Purple Rain, Kiss, When Doves Cry, Little Red Corvette. Prince wrote and recorded some of the greatest pop songs of all time – and now his legacy is to be celebrated in Huddersfield.
The Lawrence Batley Theatre has teamed up with local artist Hardeep Singh Sahota to launch a new Arts Council England funded project called ‘Prince Reimagined’ – and you can be part of it.
Prince, known for his incredible musicianship and flamboyant stage presence, influenced generations of musicians, singers and fans.
His songbook is one of the most enigmatic and prolific created by any artist; while his celebration of diversity, sexuality and identity has struck a chord with people across the world.
‘Prince Reimagined’ aims to review Prince’s music in diverse and exciting musical genres, giving new experiences to long-standing fans, and an insight into Prince’s music to younger generations who have yet to hear of Prince and may yet take inspiration from his life and work.
The project also looks to collect oral histories from people who have been affected by the music and creativity of Prince.
An initial pilot show has taken place in front of an invited audience, supported by Kirklees Year of Music, Lawrence Batley Theatre and South Asian Arts Cultural Hub (SAACH).
There were performances by highly-acclaimed live singers and musicians including Maddie Morris, Sunil Kalyan, Vijay Venkat, Anita Collins, Andy Tillison and Abi Swift with music production from Boff Whalley, Sunil Kalyan and Orlando Gough.
The project team are now looking to recruit more people to take part in a larger scale public event happening this summer.
Has Prince had a big effect on you and your life? If the answer is ‘yes’ and you want to share your stories, then Hardeep wants to hear from you.
More musicians and dancers are also wanted to get involved. Anyone interested can get in touch with Hardeep by emailing prince.reimagined@gmail.com
Becky Atkinson, chief executive of Lawrence Batley Theatre, said: “I am so proud to be working with Hardeep, an amazing local artist, on this exciting project and have the chance to shine a light on the incredible work that is being created in Kirklees.
“The extraordinary pilot show reminded me that the Lawrence Batley Theatre is a place where the unexpected really does happen every day. We are so grateful to Arts Council England for funding this incredible project.”
Hardeep said: “I have long since been a fan of Prince and his music, and have been extremely lucky to have experienced his live shows over the years.
“This project will celebrate his legacy, take his music to new audiences and to those who have yet to discover his artistry.
“Becky and the team at Lawrence Batley Theatre have been instrumental in the journey so far. I’m super excited about the project, the musical collaborations that will take shape and then be showcased in the main theatre space in the summer.”
