Beautiful Thing

Site Specific Theatre Production, London

Client

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF)

Location

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, London

Client

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF)

Location

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, London

Project Details

A Homecoming Celebration of an Iconic Love Story

As the grand finale of Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) 2018, Beautiful Thing was reimagined as a unique outdoor dance-theatre production, staged on and around the original South Thamesmead locations where both Jonathan Harvey’s beloved play and the 1996 Channel Four film were set. Marking the 50th anniversary of the first families moving into this utopian riverside community, the production blended urban realism with fairytale fantasy, bringing the timeless love story of Jamie and Ste to life in an unforgettable way. NOVAK was commissioned to create stunning digital projections that transformed the outdoor space, complementing the performance alongside new music by Roma Yagnik and a powerful community chorus.

Project Details

A Homecoming Celebration of an Iconic Love Story

As the grand finale of Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) 2018, Beautiful Thing was reimagined as a unique outdoor dance-theatre production, staged on and around the original South Thamesmead locations where both Jonathan Harvey’s beloved play and the 1996 Channel Four film were set. Marking the 50th anniversary of the first families moving into this utopian riverside community, the production blended urban realism with fairytale fantasy, bringing the timeless love story of Jamie and Ste to life in an unforgettable way. NOVAK was commissioned to create stunning digital projections that transformed the outdoor space, complementing the performance alongside new music by Roma Yagnik and a powerful community chorus.

The Brief

Enhancing the Story with Immersive Visuals

The challenge was to seamlessly integrate large-scale digital projections into the urban environment of South Thamesmead, enhancing the production’s emotional depth and visual storytelling. The projections needed to reflect the raw honesty of Harvey’s script while also embracing the dreamlike, fairytale quality of the narrative. As this was an outdoor performance, the visuals had to be striking, adaptable to different surfaces, and powerful enough to amplify the production’s themes of love, identity, and hope.

The Brief

Enhancing the Story with Immersive Visuals

The challenge was to seamlessly integrate large-scale digital projections into the urban environment of South Thamesmead, enhancing the production’s emotional depth and visual storytelling. The projections needed to reflect the raw honesty of Harvey’s script while also embracing the dreamlike, fairytale quality of the narrative. As this was an outdoor performance, the visuals had to be striking, adaptable to different surfaces, and powerful enough to amplify the production’s themes of love, identity, and hope.

Our Response

A Cinematic Dreamscape in the Heart of Thamesmead

NOVAK’s digital projections played a crucial role in shaping the atmosphere of Beautiful Thing, transforming the Thamesmead landscape into a breathtaking, immersive stage. Carefully crafted visual elements helped to bridge the contrast between the gritty urban backdrop and the hopeful, tender love story at the heart of the play. Our projections provided dynamic, scene-setting visuals—whether evoking the stark reality of estate life or transporting audiences into the dreamlike, euphoric world of first love. The animations shifted between intimate, delicate imagery and bold, sweeping visuals that mirrored the emotions of the characters, adding depth and texture to the production. By fusing Harvey’s iconic story with cutting-edge digital art, Beautiful Thing became more than a play—it became an immersive, cinematic experience, celebrating both its original setting and the enduring power of love.

Our Response

A Cinematic Dreamscape in the Heart of Thamesmead

NOVAK’s digital projections played a crucial role in shaping the atmosphere of Beautiful Thing, transforming the Thamesmead landscape into a breathtaking, immersive stage. Carefully crafted visual elements helped to bridge the contrast between the gritty urban backdrop and the hopeful, tender love story at the heart of the play. Our projections provided dynamic, scene-setting visuals—whether evoking the stark reality of estate life or transporting audiences into the dreamlike, euphoric world of first love. The animations shifted between intimate, delicate imagery and bold, sweeping visuals that mirrored the emotions of the characters, adding depth and texture to the production. By fusing Harvey’s iconic story with cutting-edge digital art, Beautiful Thing became more than a play—it became an immersive, cinematic experience, celebrating both its original setting and the enduring power of love.

★★★★★

‘The action is conceived as series of split narratives — dancers perform in around the buildings, while dazzling digital projections by NOVAK animate the block.’

The Evening Standard

Credits

Cast & Creative Team:

James Rosental – Jamie
Tom Wohlfahrt – Ste
Claire Lambert – Sandra
George Fellows – Tony/Ronny
Melissa Bravo – Leah
Stephen Moynihan – Adult Jamie
George Hicks – Cupid

Bradley Hemmings – Co-Director
Robby Graham – Co-Director
Rebecca Brower – Designer
NOVAK – Digital Projection
Roma Yagnik – Composer
Phil Supple – Lighting Design

Event video by Conor O’Grady

Event photography by Camilla Greenwell and NOVAK

Credits

Cast & Creative Team:

James Rosental – Jamie
Tom Wohlfahrt – Ste
Claire Lambert – Sandra
George Fellows – Tony/Ronny
Melissa Bravo – Leah
Stephen Moynihan – Adult Jamie
George Hicks – Cupid

Bradley Hemmings – Co-Director
Robby Graham – Co-Director
Rebecca Brower – Designer
NOVAK – Digital Projection
Roma Yagnik – Composer
Phil Supple – Lighting Design

Event video by Conor O’Grady

Event photography by Camilla Greenwell and NOVAK