No Hope For Men Below

No Hope For Men Below

***1/2

Reviewed by: Andrew Robertson

The Redding Pit flooded in 1923, trapping fathers and sons while their women waited above. Based on a poem by Janet Paisley, this is a haunting mixture of re-enactment and re-construction. Written in broad Scots, subtitled but not directly translated, this is an emotional piece of documentary.

Made possible in part by Kickstarter, this is a striking work - the stark white of bread in paper, the shine of a piece-tin, a score by the One Ensemble Orchestra, baleful eyes shining in the implacable dark, and the endless drip of water. Mournful, literally elegaic, this is an affecting piece, and worth seeking out.

Reviewed on: 17 Feb 2014
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The story of the Redding Pit disaster and the experiences of the women waiting whilst their men were trapped below.

Director: Adam Stafford

Writer: Janet Paisley

Year: 2014

Runtime: 11 minutes

Country: UK

Festivals:

Glasgow 2014

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