Drive-In Deco
Drive-in audio-visual site-specific show about a historic building called Gloria
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Colin Campbell House is a large streamline moderne deco building, sitting like a beached ocean-liner in the heart of Plymouth. She was built as a showroom for the most prestigious cars of the 1930s. But the reshaping of Plymouth after the war left her stranded, her back to the city her face to a carpark. Businesses have come and gone, she's become steadily more neglected. This is the story of Gloria.
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Arrive in your car, the building's the star
Drive-In Deco was a huge audio-visual drive-in installation, inter-playing with the building. The audience parked and listened to the experience over their car radio. Bell-hops, usherettes and period musicians completed the scene.
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The show was researched with people living and working around the building today, and with city historians. From this I scripted a multi-layered, cross time-frame story that was part radio-play, part theatre spectacular. For eight nights, Gloria was glorious.
Produced by Part Exchange Theatre Company with support from Theatre Royal Plymouth. Directed by Rachel Aspinwall, produced by Ruth Mitchell 2011.
Gloria's last words to her audience:
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‘Citizens of Plymouth. I was built by the people of this city, who had a dream for the future. And when a different future came, you built a new dream from the rubble. City of architects, shipbuilders and explorers: eyes always on the horizon. Your people make history and I am honoured to have a place in that story. My foundations will always be here with you. But my spirit is the true mettle of my creation and it is and always will be… Extraordinary! Brilliant! Glorious!’
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..and leaving her physical form behind, she turned into an ocean liner and took to the sea.
