Via Vaudeville! presented their new work amongst the tangles of wildflowers and shrubbery which overlook the River Trent behind St. Wilfrid's Church, for the culmination of a Hinterland Residency project in the picturesque Nottinghamshire village of Wilford. The new work, Via Vaudeville!’s Folly was revealed at the Benjamin Carter Hall in Wilford Village on warm summer’s afternoon in August, 2008.

Click here to see photos of the event.

A red, double-decker Routemaster bus launched the afternoon by appearing in the village bringing people from central Nottingham to Wilford. This commenced a guided tour around St.Wilfrid's Church and it's surroundings with Wilford local History expert and enthusiast David Miller. David and his ancestors have lived in Wilford for generations, and his tour helped to highlight a history of the village and place the folly- from a personal and local view.
Once inside the hall people were greeted by a large black, four-door ‘altarpiece’ clad in rubber shingles. This initially revealed a panoramic view of the folly site including both sides of the river Trent, and when explored revealed architectural drawings and research material within. The ‘altarpiece’ was supported with soil and plants from the actual site of the folly and a model with plinth and case was placed behind it.

An interview between Via Vaudeville! (with designer Guy Brown) and Hinterland curator Jennie Syson began the second part of the afternoon, followed by questions from the audience. This preceded an enthralling and amusing visual presentation by Andrew Plumridge, Founder and Trustee of The Folly Fellowship, who gave an overview of the fascinating world of follies.
The event concluded with Director of the Museum of Garden History, Christopher Woodward's passionate and captivating presentation on the history of ruins, with a leaning towards art history.

A wax sealed fold-out was freely available on the day which incorporated various visual and written material relating to the folly. This limited edition is still available by request, disbanding and continuing the myth of Via Vaudeville!'s Folly.

"Via Vaudeville's Folly, as many follies before it, embraces the concept of a 'fake ruin' which has been crafted and deliberated upon to posses an air of charged memory. Via Vaudeville! invite an audience to embrace the mythical narrative of these misunderstood creations and the artificial kingdom, which is Hinterland.

This 21st century folly project reflects the artists’ interest in a multitude of broad subjects such as public sculpture, vernacular architecture and the relationship between the River Trent and contemporary Nottingham. A folly is literally a building which appears to be something ‘other’ or strange for no apparent reason. Lord Berners once commented of his folly in Oxford, ‘The great point of this tower, is that it will be entirely useless’. Via Vaudeville! investigate the idea of follies through the eyes of contemporary artists who share an interest for structure and sculptural objects for their own aesthetic sake, without everyday purpose or use – much like a work of art."
- Jennie Syson, Hinterland Curator

Via Vaudeville! worked in collaboration with the designer, Guy Brown.

Please go to the Hinterland website for further information:

Hinterland is a collection of artists projects which primarily take place along the banks of the River Trent in Nottingham. The initiative was launched in September 2006 and curated by Jennie Syson.

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