Preparing the Summer Kitchen: Demonstration

Word and Voice Theatre Centre sings Ukrainian traditional songs and shares the connection between song and food

Join us for an evening of song and discussion about Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage!

Traditional folk music is a bridge between ancestors and new generations. It is considered to be the soul of its people. In Ukraine, traditional song accompanies a person in everyday life and on holidays, it helps in the hour of darkness or grief, and it cheers the heart during special life events. Ukrainian folk culture (including rituals, beliefs, festivals, music, art, food) has its origins in the cycle of life, and the primeval organic relationship between people and the land which enabled them to exist. Many of the customs and rituals associated today with Christian festivals such as Easter and Christmas originally evolved as celebrations of natural events, such as spring, the solstices, the harvest, the wedding, and were continued when Ukraine embraced Christianity in 988 A.D. Most of those customs are connected to making and eating special foods: korovai (special bread for weddings and other life events), kutia (sweet wheat berry pudding for Christmas), paska (special Easter bread) and so on.

In this evening demonstration of songs from Ukraine, the acclaimed Word and Voice theatre centre will share a sampling of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage. They will also discuss and demonstrate how they use the various traditional songs for the creation of a new type of theatre, one that preconceives actor training and the role of the actor as the vessel of tradition. Additionally, they will talk about the deeper connections between song and culture and set up the larger idea of the Summer Kitchen series.

This evening is a precursor to the Summer Kitchen song workshop and the baking workshop as well as a teaser for the various fundraising concerts being presented around the Southwest by Word and Voice. There is no requirement to attend this evening if you are attending the workshop, and vice versa. This demonstration is limited to the capacity of Maketank.

VENUE: MAKETANK EXETER

3-5 Paris Street, Exeter, EX1 2JB