Seek, Find, Speak; A Conjuring Told in Gold at Timber Festival

Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor

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Seek, Find, Speak; A Conjuring Told in Gold

6-8 July 2018

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Seek, Find, Speak; A Conjuring Told in Gold
Courtesy Jackie Morris
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As well as the first international forest festival celebrating the transformational impact of trees on people and places, Timber promises to be a woodland wonderland of the highest order for families this summer.

We couldn’t be more excited about the world premiere of Seek, Find, Speak; A Conjuring Told in Gold – the  brand-new official spoken-word adaptation of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. Bringing to life the language of the natural world, at real risk of being lost, it will take families on an arboreal adventure in the National Forest on the Derbyshire-Leicestershire border. One of Britain’s boldest environmental projects, it’s the first forest to be created at scale in England for over 1000 years.

The Lost Words is a magical book of acrostic “spell-poems” and bewitching gold-leaf illustrations about twenty common nature words – from “acorn” to “wren” by way of “kingfisher” – at risk of disappearance from modern childhood in our increasingly urban and technologised world. It has fast captivated hearts and minds across the land since its publication last year.

Premiering at Timber Festival, Seek, Find, Speak will be a forest theatre-trail for all ages, created by Manchester-based Director Collette Murray together with festival producers Wild Rumpus to bring the spells  and “Lost Words” to life in the great outdoors itself.

Child reading The Lost Words courtesy Chris Payne
Child reading The Lost Words courtesy Chris Payne

 

It will feature stunning 3D installations of Jackie Morris’s golden illustrations and Macfarlane’s words, such as spells wrapped in gold lettering around trees, animals to be discovered in the woodland, and lines of spells perched on branches like starlings. Sound recordings of the spell poems meanwhile, will be heard from some of Britain’s famous voices of all ages and accents, including inspiring athletes, naturalists, actors, poets, musicians and scientists.

Murray says “the Lost Words are hidden in the National Forest waiting to be found. To conjure these spells, a charm of Goldfinches will guide the audience participants through a forest theatre trail to Seek, to Find and, importantly, to Speak some lost words of nature.  The forest trail will offer many golden clues so all will have to explore the landscape, with ears, eyes and heart.  Conjuring these spells with the power of their own voices, the audience will join the Goldfinches in charming these words into our stories and dreams once again – stories to be Told in Gold.”

Collette …. you had us at “charm of Goldfinches”.

Together with a Masked Ball, Coppice Maze, the chance to build your own timberland in a unique woodland playground, storytelling, aerial acrobatics in the trees, The Bewonderment Machine (a magical, theatrical cycle-powered ride-on carousel), outdoor cinema showing forest films, a Fire Garden, bonfire bands, tree climbing, slacklining, stone sculpture building, land art and many other workshops, relaxation and wellbeing activities, we love that Timber will allow families to experience the power of forests directly together.

This is proper adventuring of the highest order.

 

 

 

 

Where to go near Seek, Find, Speak; A Conjuring Told in Gold at Timber Festival

Hern Food
Leeds
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Hern

This produce-driven bistro in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, prides itself on cooking with the only finest ingredients and his headed up by Cordon Bleu-trained chef Rab Adams.

Indie Makers
Leeds
Shop
Indie Makers

Indie Makers, located in Leads’ corn exchange, trades in art and gifts from independent makers across the UK.

Plant Point
Leeds
Shop
Plant Point

Plant Point is designed to help you bring the jungle into your urban or suburban space. The home of beautiful plants in Leeds.

Leeds
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Eat Your Greens

Eat Your Greens is a vibrant, organic restaurant bringing a hint of European flair to the city’s plant-based dining scene.

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

Leeds Beckett SU
Leeds
Restaurant
Leeds Beckett Student Union

Leeds Beckett Student Union hosts big-name artists and supports students through events, live music, and a vibrant campus venue.

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There's ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and entertainment facilities, making for a great evening out!

Watch the latest film releases and enjoy the industry-leading Sony 4K Digital screens, boasting spectacular picture quality, along with enhanced audio quality courtesy of Dolby 'Profound Sound'. Stepped SuperVue seating means you will never miss a second of the action while VIP seating guarantees you an extra touch of luxury whenever you want to upgrade.

Three of the nine screens showcase the newest 3D releases while Vue Classical brings the latest stage sensations to the big screen, and parents can save as they go with Family Tickets and Kids AM screenings offering great value for money.
Leeds
Cinema
Vue Cinema – Leeds Kirkstall Road

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There’s ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and

Restaurant 2
Leeds
Café or Coffee Shop
Empire Café

Empire Café is located in Leeds’ ‘home of day dining’- Fish street!

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Phranakhon

Phranakhon Thai Tapas is a revolutionised Thai dining restaurant with a combination of European indulgence and authentic Thai tastes.

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Wen’s

Wen’s is a family owned Chinese restaurant specialising in authentic, home cooked cuisine.

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