Home Manchester hosts The Dead Rat Orchestra and British folk singer Lisa Knapp who combined with filmmaker James Holcombe to take the concept of a live film score to a new level.

Tyburnia will see The Dead Rat Orchestra and Lisa Knapp performing the music live alongside six projectors, three screens and exclusive local footable to create a new unique ‘Directors Cut’ every night.

What is Tyburnia at Home Manchester about?

The film is a radical history of 600 years of public execution. The live soundtrack will feature an evocative blend of radical reinterpretations of peculiar and rare folk songs.

For over 700 years there was a site of execution at Tyburn in London (close to the current site of Marble Arch). Those who fell foul of political, religious and judicial reforms enacted by the state were executed for public entertainment and instruction. These executions chart a history of the UK.  They illustrate the twists and turns of monarchical and political whimsy, church and state, and the birth of capitalism.

Tyburnia explores the parallels between contemporary and historical notions of crime in relation to business and property.  It looks at the nature of punishment, and the state’s use of the body as a site for political control.  It aims to demonstrate how, despite the gallows having long since vanished, we still stand in the shadow of it’s ideology.

Tyburnia is currently in the middle of a UK tour, where each event is introduced by a regional historian adding further context.

Who are the performers of the Tyburnia soundtrack at Home?

British folk singer Lisa Knapp and The Dead Rat Orchestra have united to perform the soundtrack to Tyburnia.

Lisa Knapp is one of the UK’s finest interpreters of folk music. Her new album Till April is Dead – A Garland of May has received rave reviews.  The album recently entered the top 40 Independent Albums chart.

Lisa Knapp will perform the soundtrack of Tyburnia at Home Manchester

Lisa Knapp will perform the soundtrack of Tyburnia at Home Manchester

The Dead Rat Orchestra’s music has been performed, installed and experienced across Europe, North America and the Middle East. Their soundtracks have featured on BBC Television and at the Sepentine and Tate Modern galleries.  They have toured internationally with artists as diverse as Martin Carthy, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Pere Ubu, Silver Mount Zion, Eric Chenaux, Silver Apples and Baby Dee. They have composed works for the London Contemporary Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia and the Ukranian Conservertoire.

How will the film be performed ‘live’ at Home Manchester?

Creator James Holcombe shot Tyburnia on 8mm and 16mm film and uses hand processing and historic chemical techniques.

Holcombe utilises six film projectors and three screens, physically manipulating, distorting and occasionally destroying the film live, to create unique performances in each location.

Daniel Merrill of Dead Rat Orchestra said ‘Tyburnia is one of the most challenging and important projects we have undertaken. We’ve been working on it for three years, and it keeps getting more intense. The addition of Lisa’s voice and musicality opens up new avenues of song for us to enable us to really do justice to James’ extraordinary film’.

Where and when will Tyburnia be performed ‘live’?

Turburnia will be at Manchester’s Home on 25 July at 8pm.  Tickets £10 (concessions £8, students £6).