The White Handkerchief was brought to the heart of Derry during the Bloody Sunday 50th anniversary.
Bringing together an entirely new way of telling the story of the lives lost on Bloody Sunday, the creators and cast projected the best of their home community.
Writer Dr Liam Campbell and Kieran Griffiths of the Playhouse Theatre, in this new BBC documentary, speak of the mammoth task of creating this play, and the focal point the families and the people of Derry played in its creation.
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The documentary follows the process of the creation of The White Handkerchief, immediately making it clear that the Bloody Sunday families were at the core of the process.
Local actors and dancers were cast, keeping the play as close to the community as possible.
This documentary places us in the middle of how the play is put together, leading the viewer from its creation to its opening night in the Guildhall. It makes the viewer part of the process of the play.
As the excitement builds towards the completion of the play and rehearsal in front of the Bloody Sunday families, the documentary footage falls silent, to the news of the devastating passing of the play's writer, Dr Liam Campbell.
This emotional segment is incredibly powerful in showing the devastation following Liam Campbell's death, the impact on Kieran Griffiths and the legacy that the play carried with it into opening night.
Now, the play not only remembered the lives lost on Bloody Sunday, but the life of its creator.
The White Handkerchief became the highlight of the Bloody Sunday 50th anniversary weekend for many who went to see it.
For those unable to see the play itself, this documentary provides an insight into why it was so profound for the people of Derry.
Even in the short clips of the performances themselves, the emotion projecting from the performances is palpable. The cast, having met the Bloody Sunday families and immersed themselves in their stories, give their all in giving their story the justice it deserves.
Many artistic choices of the production of the play were innovative and emotive. The cast members' make up was done so they would appear to replicate the famous black and white news reels from the day itself.
When reliving the shootings, the body's of the actors never touched the ground. Instead they were elevated upwards by other cast members.
This documentary hones into the core of the production of The White Handkerchief and why it was such an important play.
While the play itself was about bringing a significant milestone into the present day and to commemorate the events of Bloody Sunday, its choice in casting the rising stars of Derry transcends the story through generations and projects it into the future.
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