Hireth (2018)
The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site funded the filming of the successful play Hireth. We then supported the film and making of a documentary on a tour throughout the World Heritage Site. Edward Rowe; the writer of Hireth, performed in the show. He was also in the critically acclaimed and now Bafta winning Cornish film by Mark Jenkin; Bait. Edward took the film to a range of venues throughout Cornwall and West Devon.
The plays’ name “Hireth” is a Cornish word meaning ‘a longing for home’ and was originally performed marking the centenary of the end of World War 1 in St Just’s Grade-II listed Miners’ Chapel.
Set in 1914. West Cornwall. The story follows a young Penzance boy; Harry Elton, starting a new life below the ground mining for tin.
Across the channel, a great war rages.
When the British Army arrive with an unexpected offer, Harry and his friends swap the dirty, dark and dangerous tunnels of Geevor for the deadly underground warzone beneath the Western front.
‘You battle everyday with nature. You fight to drag minerals from the ground. You’re already fighters. You’re already warriors. Its time for you to lend those skills to the war effort’.
This epic production tells the untold story of Cornwall’s forgotten war heroes and the unique impact they had on the First World War. The play was so well received in it’s original run that extra seats sold out almost as quickly as they were released. The live show received numerous glowing reviews by attendees and was embraced by both the local St Just community and beyond with people travelling to West Cornwall from Devon and even further afield specifically to see the show.
Featuring music from Seth Lakeman, a cast of professional actors and a community chorus, HIRETH marks the centenary of the end of World War 1 in St Just’s Grade-II listed Miners’ Chapel.
The Play was supported by Arts Council England, Cornwall World Mining Heritage Site, Hall for Cornwall, Cornwall Heritage Trust, FEAST, First Kernow.
The film tour held showings at Heartlands, Redruth, St Agnes Miners Institute, Liskeard Public Hall, Townshend Hall, Passmore Edwards Institute, Hayle, Hall for Gwinear, St Austell Arts Centre, and the Tamar Trails Centre throughout Autumn 2019. Despite not being a live performance audiences in a number of viewings commented that they felt that they were in the chapel when watching, a number of viewers found it a vivid and emotional experience which was particularly special for those who were not physically able to travel to St Just to see the live performance.