Rochdale woolly mammoth inspires Skylight Circus Arts

Skylight Circus Arts has released a video about a performance it was due to show this year – inspired by the fossil of a woolly mammoth discovered here in Rochdale.

When staff were planning the next performance piece in 2019, there was a huge buzz as Dippy, the world-famous diplodocus, was coming to Rochdale and the Spotlight Troupe had highlighted climate change and extinction as topics important to them.

After meeting a lady called Sue Hanson, Skylight was introduced to their next big project: ‘Mammoth’ -  taking the audience on an adventure through time to learn about the history of fossils, the local landscape and how global warming is changing our land.

One day, Sue walked in, shouting: “Guess what’s in my bag?” The bag contained a heavy fossil, which Sue later discovered was part of a woolly mammoth, discovered in Rochdale. 

The bone was discovered around 30 years ago on Syke moors by Sue's brother, who thought it had been from a horse. Sue, a lover of elephants, began to research the fossil online and found it was unlikely to be a dinosaur due to being found so far North. She then went to Touchstones, who connected her with someone they thought could help.

A photo of the fossil was sent to all the North West museums, and Sue was contacted by Dr David Gelsorp at Manchester Museum, who immediately knew what the rare find was: a metacarpal from a woolly mammoth's front foot!

Dr David Gelsorp estimated that the fossil arrived in Rochdale around 10,000 years ago in the last ice age and the fossil itself, which still has fossilised skin attached, dates back to about 15,000-20,000 years old.

From January to March 2020, Skylight staff and students worked hard on research and performance. Spotlight did a masterclass with Frantic assembly, performers went to a palaeontology talk, visited Touchstones, visited the world-famous diplodocus, and planned fossil walks. 

Funded by the Arts Council and Heritage Lottery Fund, the show had acro, trapeze, juggling, tightwire, stilts and a soundtrack created by Skylight and Steve Broomhead.

Performers were working on acts themed on their research such as Mother Nature, the Rochdale scorpion found in Mandale Park and, of course, mammoths. 

‘Mammoth’ was ambitious: it was to open at Gracie Fields Theatre on 2 April before touring outdoors to the Feel Good Festival, Hollingworth Lake and Darnhill Festival.

Then the world stopped. 

Due to Covid, the performance was cancelled – and it still looks unlikely that it will be performed.

With this in mind, Skylight has released a short film about the research and rehearsals of Mammoth.

Martine Bradford, Creative Director, said: “Our young people used so much imagination and creative energy on Mammoth. Mammoth was going to be big! 

“We hope this small film gives us an opportunity to share this beautiful work with people.”