Jack Beale - The Sound of Peace
Jack Beale is playing Eddie in ‘The Sound of Peace’ at the Bunker Theatre, produced by Ruth Waterman.
‘The Sound of Peace’ is based on Waterman’s book, ‘When Swan Lake Comes To Sarajevo: A Musician Journeys into the Aftermath of War’.
War is always with us, and so is peace. This book is about the peace that comes after a war. It is one woman’s account of her experiences in the new country of Bosnia as guest conductor of a remarkable little orchestra, the Mostar Sinfonietta. International violinist Ruth Waterman first met the musicians of the multi-ethnic ensemble in 2002, and since then has returned regularly to the region, teaching, conducting and performing, and listening to their stories. Here she describes the nuts and bolts of daily life – in turn frustrating, hilarious and touching: the putting together of concerts despite the odds; the rebuilding of bridges, towns, communities, lives; and how making music can connect us to our essential humanity and to each other. This intermingling of narrative and first-hand accounts builds a mosaic that provides a visceral introduction to an unfamiliar world where people simply want to ‘live a normal life’.
