Ushering in the festive season in a truly unique style, Sheffield Cathedral Illuminated ~ The Manger takes the Nativity on a whole new jouney, illuminating its chapels, steeples and hallways in fields of colour, projecting its story onto every available surface. Created by Luxmuralis under the leadership of Artistic Director Peter Walker, the return of the annual light show sees one of Sheffield’s most well-renowned attractions be shown in an entirely new light (quite literally!) in a festive spectacular to rival even Sheffield’s illustrious Christmas markets.
After being greeted by the smooth voices of the church choir, you enter a wonderland of magic and fantasy as the Cathedral takes on its new nightly form, with colours, patterns, images and text playing out around you as your breath is well and truly taken. With the show now in its fifth year, as Walker told me, it was hard to imagine how such an impressive display could be pulled off by a team as small as six in a few mere months, yet the results speak for themselves, with beautiful emblems decorating the walls as you are illuminated with colour and magic.
As well as an impressive visual environment, the integration of a captivating and interesting soundscape further immerses you in the production’s wonder, leaving viewers speechless as they move around the hallowed halls. Sound and light integrate with each other seamlessly to fully draw all of your senses into the scenes and depictions materialising around you, to the point you forget you are standing and simply enjoy the moment. The everchanging lighting states highlight intimate details of the Cathedral’s architecture which would so often go unappreciated under normal lighting conditions, a factor The Manger can swiftly remedy. Whether it’s the abstract colours fading into figures, or text giving way to seemingly endless bells, the display keeps you guessing at every twist and turn.
“Gifts don’t have to be physical objects in a box with a ribbon”, Walker said to be before the show began, and Sheffield Cathedral Illuminated ~ The Manger is simply an unmissable festivity this holiday season. Whilst religious in theme, the beauty of the works and artistic prowess of its designers are enjoyable to all, and sure to put viewers of all ages in a joyful spirit as the nights draw in and we approach the end of the year. With Sheffield Cathedral hoping that this year’s light show will bring in more people of all faiths and none, and students, this spectacular creation will be sure to draw in audiences from across the city, as this optical mastery simply cannot be missed!
Rating: ★★★★☆
Sheffield Cathedral Illuminated ~ The Manger is playing until December 7th at Sheffield Cathedral. Tickets are available here
