Hull Truck Theatre and KCOM have joined forces to create a magical digital experience for families to enjoy online this Christmas.
Miracle on the Humber comprises four short festive stories which have been captured as mini films. Themed around kindness, joy, family and love, they are linked by the simple idea of performing or experiencing a Christmas miracle. The films will be released online during the evenings in the run up to Christmas, from 21 – 24 December. We are proud to partner with brilliant venues across the city including The Deep, Ferens Art Gallery and DoubleTree by Hilton Hull, these brilliant venues help to bring the stories to life in Hull.
Written by two esteemed local writers Maureen Lennon and Sam Caseley, the stories have been specifically designed for a family audience, including children aged 5+. The films are set at iconic locations across Hull and East Riding and celebrate our unique region whilst instilling local pride. Narrators of the festive tales include a line-up of local talent, from Barrie Rutter OBE (Founder of Northern Broadsides and Patron of Hull Truck Theatre) to Amy Thompson (presenter on Channel 5’s Milkshake!) and Josie Morley (actor who regularly performs with Middlechild Theatre) to Matthew Booth (Emmerdale, War Horse UK and International Tour.)
The first film, a re-telling of Cinderella, by Maureen Lennon will be released on the evening of Monday, 21 December, and be available to watch via Hull Truck Theatre’s YouTube channel. It is accessible to audiences in our region and beyond, completely free of charge.
Janthi Mills-Ward, Executive Director at Hull Truck Theatre, said: “We’re delighted to be working with KCOM to deliver this fantastic project for our local communities this Christmas. Born from the idea of KCOM’s ‘Father Christmas line’ in the 1950’s the idea was to bring magical storytelling back to life for the digital age. This project celebrates Hull Truck’s experience in great storytelling and KCOM’s digital expertise of connecting friends, families and wider communities. We live in a really special corner of the world, and these short films really bring this home. All of the venues featured in the films have had a hard year and have been in some way affected by the pandemic. It’s extra special to be able to bring these spaces back to life again… especially at this time of year.”
John Rooney, Managing Director of KCOM Retail, said: “We’re thrilled to join forces with Hull Truck Theatre for this fantastic online experience this Christmas. After what has been a very challenging year for many people we hope that our festive-flavoured short stories bring some Christmas magic into homes across our region as parents and children settle down to watch them together.
“Hull Truck Theatre has pulled together a brilliant cast list of local talent to bring these original tales to life, from writers to actors and film makers, and I’m sure after all the trials and tribulations of the past 12 months these can herald a positive new chapter for the area and the brilliant people who live here.
“Happy Christmas from everyone at KCOM and we hope you enjoy our heart-warming yuletide stories.”
The films will be released on the 21, 22, 23 and 24 December in the run up to Christmas Day and include Aquarium, The Christmas Kitten and Operation Christmas Light. The films will be available online from 5pm each day, so they can be enjoyed as a bedtime story experience. Each of the films will be around five minutes long.
In addition, Hull Truck Theatre are working with Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council to provide a free stream of the theatre’s annual festive production directly into the homes of residents, care homes and schools across the region. Prince Charming’s Christmas Cracker will be available to watch online as a special performance with added extras on Tuesday, 22 December, at 7pm, and then available on-demand between 23 December – 3 January.
