2006 – 2010
The March of the Dead was an annual Halloween street procession in Hackney devised and produced by William Bock and Strangeworks Collective in collaboration with local venues, artists and businesses in East London. March of the Dead sought to reconnect to the vibrant energy, ritual and playful DIY aesthetic of ancient carnival celebrations. Marking the 31st October, the event celebrated the dead, the lost and the forgotten through often macabre, ridiculous, humorous and provocative performance, costumes and puppets. Strangeworks produced masks, lanterns, and costumes during free public workshops which were given out to random members of the public. Rather than be spectators, Strangeworks encouraged the public audience to become active participants. Rather than walking on the pavement, revellers marched on the street stopping the flow traffic for miles behind them.
Dance of the Dead in 2010 marked the last march up the Kingsland with a crowd of over 700 participating.