In Britten’s opera Noye’s Fludde, the role of God is spoken, and in Tewkesbury Abbey on July 3rd and 4th, it will be spoken by Donald Maxwell, the operatic baritone.
Because the Abbey is so vast, there will be an avatar of God, gliding around the audience, about 2 metres high. This has been created on gold fabric, and I’ve designed it to resemble an icon or fresco, to fit the setting.
In the story, God is both a destroyer of sinners and a kindly supporter of Noah, whom he calls “my darling dear”. In line with these two sides – malevolent and benevolent – have painted two gigantic faces for the production, which have spent much of the day on the washing line. Well, they do say that cleanliness is next to Godliness!
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