19/03/2026
Last Saturday marked the culmination of weeks of preparation and planning as Back to Ours delivered their latest production, Our City, in Queen Victoria Square, Hull.
Written by local writer Russ Litten and shaped by the voices of over 1,000 Hull residents, Our City tells the story of an ordinary Hull family. The production wove humour and heartfelt moments together with rich references to the city’s maritime heritage and unforgettable sporting milestones.
The show featured a cast of professional local actors, singers and musicians, supported by hundreds of performers from Hull choirs including Freedom Chorus and All For One Choir.
This was a particularly ambitious project, with multiple performance locations spread across the square and a script that continued to evolve in collaboration with the cast right up until the week before the event.
Having previously worked with Back to Ours on their 2019 outdoor production Back to Bransholme, it was a pleasure once again to work alongside Louise Yates and the wider team.
HPSS supplied the following production package:
5m x 6m outdoor stage
Litedeck staging and risers
PA fly towers
Full sound and lighting packages
Radio mics, IEMs and wireless comms
One of the biggest challenges with outdoor events is achieving seamless coverage for radio mics, IEMs and comms. Drawing on experience from similar productions, Project Manager Iain Firth specified a robust RF solution using a Wisycom 8 channel diversity antenna matrix, RTS High Power Audio Link, and Riedel Bolero comms — all of which performed flawlessly. The rest of the audio package featured trusted favorites, with L-Acoustics Speakers & Amplified Controllers, Yamaha consoles, and plenty of cable.
Lighting Designer Matty Stephenson utilised a range of IP rated fixtures to handle the famously unpredictable British weather. Ahead of the show, Matty worked closely with Louise and Laura, stepping through the script and performance elements using Capture pre-visualisation software and our Avolites D7 console, allowing key looks and cues to be designed in advance from our Hull offices.
Despite wind warnings and heavy rain during the rig days, the onsite team successfully delivered production rehearsals on schedule — something we’re hugely grateful for.
(Thanks to BTO & your photographer for letting us pinch a few of your excellent photos!)
Web: www.hpss.co.uk
Tel: 01482 221810
Email: [email protected]
