THE PROJECT
The World of Dismembered Empire:
This is Liverpool in a parallel world, a Steampunk style dystopia where Liverpool has become the centre for world trade and economic power. Certain infamous debate raging between two famous scientists, Tesla and Edison, has reached such significance it is ripping the ‘Empire ‘in two. The Williamson Tunnels are a source of both work and power for the Empire's citizens. Strange and dangerous secrets lurk in the Tunnel's depths; those close to the truth must make a choice that will affect the lives of many. In October the gates between Liverpool as we know it and this parallel Liverpool will open up, so we can witness a significant event in this world play out.

The project portrays a parallel version of Liverpool based on the time of the late Industrial Revolution – an important era for scientific, technological and socio-economic change. Inspired by real life renegades of Industrial Revolution Liverpool, such as Edward Rushton; poet, seafarer and abolitionist- the project’s title is taken from one of his poems. The audience can delve into this imagined world in many ways, this first show being a crucial event in the lives of our characters and the history of our re-imagined world.

Bringing it to Life
The overall project is a combination of a cross art-form live stage show, concept album, and multi-media interactive event. The first main event (in the form of a show running on 3 nights) takes place at the Williamson Tunnels: an intriguing and highly unusual construction of passages and underground caverns under the Edge Hill district of Liverpool. Leading up to the event, there is ‘world building’ on the internet as music, YouTube video posts, characters as interactive avatars on social networking sites, and also live action – the characters themselves appearing as vignettes round Liverpool, sound-scapes and other interactive technological art appearing around Liverpool in participating venues.

HOW YOUR MONEY WILL BE USED
Funding for this first research and development stage will help us to pay the venue, hire sound equipment, hire rehearsal space, pay for advertising, buy materials such as equipment for props, costumes, etc. Your funding enables us to make the first big stage of the project come to life in the Tunnels themselves.