Behind the scenes documentary of ''The White Handkerchief' to air on BBC

BBC Northern Ireland is set to air a documentary showing viewers an inside look at the making of the critically acclaimed show of 'The White Handkerchief.'

On the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, The Playhouse in Derry presented 'The White Handkerchief', performed in the city’s historic Guildhall. 

This performance recreated the events of January 30, 1972 and told the stories of those who were killed and injured on Bloody Sunday. 

The show featured a new generation of talent from Derry and beyond.

This new film from BBC Northern Ireland documents the play’s development from page to stage over a period of nine months. It includes the creators, local cast members and the families of the victims. 

Written by Liam Campbell, who sadly passed away weeks before opening night, The White Handkerchief takes its title from an iconic image of Father Edward Daly waving a blood-soaked handkerchief as he led a group of people trying to bring a fatally injured Jackie Duddy to safety.

Performed for a live audience at the Guildhall – the original destination for the civil rights march 50 years ago – the play was also streamed to audiences around the world.

This film, on BBC One Northern Ireland on Monday March 7 at 10.35pm, follows Kieran Griffiths – the play’s producer and director -  as he takes an idea that he had two years ago to the final stage production. 

It goes behind-the-scenes at the auditions and shows the process of combining music, dance and speech and historical research into the final stage production. 

The film also captures the critical first performances in front of the families of the Bloody Sunday victims.

Speaking about the production, Kieran Griffiths said: “It’s the most frightened I’ve ever been in my life in the making of something because I consider it the most important thing I’ve ever made.

 “The interesting thing about this project is it’s for the people of Derry. It’s for Liam’s family [Liam Campbell – writer] as well and you’ve got Derry people watching Derry people tell their own story. 

"A close friend of mine, Damien Gorman, who is a poet, once said to me, ‘Kieran, grief is love that has nowhere to go’ and I would hope that maybe the melodies, the music, the dialogue, the experience might help take that grief and, for one evening anyway, put it somewhere.

"The families' blessing meant everything to us and was the most important thing, so to receive it was truly amazing.

"Our opening night was January 30 but our real opening night was the 27th when the families watched a rehearsal of the show. After their reaction, I knew everything was going to be okay with the show. Their reaction was something I will never forget.

"We engaged with the families very early on, because without their blessing, this project was no use."

The show, which has been two and half years in the making, was an emotional and powerful journey for everyone involved.

Kieran and Liam took on the project with the utmost love, attention and care to make sure this project was respectful and made the families' and city proud.

Kieran continued: "We tortured ourselves very early on to make sure that we did this right with a sense of grace and sensitivity.

"We met the families, we chatted to them and we heard stories that you couldn't find in research. We found out little gems and uncovered things that were the best moments in the show. They were created through engagement and humanity.

"These little moments made the most powerful and emotional parts of the show.

"For forty years, it was who was right and who was wrong and what was lost in the middle of that was, 'who were they and the lives they lived?'

"The whole process of the project was to show the human side, it is full of tension and emotion but it is full of true Derry, the craic and the jokes too.

"We got to indulge in the aspirations and dreams and their day to day worries and wonders of those that were lost. The first half of the show is just spending time with them."

The film also features interviews with Kay Duddy, sister of Jackie Duddy, Julieann Campbell, niece of Jackie Duddy and John McKinney brother of William McKinney as well as the writer, Liam Campbell and the composer, Brian O’Doherty.

Kieran said that the BBC team were extremely respectful during the filming and have paid a beautiful tribute to Liam Campbell as he sadly passed away before the show took to the stage.

Kieran said he is happy that audiences will get to hear Liam once more as he creates a show he was so passionate about, "This show was his legacy and he told me this show was the greatest privilege of his life.

"It is really important to me that audiences will see how articulate the man was, how passionate he was, I think I'm most excited about that. He was a good, good man; the best of men. 

"I take real comfort and I suppose joy that on Monday night people are going to hear Liam's voice once again."

The White Handkerchief is an Open Reel Production for BBC Northern Ireland. 

It will be broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland on Monday March 7 at 10.35pm and on March 13 at 9pm on BBC Four. It will also be available on BBC iPlayer.