Follow North East Theatre Guide on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NETheatreGuide
and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NETheatreGuide
Festive family shows at
Northern Stage
Up
and Out, Christmas Sprout
Saturday 14th
November 2015
– Saturday 2nd January 2016
The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Saturday 28th
November 2015
– Saturday 2nd January 2016
Newcastle Northern Stage
Two
original productions for families première at Northern Stage in Newcastle over the festive period.
Award-winning
poet and playwright Caroline Bird (Secret Theatre/Lyric Hammersmith) has
written a brand new play based on Frank L Baum’s classic story, The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz (28 November – 2 January 2016) for children over 7
and their families.
A
cyclone sweeps Dorothy Gale far, far away from her grey, boring life. She’d
rather keep her trainers on than wear ruby slippers but here she is in the
Technicolor Land of Oz, ready for an adventure. Directed by Mark Calvert (The
Ballad of Little Johnnie Wylo, The Letter Room), this new Northern Stage
production will be designed by the ever-inventive Rhys Jarman (Institute,
Gecko) with original music performed live on stage by Jeremy Bradfield (The
Worst Princess, New Writing North).
Director
Mark Calvert says, “Our version will be more Roald Dahl than Judy Garland.
It will be set at a fairground – we experience everything through Dorothy’s
eyes, the possibilities of what can happen at a fairground are endless – but
like the original, at the end of the day it’s all about the importance of
family.”
 |
|
Costume design: Rhys Jarman
|
Writer
Caroline Bird says, “As a child, I absolutely loved the story. However,
being a ten-year-old know-it-all bookworm who could spot a moral sleight of
hand at a hundred yards, I hated the final bit when the horrible, lying Wizard
gives them life-lessons. I thought, ‘Hey! He’s a humbug, living in Emerald
luxury while Munchkins get enslaved, and now we’re taking his advice? No thanks
very much!’ So this is inspired by that childlike anger: Oz is a troubled land,
Dorothy the Brave is there for a reason - she lands in a mysterious country of
tiny people and wicked witches, where the trees carry bazookas, the crows
recite slam poetry, and a mouse can blow your head off. In just one day, this
little girl revolutionises an entire nation. She brings freedom, and colour.”
 |
|
Costume design: Rhys Jarman
|
The
cast includes Tessa Parr (Get Santa, Northern Stage) as Dorothy; Zoe
Lambert (Tyne, Live Theatre) as the Wicked Witch; Carl Kennedy (Shh
A Christmas Story, Northern Stage and a member of improv group The
Suggestibles) as Nick Chopper (the Tinman); Michael Blair (Mr Scratch,
Northern Stage, and a founder member of The Letter Room) as the Cowardly Lion; Ruth
Johnson (The Christmas Grump, Northern Stage) as Queen of the Field
Mouses; and Maria Crocker (Jumping Puddles, Open Clasp/Frantic Assembly)
as the Scarecrow; with puppetry by Tom Walton (The Borrowers,
Northern Stage).
 |
|
Illustration: John Disley
|
And
for under 6s, Up and Out, Christmas Sprout (14 November – 2
January 2016)
is written by Laura Lindow (Heartbreak Soup, Live Theatre).
Follow our brave(ish) hero William Russell Sprout Junior up and out into the
winter sky. Up, up and away to the Wild Beyond, negotiating snowy rooftops and
stormy seas on his quest to put things back the way they were.
The
show is directed by Unfolding Theatre’s Annie Rigby who has a wealth of
experience of making shows for young children, having previously directed Tattercoats
and Thumbelina for Northern Stage. She says, “I’ve admired Laura’s
writing for many years, so it’s a delight to collaborate with her this
Christmas and we’ve got a great team working to create a magical world for
Northern Stage’s youngest audiences. It’s such a privilege to make theatre for
children - for many, it might be the first time they’ve come to see a show and
we want to make the whole experience very special.”
 |
|
Photo: Mark Savage
|
Set
and costume design is by Lily Arnold; Lily was design assistant in
residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2009-2011, and most recently
designed Yellow Face for the National Theatre Shed and Minotaur for
Polka Theatre.
 |
|
Photo: Mark Savage
|
Willie
Sprout will be played by Tom Isted, a former Northern Stage Young
Company member; Hannah Goudie (Camisado Club founding member and
graduate of Northern Stage’s NORTH programme) plays Aurora Barora; and Karen
Traynor (The Borrowers, Northern Stage) plays Hether Grether.
Original music comes from composer and music director Tim Dalling (New
Rope String Band), who also plays Willie’s Dad, with live music performed by the
cast.
Tickets:
Up
and Out, Christmas Sprout
Saturday 14th
November 2015
– Saturday 2nd January 2016, See website for
performance schedule
Adult:
£14 / £12.50 / £7.50 Child: £10 / £9.50 / £7.50 Under 12 months: £2
Booking:
www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/up-out-christmas-sprout
or call the box office on 0191 230 5151.
The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Saturday 28th
November 2015
– Saturday 2nd January 2016, see website for
performance schedule
£24,
£19.50, £14.50. Student / Under 21, £12. Family tickets £60
Booking:
www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/Wizard%20of%20Oz
or call the box office on 0191 230 5151.
No comments:
Post a Comment