Eddi of Manhood End

Eddi of Manhood End is a large scale contemporary ‘opera-chorale‘ based on the poem ‘Eddi of Manhood End’, written by Rudyard Kipling in 1910 after visiting to St Wilfred’s chapel, Church Norton. The poem tells how Eddi, a priest from Durham was sent to wild and windy Sussex to teach the savage Anglo Saxons how to fish and become sustainable – they depended on seals bringing them fish in order to eat. The shape of the chapel will be recreated as a huge tent on a licensed site at East Beach going out to the sea. It will be an Event-in-a-Tent. A leading contemporary composer is being commissioned to create a stand alone work that could be played at the Proms or other concerts, after the Event-in-a-tent. The event will use Community Groups ( the Chorus of Young Anglo Saxons/ Elderly Anglo Saxons) and local schools ( Chorus of Seals ) and The Chorus of Fishermen, and working with Professional Singers, Dancers and Aerialists, and Musicians. and the local sports of diving and kite flying The Tent will also be used for preparatory workshops for the production, and be visible evidence in 2012 of local cultural regeneration.

Drawings by Pamela Howard 2009

Characters

Drawings exhibited in Selsey Festival Town Hall exhibition August 2009

The Ox
A famous dancer

The Old Marsh Donkey
A famous dancer

The Leader of the Chorus of Young Anglo Saxons
A community member

Two Elderly Anglo Saxons in the Chorus
Local community members