Why Christmas has come early to one part of Preston

Like so much else this year, the pandemic has put paid to the annual Christmas concert on the square in its usual form – but the group behind the popular event was determined that the show would go on.

It might come as little surprise that the performance will now be delivered online. More unexpected, perhaps, are the lengths that have gone into ensuring the experience is as enchanting as it would have been had it been enacted in its usual setting of a square sparkling with Christmas adornments.

Many people might like to exchange Christmas 2020 for one from years gone by – and that sentiment is captured in this December’s show, when the Friends of Winckley Square (FoWS) will tell the stories of what proved to be eventful Yuletides for five former residents who form part of the area’s rich history.

The process of staging the performance during the pandemic saw each of the cast travel to a state-of-the-art ‘greenscreen’ studio in North Yorkshire, where they separately recorded their own scenes, to which different backgrounds will now be added. The actors have also filmed some socially-distanced action in the square itself.

“It’s our Christmas offering to the city – and we hope people will still thoroughly enjoy it, “ said FoWS chair Patricia Harrison, who has to had to decorate her own tree unseasonably early to offer a suitably festive backdrop.

“We have some scandalous stories and some funny stories – as well as a virtual choir and Santa struggling to get to grips with modern technology.

“We hope it will be going live on the day we would have held the concert in the gardens on 6th December.”

Preston City Council’s cabinet member for culture Peter Kelly said it was important to explore how to stage arts events differently – and digitally – during the pandemic.

“I long for the day when we are able to go and experience these things as we normally would and be part of the cultural norm again.

“But in the meantime, we need to do a proper job on the alternatives – and we’ve been encouraging that with events like the recent Stream to the Street concert.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the power of culture and arts to translate into improvements in people’s wellbeing.”

Cllr Kelly said that the creation of a local cultural archive online offered a flexibility which meant that people could experience events – or revisit them – at a time of their choosing.

“How nice would it be to re-watch the Winckley Square concert on Christmas Day itself?”

However, he said there was also the potential for it fulfil a future historical purpose.

“There will be a time when generations to come ask: ‘What did you do during Covid?’ And we will be able to point to this digital artefact of how we adapted,” Cllr Kelly explained.

‘WE’RE NOT GOING TO HIBERNATE’

The Friends of Winckley Square had to scrap their planned schedule of spring and summer events because of the pandemic.

This year, that had been set to include opening up to the public some of the private gardens of properties on the square.

The group has also been unable to offer its usual guided walks, which fund its other free activities.

However, FoWS chair Patricia Harrison said they had “decided not to hibernate” while the Covid crisis continued.

The group’s talks on the history of the area are now being offered online, but the virtual Christmas concert – supported by Preston BID and the Winckley Square Community Interest Company – is their most ambitious pandemic-era project to date.

Actor Beth Nolan, who - like the rest of the cast - is keeping her character's story a closely-guarded secret, says that the finished product should be something special.

"I think it's going to look really cool when all the production work is done.

"All of the characters are fascinating and relatable for the audience - and they led lives that are just as interesting as ours," Beth says.

Meanwhile, Patricia is planning ahead, lest we still be dealing with the pandemic in the run-up to next Christmas.

“If we‘re stuck with Covid this time next year, there are plenty of other characters from the history of the square for us to do another show about,” she said.

It is thanks to our loyal readers that we can continue to provide the trusted news, analysis and insight that matters to you. For unlimited access to our unrivalled local reporting, you can take out a subscription here and help support the work of our dedicated team of reporters.