Filmmaker Rajnish Madaan records the creative process for a new play written by Garry Lyons and directed by Tess Seddon about the closure of the Ferrybridge C Power Station in West Yorkshire. As well as speaking with those involved in is production, the film also speaks to local resident Yan Lawrence about the history of the Ferrybridge and Knottingley area and how the play will hopefully show how the closure of the power station affected these communities. Title: The Making of BLOWDOWN a...

Filmmaker Rajnish Madaan records the creative process for a new play written by Garry Lyons and directed by Tess Seddon about the closure of the Ferrybridge C Power Station in West Yorkshire. As well as speaking with those involved in is production, the film also speaks to local resident Yan Lawrence about the history of the Ferrybridge and Knottingley area and how the play will hopefully show how the closure of the power station affected these communities. Title: The Making of BLOWDOWN a new Play The waters of the River Aire flow over a wear near the Ferrybridge C Power Station. Over a voiceover of people featured in this production talking about the changes they’ve seen in the area aerials of both the village of Ferrybridge and nearby town of Knottingley. A man walks his dog past the entrance to the powers station with the film quickly changing to another aerial and the demolition of the first cooling tower followed by the site with several cooling towers gone and the rubble taken away. Standing outside the power station, writer Garry Lyons talks about wanting to mark the demolition with a piece of theatre. As he provided details on script development more aerials of the power station and village. He believes many residents think both Ferrybridge and Knottingley have been forgotten and is producing this play from their experiences. A group of men sit on a bench outside the Kellingley Social Club, one is wearing a facemask. Over archive stills of the area local resident Yan Lawrence provides a short history of Knottingley. Now walking along a residential street in the town he explains that this area used to be a main street full of shops now long gone. In April 2021 Garry Lyons walks along a road talking to the cameraperson about finding a theatre to show the production in at the end of the COVID lock-down. A montage of Zoom meeting with members of the local community speaking with Garry about growing up and living around the power station. Garry explains that he will use details from some of these stories in the production. On stage at The Theatre Royal Wakefield a rehearsal for the play. Over a montage around the theatre itself, Garry expressing gratitude that cast will be able to work in this fantastic space. The productions Director Tess Sedden talks about this stage of rehearsals being ‘research and development' where they explore what the play will be. As she provided additional details about the process in voiceover, on stage she works with the cast and Garry. As Tess talks about one of the characters performing on stage with a set of drums more aerials of the top of a large chimney and demolition work taking place on the power station site. Back on stage the rehearsals continue with two female actors reading from their script. Backstage Garry Lyons talks about the large Scottish community that lived near the station and about the real women whom the actors on stage are playing. As Garry talks about wanting to capture their migratory story more aerial of Knottingley changing to a Zoom meeting featuring the two women in question speak about their experience of moving from Scotland. As the rehearsals continue on stage, Tess Sedden talks about how the actors playing the women worked to honour what they had heard in their performance. A scene from the play featuring the women follows. The curtains are raised and the actors sit on the stage during the ‘online reading’ taking place on the 29th July 2021. As the performance progresses Garry Lyons says that he hopes productions like this will show the reality of the people in towns like Knottingley. Still walking along the residential street Yan Lawrence gives his opinion of the play and of the actor who played him. As he states that he believes the play does represent Knottingley, the actors on stage bow at the end of the performance. A Zoom meeting in which participants who helped during the research talk about the production and how it made them feel. The film ends back on stage and the actors taking one final bow. Title: BLOW DOWN Written and Produced by Garry Lyons Directed by Tess Seddon Performed by William Fox, Matthew Lewney, Jack Lord, Lorraine McIntosh, Marianne McIvor, Garry Robson, Rosalind Sydney, Lee Toomes, Anita Vettesse Credit: Documentary filmed and edited by Rajnish Madaan, Madaan Media Archive photos and drone footage Yan Lawrence, Orbital Images Title: With thanks to the people of Ferrybridge and Knottingley Supported using public funding by Arts Council England End title: Theatre Royal Wakefield