31 Jul 2015

In March 2015 Against Captain’s Orders opened to the public. A groundbreaking collaboration between the National Maritime Museum (NMM) and immersive theatre makers Punchdrunk Enrichment (PD), Against Captain’s Orders invites younger museum visitors on an adventure that will challenge their understanding of history. Now in a series of blogs the NMM and PD come together again to discuss how the exhibition developed from initial concept stage to the first visitors through the door. However, like all things that go Against Captain’s Orders these blogs aren’t quite what they seem as the museum has agreed to Punchdrunk’s request to structure the series around an old museum myth, the apparent disappearance of curator Elinor Grey. In an attempt to dig a little deeper into the mystery of Elinor Grey the museum and Punchdrunk made an unscheduled trip into the stores.  If you're new to this series we recommend you begin at the start here.
The most secure place in the museum, to many the stores lie shrouded in mystery

NMM: Well that didn’t go exactly to plan. PD: I feel like a naughty school kid. Did we really just get called to the head teacher’s office? NMM: As good as. I told you no-one goes into the stores without permission. PD: I was barely through the door... NMM: Store Custodians take their job very seriously. PD: We should explain a little bit. NMM: We have just had a slightly uncomfortable discussion with the Head Curator. To be fair she was a lot calmer than she needed to be, but certainly it was made clear to us, in no uncertain terms that that type of behaviour, namely entering restricted areas of the museum stores without permission, was not acceptable. We explained what we were doing, that we were using a mystery round an old museum myth as a way to explore our own working process on Against Captain’s Orders, buuuut PD: That kind of made things worse. NMM: It seems the Head Curator has her own opinion on the story of Elinor Grey and isn’t best pleased to find us following in her footsteps. What was interesting was that whilst overall it echoed my feelings, by which I mean she pretty much dismissed it, she did offer some more detail which we hadn’t come across before. PD: As the Head Curator tells it Elinor Grey disappeared whilst exploring the museum stores. Actually on museum property. Which is weird as its not something that’s ever come up before, but kind of makes sense if you start to see Elinor’s story as a cautionary tale the details of which somehow got forgotten or muddled up along the way. NMM: What do you mean by that? PD: hic sunt dracones. NMM: This isn’t the edge of the world. PD: In a sense it is. A more pedestrian sense, but still. You have this huge expanse, the museum stores, entirely restricted, shrouded in secrecy. It is the edge of the world for the people that work here, the dark unknown. From the moment we could tell stories humans have been tackling the idea of what lies beyond the edges of the map, promising monsters or even more desperate fates for those brave or foolish enough to stray there. Is it any surprise that a similar narrative would emerge about the stores? Don’t break the rules, don’t go where you shouldn’t or you may never be seen again? Do you want to end up like Elinor Grey? NMM: It’s an interesting idea. PD: Over the years the story evolves, bits are added, taken away, Bernie makes it his own. Whatever the provenance the underlying message, Don’t go into the stores is never far away. NMM: Wait. Hold on. Are you accepting that Elinor isn’t real then? That she’s an invention? A tool with which to ward off curious minds? PD: She has certainly been used for that, but I’m not ready to give up on her yet. After all you could say she embodies the characteristics we’re looking to celebrate with this exhibition. Bravery, boundless curiosity, a healthy disregard for the rules. I think she deserves a little more of our time. NMM: I agree and, if you don’t mind, I think I know where we should be heading next. PD: Lead on... What are your thoughts on the story of Elinor Grey?  Our Journey into the Uncharted continues on Monday 3 August. Against Captain’s Orders, a maritime adventure for 6 - 12 year olds is open 7 days a week. Find out more including how to book tickets here.