Shadowdock, an uplifting and immersive sound and light show, is lighting up the far reaches of Titanic Quarter at the Thompson Dock this weekend. Sadly, the show lasts just three days – unless further funding is found for an extension of this ‘wonderful experience’ – and great addition to the Titanic Quarter.
Visitors, wearing headphones, can listen to the narration and soundrack as the light show plays off the walls of the dry dock that once housed the Titanic herself. The narration talks about the history of the dock areas, telling how it took 500 men seven years to dig out the massive Thompson dock. But the experience is much more than a history lesson, going on to talk about hope and the goodness that is within us, friendship and breaking down barriers, the light being a metaphor for hope. In Belfast this message is meaningful. Husband David who was there to experience the show described it as a wonderful positive experience.
The show is created and presented by Three’s Theatre Company and composer Katie Richardson and is funded by Belfast 2024 Projects, Heritage Lottery Funding, and the Lightbody Foundation, and supported by venue partners Titanic Distillery and Catalyst. And for Snow Patrol fans, yes that is ‘Lightbody’ as in Gary – the man does this city and the arts proud!
The historic venue
The huge Thompson Dock is situated in the Titanic Quarter close to The Titanic Distillery and the HMS Caroline museum ship. It is 850 feet long, about 100 feet wide and 40 feet deep and when it was built in the early 1900s, it was the largest dock of its kind in the world. It had to be to accommodate the new Olympic-class of liner being built at the shipyards at that time, namely the Titanic and her sister ship, Olympic. The dock would be flooded allowing the ship to be moored inside, then the water would be pumped out leaving the ship ‘high and dry’ so that work could be done on the hull, or fitting work could be carried out.
Tickets
As mentioned, the show is on for just a few days but tickets are still available at a very economical £5 per adult ticket to take part in the ‘Above Deck’ experience where you view the show looking down into the basin. At the time of writing, the ‘Below Deck’ experience is already sold out. In this more immersive experience, visitors descend 66 steps into the dock – where just a wall separates you from the waters of Belfast harbour – to enjoy the show surrounded by lights.
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