The Berkshire Giant Project

A key event in Corn Exchange Newbury’s outdoor arts programme, The Berkshire Giant Project is a large-scale multi-part participatory arts project incorporating giant puppetry, carnival parade, art installations, music and performance to tell the story of John Ever Afraid, ‘a giant who has been hiding in the walls of Aldworth Church for 600 years after making an ill-advised pact with the Devil’.

Following its participatory stages and a number of smaller events, the project now culminates in a week of performances that together tell the overarching story of John Ever Afraid’s flight from his pursuing demons. On 17 June there’sAldworth Giant Fair, a day of ‘music, feasting and entertainment in the tiny West Berkshire village of Aldworth, with a Giant Parade at 2pm’; 20 June there’s The Summoning, a night of invocations and rituals on Snelsmore Common where ‘those that support the giant use drums, voices and beautiful images to invoke ancient spirit beasts to come to his aid’; 23 June there’s aGiant Trail that leads audiences through Newbury as they search for giant-themed clues; and 23 June there’s John’s Final Footsteps, the finale of the story as John’s pursuers catch up with him at last.

For more on the project, which is produced by Macnas, see the Berkshire Giant website.