Brancaster Beach is a 12 part narrative photo series featuring the enigmatic characters of Polly & Nick. It follows their attempt to escape to North Norfolk from an unknown event in the city. It was photographed by Makeshift Company on Brancaster Beach and Hunstanton Beach in October 2017, and posted backwards on Instagram over 12 consecutive days. It was preceded by a similar project, Rhyolite, which they are now developing for the stage.
When the coach stopped, at the edge of everything, Polly and Nick continued by foot; they’d been headed in a straight line since last night. No time to pack. Nick had remembered the brown envelope though, it was in his breast pocket now.
They’d go back soon, once things settled. They had always had a plan. The sea line was visible now, just over the grass.
The coast reminded Polly of family holidays. Ice cream, pebbles and seagulls. But she’d never been to a beach in November. It was cold and all she had was a thin dress, not even her favourite one.
Nick imagined the day they could return home, he’d go straight to his local, buy all the rounds. He wouldn’t have left if he didn’t think they could go back one day.
“We are the only witnesses to these moments” thought Polly. Somehow she felt calm- they were the ghosts they needed to be.
Walking on the beach there was no one else in sight. Perhaps it was too quiet. Nick promised he’d take them on a real holiday one day.
A small, low ceilinged pub. Had the other two customers left too quickly? The bartender disappeared into the kitchen. Polly and Nick had wanted somewhere quiet, but now, alone, they felt anything but invisible.
The man smoking a cigarette across the road…did they recognise him? If he was here for them, then "I’d never walk on the beach again" thought Polly. At least she was with Nick.
Quickly, they headed back to the beach. The road ahead led straight to the sea. Darker now, they could see the amber tip of his cigarette behind them. Nick felt his pocket for the envelope.
So they kept on across the beach, towards the grey sea. They were always headed this way. They couldn’t see the shore anymore; the sea was all around.
They'd been headed in a straight line since last night. On they walked.