The Departure & The Arrival
Its more than a month since our Ghost Train project arrived in Darlington and Stockton. We presented the events ‘The Departure’ & ‘The Arrival’ over successive weekends, these shows were the conclusion of three years work and so it seems a little strange now without the day to day interaction with all things Ghost Train which, I think its fair to say, became a bit of an obsession with us all.
As I reflect on the last three years two things stand out, firstly, how unusual it is for Avanti to have so long to make a work. Most projects we have done are presented within the constraints of a funding cycle, which is often less than twelve months. With Ghost Train we could sit with ideas, refine and revisit right up into the final year.
Secondly that Stockton and Darlington Borough Councils trusted this commission to a small artist led company rather than a big producing house. We fully appreciated the trust the commissioning team placed in us and hope that we delivered a work that lived up to that trust.
Finally, all Avanti projects start with a team and Ghost Train had one of the best, and largest, we have ever assembled and what a fantastic group they are. From the core creative team everyone at Walk The Plank, our co-producers, through fabricators, musicians, performers and volunteers who got behind the ideas and gave over and above anything we could have hoped for. Massive thanks to all involved.
Ian Page has produced a mini documentary about the two weekends The making of a Spectacle and Charlie Meecham has documented the whole process. His photographs will form the basis of an exhibition and book in 2026.
