A History of Sound

2022

After a week of R&D at The Vache, A History of Sound was shared at the 2022 Vache Baroque Festival on 3 September 2022. An audience of 62 children and adults watched the premiere performance, before participating in a range of hands-on creative activities.

2023

In January 2023, we completed the second stage of R&D including an invaluable brainstorming and feedback session with our Young Ambassadors. Thanks to our generous supporters, 2023 witnessed our inaugural schools tour of ‘A History of Sound’. We performed this free interactive show to over 660 school-aged children across schools in Bucks, Brent and Slough, and both Senior and Junior Agents had a great time! In addition to the school’s tour, the show featured at the Chalfont St Giles show with an estimated 100 children reached at this event. Here are a few snippets from the feedback we received…


“This was the best workshop we’ve had in a very long time. The musicians/cast were just exceptional and hilariously funny. The children genuinely enjoyed it. Everything was so well-rehearsed and presented in a very humorous and informative manner.”

Feedback from KS2 teacher

“It was the best day I loved it” “Super duper amazingly fun” “Fantastic, amazed…” “I was smiling the whole time!” “I felt like I was in a different world”

Feedback from KS2 children

2024

So far this year we’ve worked with 540 Key Stage 2 children across Bucks, Brent and Slough, bringing the total reach of the project to 1707 children since our first sharing in September 2022. Thank you to the teachers and pupils at the following brilliant schools, it was a pleasure for our Agents to work with you all: Hamilton Academy, Montem Academy, Ashmead Combined School, Uxendon Manor Primary School, and Princess Frederica C of E Primary School. It was fantastic to take part in Bucks Open Weekend for the first time – thank you to Bucks Culture and Denham, Gerrards Cross & The Chalfonts Community Board for their generous support in making this possible. We’d also like to give a shout out to the Three Monkies Trust who have recently awarded us a grant towards this project, thank you! This Autumn we’ll be continuing our KS2 delivery across state schools in Slough and Brent, officially partnering with Bucks Music Trust to enhance the impact of Bucks-based delivery, and embarking on our adaptation for SEND children. In early 2024, the Agency of S.O.U.N.D. (the Secret Organisation for Unique Noise Detection) also welcomed (left to right) Kathleen Anne GreenAlexandra Meier, James Quilligan and Susie Buckle. Our second cast are helping us deliver more A History of Sound workshop-shows in schools across Bucks and the surrounding areas.

Heartfelt thanks to our VBFriends and supporters who make our work possible.

Co-devised and directed by
Paul O’Mahony

Co-devised and performed by
Oskar McCarthy
Gabriella Liandu
Betty Makharinsky
Jonathan Darbourne

PERFORMED BY
KATHLEEN ANNE GREEN
ALEXANDRA MEIER
JAMES QUILLIGAN
SUSIE BUCKLE

Designer
Lizzy Leech

ASSISTANT DESIGNER
THANANYA KAEWSANTHIA

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
ALEX MORELY