Harrison Chambers of Distinction & Big Telly Theatre Company
The Context
Melanie Harrison is a successful business leader, an entrepreneur and a champion for Belfast as a destination for the ‘culturally curious traveller’. Her boutique hotel, The Harrison Chambers of Distinction, on Belfast’s Malone Road is a celebration of the city and features eclectic local artworks and 16 bedrooms each inspired by a notable individual with Belfast connections.
Big Telly Theatre Company has a reputation for innovation; hijacking familiar stories and spaces such as houses, shops and cafes in order to make audiences feel both safe and brave, and mixing up traditions with tech to make bold new story worlds, with and for the wider community.
The Challenge & The Solution
This pairing wanted to prove arts activity can be used as a tool for tourism, to increase variety in the hospitality/tourism sector and to meet new potential business partners. It was a means to boost the local cultural landscape and establish a unique tourism product that could draw new audiences, both from Belfast and beyond and to create a longer life of the project through touring to other locations.
As soon as they were introduced, it became evident Melanie's passion for fostering artistic activity paired with Big Telly’s experience and perspective would be a rich and fertile combination. A project which not only matched the vision of both partners but offered new models of visitor engagement for the hospitality sector came to the fore.
Granny Jackson’s Dead was an interactive and immersive theatre experience that took place in a domestic setting (The Harrison Chambers of Distinction) in the style of a wake. Combining elements of live performance, virtual reality, and gaming, it explored themes surrounding the psychological and social impacts of digital memorialisation. The central narrative revolved around a family grappling with the idea of digitally "letting go" of a deceased relative while navigating the emotional and traditional tensions within their community.
The Results
The partnership with Harrison’s Chambers was central to the project’s success. Through this partnership, both artistic and commercial skills were shared, enabling the development of site-specific theatre while also embedding cultural activity within a commercial setting, benefiting both sectors. The project successfully attracted local and international audiences, expanding awareness of The Harrison Chambers of Distinction and the Queens Quarter area of Belfast. The show gained a significant media following, with increased press coverage and attention from international delegates a number of whom saw the potential for the show’s continued life and impact, suggesting the project succeeded in its aim of boosting tourism. Originally produced under the banner of the NI Science Festival, the show attracted new audiences for Big Telly and new visitors to The Harrison.
The project fostered relationships with a wide range of local businesses and arts organisations. The production also toured the UK and Republic of Ireland, enhancing its visibility and establishing connections with potential future partners in the hospitality and tourism sectors and has been seen by delegates from as far afield as New York, Egypt, Palestine, Korea and UK and Europe. The project will head to North America next year reaching an even wider audience.
“Working with Melanie and the staff at Harrisons was a really rewarding experience for the entire company. On an operational level, they supported the production fully, assisting with practical issues like access as well as customer care. It added a lot to the audience experience as it extended the world of the play, adding value, context and meaning to the whole event. Artistically, the staff behaved like extended family, visibly supporting the characters and making the audience feel at home throughout.
Big Telly Artistic Director, Zoe Seaton
Working with Big Telly has been really great fun. It is so impressive to see what they can do with our space. The talent within Big Telly is amazing. We have now done two runs of plays with them and I will be looking forward to working with the company next year to collaborate on our new wing of the business.
The Harrison Chambers of Distinction owner, Melanie Harrison
”
Image credit: photography featured by Neil Harrison