised and hidden away in Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries. Contrary to current understanding, this was not just in Ireland but across the UK and beyond. We pass these buildings every day, largely repurposed, largely forgotten, the stories they carry staying firmly within their walls.
To give voice to the ‘unheard’ women who were sent there, in 2019 Feral Productions collaborated with Ledbury poet Sara-Jane Arbury who turned archival research into verse.
Her verses were then transformed into theatrical songs by Olivia Preye and performed in Hereford in a series of promenade performances across nine different locations.
Unmarried mothers.
Hidden women’s voices heard.
Compelling digital theatre giving voice and visibility to the unmarried mothers who were silenced and hidden away in Mother and Baby Homes.
Not just an Irish story.
Hush Now by Estelle van Warmelo, Sara-Jane Arbury and Olivia Preye.
Free workshops
We have three Hush Now workshops coming up in May in support of developing our ground breaking theatre project Hush Now.
All workshops take place at The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham.
No experience is needed. The workshop is open to everyone aged 18+ and is suitable for all levels. The workshops are fun and supportive and we focus on sharing stories, laughing and creating together.
To take part in any of the workshops please email us.
Tues 20 May - Creative Writing workshop
Join Hush Now writer Sara-Jane Arbury for this Creative Writing Workshop which will explore the art of site-responsive creative writing through the stories of the local Mother and Baby Homes.
This creative writing workshop will explore the themes and issues raised in the Hush Now production, delivered by Feral’s Writer in Residence, Sara-Jane Arbury.
Using archive material and Feral’s own research, we will examine the provision made for unmarried mothers in Worcestershire, their treatment and individual stories.
We will explore the concept of ‘sense of place’ and how we can respond sensitively, intuitively and creatively to the sites and environments of the Mother & Baby Homes.
Through structured writing exercises, we will think about how these different environments impacted on the lives of the women and their relationships.
We will explore ways of reclaiming the marginalised voices of past lives so that they speak to the present.
The writing produced in this workshop will feed into the song-writing session and lead to the creation of a local song that will tell the stories of these hidden women. (You do not need to attend all the workshops).
Wed 21 May - songwriting workshop
Join Hush Now composer/musician Kitty McDonald for this songwriting workshop which will explore the art of site-responsive creative writing through the stories of local Mother and Baby Homes.
The Hush Now songwriting workshop will be an informal creative session involving singing, music and song.
Time will be taken to respond musically to the stories of the unmarried mothers whose voices were silenced and using material arising out of the creative writing session participants then the group will work together to create a brand new song for the Mother and Baby Homes of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
Thurs 22 May - Embroidery workshop
Embroidery artist Becky Edmunds invites you to explore the history of the Mother and Baby Homes through the art of stitch.
We will explore a variety of embroidery stitches and learn how to apply them to decorate vintage photographs, using creativity to elevate and pay tribute to these women and their children. Suitable for absolute beginners and experienced stitchers.
All materials will be provided.
To take part in any of the workshops please email us.
Audience member
“Loved it. Made me cry at the end. So beautiful.”
Audience member
“Beautifully filmed on an impressive stage.”
DIGITAL PREMIERES
Thanks to funding from the Arts Council, Herefordshire Community Foundation and Unity Trust, Hush Now returned in March 2021.
Together with our Courtyard co-producers we revived, redeveloped and transferred the production from Hereford to the Black Country.
Adapted for the stage and screen from Feral’s original site-specific production, Hush Now is a piece of digital theatre giving voice and visibility to Herefordshire’s unmarried mothers who were stigmatised, silenced and hidden away in Mother and Baby Homes.
The individual short pieces are available to watch on our YouTube channel.
Audience member
“Groundbreaking.”
Audience member
“A very thoughtful and heart-breaking account of the terrible treatment casually dealt out to unmarried mothers...”
Creative Hub community
Funding from Arts Council England also enabled the project to grow into Worcestershire in 2023. A series of workshops were held at Swan Theatre, Worcester, Ledbury Poetry House and at The Courtyard, Hereford. Workshops explored the stories of unmarried mothers in Worcestershire, transforming history through poetry, song and embroidery with writer Sara-Jane Arbury, composer Kitty Morgan and textile artist Becky Edmunds. The emerging material provided the foundation for our film Water Lily.
Credits
Director - Estelle Van Warmelo
Writer - Sara-Jane Arbury
Composers - Olivia Preye & Kitty Morgan
Supported by
Supported by the Herefordshire’s a Great Place project.
