Behind the Scenes of Burying the Dead

Our last episode is with the director Thomas Guthrie, in conversation with Jenni and Toby. We discover his musical background, how he became a director and the challenges of bringing all of the different elements of Burying the Dead together to create the show.

Satoko, Kate and Toby tell you about their instruments, what it means to be part of a continuo team and the unusual way that they read music. We go behind the scenes of the rehearsals, exploring the flexibility of harmony and instrumentation in Purcell's music, and how instrumentalists can respond to text and music in different ways. If you're curious about how these strange instruments accompany and enhance the vocal music then this is the episode for you. This episode is supported by Arts Council England

Behind the Scenes of Burying the Dead - Ep 6 In episode 6 we continue to meet the creative team, with Satoko and Jenni chatting with lighting designer Natalie Rowland about her work on Burying the Dead. Find out how a lighting designer works with the rest of the creative team to avoid unwanted surprises, the specific techniques Natalie used to enhance one of the pivotal scenes of the show, as well as the challenges of setting up a full stage and lighting rig quickly in a wide variety of different venues!This episode is supported by Arts Council England

In episode 5, Emily and Kate chat to costumier Hannah Pearson about how she created the wonderful outfits on show in 'Burying the Dead'. She talks us through her historical research, the unique challenges that this piece provided, and more information about corsets than you've ever heard before!This episode is supported by Arts Council England

Episode 4 of our Behind the Scenes series finds Jenni, Emily and Toby answering your questions. Find out how we formed and where the name Ceruleo comes from, as well as what we did (and didn't!) learn about Henry Purcell while putting together 'Burying the Dead'.This episode is supported by Arts Council England

In this episode, Jenni and Toby are joined by the actor Niall Ashdown to talk about all things Burying the Dead. Niall describes his first introduction to the character of Henry Purcell, his improvisatory approach to the script and how Letitia Dean (from Eastenders!) ended up appearing in our show about the Great Fire of London! Find out what actors find difficult and scary in performance and his favourite scenes and music from the show. Please subscribe our channel!This episode is supported by Arts Council EnglandIf you're interested in what we do, please sign up to our mailing list to receive updates!

Each week we bring you behind the scenes of the creative process, this week getting the perspective of the playwright Clare Norburn, interviewed by Kate and Emily from Ceruleo. They discuss how the project began and how she drew on her own experiences to bring Henry Purcell to life on stage, as well as the research that went into the script and the renewed relevance it has as we look back on it today. Find out the historical fact and fiction behind the characters and the music of the show, as Clare reveals how the script became a reality.

In the first of our behind-the-scenes podcast series, Emily and Jenni from Ceruleo discuss the show and watch through some of the opening scenes with us. Find out the challenges of working with props, insights into the characters they played and how they interacted with Henry Purcell on stage, as well as what they were thinking during the performances.

Behind the Scenes of Burying the Dead //  Hello, we are Ceruleo - an early music ensemble based in London. We are starting a new series Behind the Scenes of Burying the Dead. Burying the Dead is a concert-play which takes the audience on a fictional journey inside the head of composer Henry Purcell. Purcell is in his final illness, suffering from feverish dream-like hallucinations in which the past, present and fantasy collide and his songs take on a life of their own, moving from the ‘theatre of his mind’ to the actual theatre and beyond! Join us on a journey to discover how this show was created and what’s the story behind it. We will interview our fabulous creative team including the playwright Clare Norburn and the Director Thomas Guthrie as well as reveal some stories from the rehearsals!