21 November 2009 – 31 January 2010

Somewhat based around Stravinsky’s 1911 ballet, Petrushka tells the story of three puppets and their controlling puppet master. The rather mischievous Petrushka, a Russian relative of our own Mr. Punch, is the pride of his masters show – a puppet who can move on his own without any strings. He attempts to escape the clutches of his master but is drawn back out of love for the graceful ballerina puppet. Like Punch, Petrushka has his ancestry in the Italian Commedia dell’arte character of Pulcinella and it is great to see the influence of Commedia in this production with a chorus of Zanni puppets who appear throughout the show to tidy up.

The puppets are gorgeous to look at and the operation is truly outstanding. The three operators Ronnie Le Drew, Mandy Travis and Rebekah Wild are dressed in black velvets allowing them to disappear so one might imagine Petrushka really is moving on his own. The blend between live action and puppet work really brings something special to this production especially with Josh Darcy’s silky voice and perfect meanness as the manipulative puppet master. The action is cleverly choreographed with Stravinksy’s score, played as a piano duet by David Nettle and Richard Markham, and the play is smartly contextualised with some haunting soundscapes and an intelligent lighting design.

Petrushka is visually splendid and like a great Russian novel guides us on emotive tale interspersed with humorous moments, a real treat for adults and children alike to watch over the Christmas period.

Address: The Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, Islington, N1 2DN
Website: www.littleangeltheatre.com
Email: info@littleangeltheatre.com
Phone: 020 7226 1787

On Sunday I attended the showback performance of the Family Theatre Project at Theatro Technis in Camden. It was brilliant to see the participation of so many families in this unique theatre event. The families have obviously worked very hard over the last four weekends to put together this production. They started at the very beginning by writing an original script, loosely based on the Russian folk tale of Baba Yaga. Director George Eugeniou was keen that they enjoy total theatre; not just getting involved in the performance side but also in the production side and the families helped design the set, lighting and costumes as well as producing their own marketing leaflets.

The production itself told the story of a boy who getting distracted by his desire to buy a toy soldier at a stall in the famous Stables Market in Camden becomes detached from his mother and two sisters. The boy follows the mysterious Mr. Night who promises him the toy soldier and leads him on an adventure. Meanwhile his family are left panic stricken and begin a search for the missing boy. In their pursuit the two girls encounter a fish, a squirrel and a mouse who each present them with a gift to protect them. As they continue the search they cross paths with the evil Baba Yaga who kidnaps and eats children, frantically running to escape her clutches they only evade capture by using the precious charms given to them by the three animals. They finally manage to catch up with Mr. Night and are re-united with their sportive brother.

What was wonderful about this production is the way everyone worked together, you could really sense the community feel of it all. Everybody there had really enjoyed participating in the project, oozing enthusiasm and were rightly proud of what they had put on. It was not an easy ride either, there were times when things were tough and time was short; some things in theatre are always the same! The project has also really opened people up to the workings of the theatre and offered people new opportunities and experiences as well as offering young people the chance to see what working in theatre can really be like, we could even be watching some of the stars of the future.

How meaningful it was to see families enjoying creating their own theatre for a change. It is hoped that this project will become an annual event and I can’t wait to see it grow and expand I look forward to seeing the Family Theatre Project in 2010.

22 December – 03 January

Footsbarn’s Christmas Cracker

For the first time ever, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre will open its doors over the festive season for a Christmas production. Following their Shakespeare Party in 2008, the acclaimed and totally unique Footsbarn Theatre will return to the Globe to present their Christmas Cracker, a family feast of carnival, comedy and Christmas cheer. The production will run for 18 performances between 22 December 2009 and 3 January 2010, with a combination of 11am, 2pm and 5.30pm performances.

Footsbarn’s Christmas Cracker promises a midwinter celebration of London’s rich, bawdy, pagan past, drawing from festive traditions, and inspired by the complete works of Shakespeare. As an open-air venue, the essence of the show will be brevity, with two half-hour acts around an interval, giving plenty of room for mulled wine and hot food in the break.

Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition and Theatre Tour

Shakespeare’s Globe will also be offering visitors a fascinating introduction to Shakespeare and the London in which he lived and worked. Guests can explore Shakespeare’s London through modern interactive displays, traditional crafts and regular live demonstrations including sword fighting and costume dressings. Included with a ticket to the exhibition is a vivid half-hour tour of the theatre which brings the extraordinary space to life.

A Concert For Winter

On Thursday 10 December everyone is invited to the Globe’s A Concert for Winter, an annual celebration of the Southwark community through song and music. Groups from the Southwark community and from local nursery, primary and secondary schools, will perform in this seasonal concert on the Globe stage arranged by Globe Education.

Address: Shakespeare’s Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London, SE1 9DT
Website: http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/
Email: info@shakespearesglobe.com
Phone: General enquiries – 020 7902 1400, Box Office – 020 7401 9919

Rehearsals for the Family Theatre Project are still going really well and we’ve decided on a title for the production which is, ‘Mr. Night and the Amazing Stables Market’. The set is almost finished now and we are well on the way with drawing up a lighting plan. The families have designed a flyer to promote the production, have a look and see what you think.

(Click the images to enlarge them).

The production is on Sunday 22 November. We hope you can come along and watch us.

Here is a list of the production team behind the Family Theatre project, we are very grateful for all their help:

Laura Fusari – Project Coordinator
George Eugeniou – Director
Marco Aponte – Actor
Jamil Jivanjee – Marketing
Ilaria `D’Intinosante – Set Designer
Sunghee Yu – Lighting Designer

Address: Theatro Technis, 26 Crowndale Rd, N1 1TT, London
Email: info@theatrotechnis.com
Phone : 0207 387 6617

17 – 21 November, 2009

A South London school has been offered the chance to stage its production of Romeo And Juliet at Riverside Studios this autumn.

Kidbrooke School’s modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy, which was presented at Greenwich theatre earlier this year, transfers to the Hammersmith venue from 17 – 21 November.

The production uses dance and physical theatre to deal with the themes of the play – knife crime, gang violence and loss of life – in a contemporary and fast-moving style that is relevant to young people today. The cast of 20 students is directed by the school’s Head of Drama Lucy Cuthbertson, a founder member of theatre company Ridiculusmus.

James Haddrell, Director of Greenwich theatre said: “This production, and the news of its London transfer, undoubtedly confirms Kidbrooke School as home to one of the most talented school companies in the country. It is one thing welcoming a school company into their local theatre, it’s something else to take that production and present it for a week elsewhere in London.”

This is not the first time that the work of Kidbrooke School’s drama department has been seen by a wider audience. The school previously collaborated with Greenwich theatre to present an adaptation of Ali Smith’s Hotel World, which was subsequently seen at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Kidbrooke has also participated in the Shakespeare Drama Festival and the National Theatre’s Connections programme.

Romeo And Juliet is suitable for ages 13 and over.

Address: Riverside Studios, Crisp Rd, London, W6 9RL
Website: http://www.riversidestudios.co.uk/
Phone: 020 8237 1111

Handa’s Hen author Eileen Browne, will be signing copies of her book at the Unicorn theatre on 28 November.

The signing will take place after the 11:45 performance of Handa’s Hen, the stage adaptation of Browne’s book by Little Angel.

Browne has been writing books for children for more than three decades and her work includes Through My Window, No Problem and the popular Handa adventures, including Handa’s Hen and Handa’s Surprise, both of which have been adapted for the stage by puppet theatre company Little Angel.

Handa’s Hen, which plays at the Unicorn theatre from 15 November to 13 December, uses 55 specially made puppets to bring to life the story of Handa and her friend Akeyo, who go looking for Grandma’s hen Mondi. Along the way they find fluttery butterflies, stripy mice and little lizards, but where is Mondi?

Little Angel’s production is suitable for ages two to five.

Yesterday marked the last day of the rehearsal period for James and the Giant Peach (the show I’m currently working on) and today is the begining of the technical week, where we move into the theatre and start getting all the technical aspects of the show like lights, sound and set ready. We open this Friday (13th) so it’s very busy at the moment.

You can read all about what we’ve been up to in my latest post on the Polka Theatre Blog.

Address: Polka, London, SW19 1SB
Website: http://www.polkatheatre.com/
Box Office: 020 8543 4888

13 – 31 January, 2010

Next year six family-friendly companies from all over Europe will be bringing circus and magic to London as part of the 2010 London International Mime Festival.

The visiting companies will form part of the extensive programme for this annual showcase of contemporary visual theatre, which runs from 13 to 31 January at venues across the capital, including the Barbican, the Southbank Centre, the ICA and the Royal Opera House.

The family-friendly programme kicks off with Switzerland’s Zimmermann & De Perrot (13 – 16 January) who present their show Oper Opis, a mix of circus, music and dance, to the Barbican.

Belgian clowning duo Xavier Bouvier and Benoit Devos are bringing two shows to the festival; Slips Inside (20 – 23 January) is a classic street-theatre performance while HaHaHa (24 January) sees the duo don bizarre make-up and costumes to present a series of original, wordless sketches and physical routines.

Two companies are coming across the channel from France; young circus artists Compagnie Ieto (28 – 31 January) and juggling experts Collectif Petit Travers (21 – 22 January) show off their skills at the Southbank Centre, as does Spain’s Circus Klezmer (23 – 24 January), which returns to the festival after visiting last year to present a riotous circus show about a wedding that goes wrong.

Finally, the continental companies are joined by Britain’s Mimbre, whose show Until Now runs in the Purcell Room from 25 – 27 January. An improbable acrobatic adventure with some magic and a few surprises, Until Now is a timeless story of journeys and goodbyes, told using a fusion of physical theatre, dance and acrobatics.

For more information about all these shows and others in the 2010 London International Mime Festival, visit www.mimefest.co.uk