BELFAST city centre was cast back half a century yesterday for a special live theatre event.
To mark 50 years since the security cordon known as the `ring of steel' was erected around the city centre, Kabosh Theatre Company, in collaboration with Professor Kate Catterall from the University of Texas, yesterday presented a 12-hour theatrical production.
Drawing the Ring of Steel aimed to use one of the few culturally mutual experiences of the conflict to facilitate storytelling across communities and between generations.
The event took place at the ring of steel's former main entrance and exit points into and out of Belfast city centre at Donegall Place, Royal Avenue, Castle Street and High Street. At each of the four sites, performers redrew the lines of the security checkpoints and barriers and re-enacted choreographed search motions.
Other performers in 1970s dress interacted with the public, asking them questions about their memories or knowledge of the security cordon and collecting their stories. The collected stories will be transcribed, reviewed, anonymised and featured on project website ringofsteel-belfast.com.
People can also choose to walk the ring of steel locations with a geographer Joseph Robinson by appointment at a later date and tell their stories on site.
Prof Catterall, who is from Belfast, said: "For over 20 years during the conflict, the series of gates, fences, turnstiles, search stations and blocked roads known as the `ring of steel' became an increasingly prominent feature of the urban environment in Belfast.
"Staffed by both civilian searchers and armed security personnel, the cordon had a significant impact on the daily lives of all who passed in and out of the city centre every day, to work, shop or socialise."
Paula McFetridge, Artistic Director of Kabosh said: "Memories of the ring of steel and regular civilian searches are shared between all Belfast communities, cutting across sectarian, class and gender lines. Images of the structures were flashed across the world, becoming part of our global identity."
She said the theatrical event would "ensure that the stories of the older generation are heard and preserved and to support younger generations and those with no experience of the ring of steel in appreciating both the journey that has been made and how far we still have to travel."
