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Noye's Fludde

Designs for the performance of Benjamin Britten's opera

at Cheltenham Festival 2013

To celebrate the centenary of Benjamin Britten, the Cheltenham Music Festival hosted a production of his children’s opera, Noye’s Fludde, designed by Mayhew as Guest Director of the festival (the first time such an appointment has been made).

Written for churches or community spaces, this production was performed in Tewkesbury Abbey in July 2013. This was a collaborative project, with a producer, director, conductor and a cast of 200 children to consider.

The designs were inspired by medieval images in the Abbey, including carvings of a green man. They were also a direct response to the original text (a Chester Miracle Play) and the music. Mayhew’s work was also informed on a personal level by the fact that his grandparents had known Britten .

Research was undertaken initially with site visits to Tewkesbury Abbey and with studies of medieval images of animals, the mark making, colours and shapes.

The project explored ways of creating designs at a scale and impact that could be seen in such a vast performing space, on an elevated scaffold within the nave. In preparation for this task Mayhew undertook a course in set design for performance at Central St Martin’s School of Art. Masks, cut out animal shapes and medieval inspired banners, all depicting heraldic birds and animals, were first designed on paper and then turned into costumes and props. Designs were created by Mayhew, with children and other artists assisting with construction.

Further research was undertaken to explore appropriate paint and materials that could be utilised within a finite budget and time frame. The torso of opera singer Donald Maxwell who played the part of God, had to be painted.

The outcome was two high profile public performances as part of the world-renowned music festival.