Creators of Fire Station show The Odyssey honouring their Sunderland grandmothers

Reimagined for today with hundreds of community members and local artists across the country, the production is being told in episodes across five venues in England.

Sunderland Culture and Sunderland Empire are working in partnership with the National Theatre to stage the fourth of five episodes of The Odyssey. The Sunderland episode, The Island of the Sun, is at The Fire Station on Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29.

The script writer is local playwright Lindsay Rodden, with music from Sean Cooney. Both writer and composer are honouring their grandmothers in a production laced with Sunderland legends and stories.

Lindsay is currently working on a musical too, also for National Theatre, with Ross Millard of The Futureheads.

Although born in Scotland and brought up on Merseyside, Lindsay’s grandmother was from Sunderland and she has many fond memories of the city.

So too does composer and songwriter Sean, a member of folk band the Young’uns. He grew up in Stockton, but he also had a Sunderland grandmother.

Sean said: “My mam’s side of the family were all from Sunderland, with many of them working in the shipyards. Because of the connection, I just couldn’t say no to the opportunity to work on The Odyssey when director Annie Rigby rang me.”

Lindsay added: “I think it’s a way of Sean and I honouring our grandmothers. That family connection was very strong for both of us.

“And of course, as well as being known for its industrial heritage and its tradition in music and storytelling, Sunderland is a city by the sea, so is a perfect setting for The Island of the Sun.

“I’ve been a big fan of the Young’uns for a while and really enjoyed working with Sean.

"I’d suggest a place in the script where I thought a song would work, or sometimes he would come to me with a piece of music or song and we’d work out where it could go.”

For more information visit www.thefirestation.org.uk. Tickets are from £5.50 and under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.