Drawn from reflections on lockdown from people across the South West When All This is Over is sung by people across the region who have never met.

Joyful yet powerful

More than 50 people responded to an open call to take part in the project, either by writing about their experiences of lockdown to inspire the lyrics or by joining the virtual choir and singing the anthem.

Composer and musician Thomas Johnson created the lyrics, wrote the music and then mixed the videos and voices together to create a joyful yet powerful anthem depicting this unique time.

‘For me it’s been a really moving experience. People’s lyrical suggestions gave me an insight into a collective human experience that I could never have guessed at by myself. The singing was a joy to watch and listen to, and compiling all the videos together was rather emotional and hugely enjoyable.’
Thomas Johnson

Come together

When Exeter Northcott re-opens, the choir will come together to sing the anthem live on stage marking a special moment when audiences and performers can meet for a live experience once more.

The Time is Now

The lockdown anthem When All This Is Over is part of Exeter Northcott’s The Time is Now commissions, which has also seen Boom! a film about mental health and Undivided Attention, led by Hugh Malyon, create a digital installation called Hanging Around.

The Time is Now commissions connect local communities through creativity during lockdown. They are part of Exeter Northcott Futures – a comprehensive, new programme of funding and support to develop theatre-making talent. The three-tier project offers professional development for individual artists at the start of their careers, through the Early Career Artists Programme, tailored packages of support for regionally-based companies at a critical moment in their development, through the Associate Company Programme, and a launch pad for the next generation of producers with a Producers Programme.