NEWS: Wassa @ Washington Old Hall

Image: Wassa by Lindsey Mendick and Dominic Watson

What if you could be in the presence of the first president of the USA, George Washington himself? It isn’t as impossible as it sounds if you take the chance to visit new art installation Wassa (titled after a historical name for the town of Washington) at Washington Old Hall by artists Lindsey Mendick and Dominic Watson, where a cast of six historical and mythical personalities connected with the area indulge in a feast.

Dominic explains: “The installation is partly based on facts, but it’s also steeped in stories and half-truths which have been passed down through generations.” Alongside George, you can meet the depiction of the White Lady and a sculpture of the local historian and schoolmaster Fred Hill, who played a pivotal role in saving Washington Old Hall from ruin in the early 20^th Century.

Mendick and Watson worked with local residents and school pupils to gather legends and old tales. “I think that the people we met will recognise their own input. Talking to local residents really informed our work and gave us extra insight into the stories which are the most important to people here.” Lindsey declares. The sensory experience, bustling with theatre, shows the history of a building in a way that has never been attempted before and marks a forward-thinking approach for our new dawn.

Wassa is at Washington Old Hall from Friday 21^st May-Sunday 31^st October. Tickets for Washington Old Hall must be booked in advance via the National Trust website