Barge theatre show performed by Burnley group touring the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and helping people to navigate their grief following the pandemic

A Burnley arts group is performing an outdoor visual piece of music and theatre named Opal’s Comet that takes people on a symbolic journey through the stages of grief.

Mr Wilson’s, founded by Sonya “Boo” Moorhead and her partner Will Lenton, has produced the show to help people reflect on their own grief following the pandemic.

Sonya, (40) who wrote, directed and performs in the show, said: “After the pandemic, people didn’t want to party, so we wanted to respond to the fact that people have been through a sad time. We didn’t feel they had had a moment for processing their grief.

"Thousands of people died in the past two and half years and we still haven’t had a national day of mourning.

"We didn’t take a breath – it was all about, ‘How can we get back to normal?’

"We didn’t just lose people: we lost jobs, homes and time – it’s important to have time to reflect on that.”

Opal’s Comet, which made its debut at Burnley Canal Festival last month, not only takes people on an emotional journey but a physical one as the audience follows it along the canal.

Sonya added: “It was really lovely for us to start in Burnley because Lancashire was statistically affected more than other parts of country. It was really special, really lovely.

“The canal goes right through people’s neighbourhood and passed their homes. People who have seen the show have immediately stopped walking. They’re so happy to see something beautiful, positive and full of hope. It really resonates with them and they walk along with it.”

Sonya says Burnley is the perfect place for outdoor theatre and the show takes in some of the town’s hotspots.

She added: “Outdoor theatre uplifts entire communities, and Burnley has so much potential for it – we’ve just got to tell people it’s possible.

"From the Straight Mile to Thompson Park is extraordinary. When you’re up there on the water, it’s amazing. You can see whole town. We’re encouraging people to see that the town is great and that brilliant things happen here. It’s really important to give people hope in a time when there’s been a lot of darkness.”