An Oily Cart and Royal Shakespeare Company co-production: Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale for two to five year olds revived for Christmas 2012
Unicorn Theatre, 6th December 2012 – 6th January 2013 and on tourOily Cart, the leading creators of theatre for the very young, presents this interactive, multi-sensory wonderland experience. This co-production with the Royal Shakespeare Company was first performed as part of the World Shakespeare Festival 2012. The show is an entrancing tale combining smells, textures, enchanting live music and beautiful costumes. For the very first time, toddlers are catapulted into the colourful world of Shakespeare’s imagination and the music of his language.
The adventure begins in the woolly pastures of the shepherdess and her flock of little sheep. She is having a party to celebrate the sheep shearing. When she discovers a lost baby, the audience is called on to help solve the clues about where the baby comes from. Together they travel over the salty sea to the sad court where a happy ending is found.
The youngest audiences experienced In a Pickle, the show title is a quote from The Tempest, in June 2012 as part of the World Shakespeare Festival. A dreamscape set allowed young children to journey through the show enjoying special features such as sniffable herbs, strokeable grassy benches and bubbles along the way. For this revival run of the show, Oily Cart will return to the Unicorn Theatre before embarking on a nationwide tour to Warwick Arts Centre, The Gulbenkian and Clwyd Theatr Cymru.
Former RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd said: “Our Schools Stand Up For Shakespeare campaign has successfully championed the introduction of primary school children to Shakespeare since 2008. This collaboration with the magical Oily Cart is the perfect way to share our house playwright with an even younger audience.”
Tim Webb Artistic Director of Oily Cart said: ‘This is Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale for two to four year olds, and yes, it’s a challenge but one we’re revelling in. The original music by Max Reinhardt and Finn Peters derives directly from the musicality of Shakespeare’s language, as the young children and the performers journey together through a dreamscape created by Claire de Loon, they will find something to delight all of the senses. This is not another of those shows you look at and listen to. It’s one you can touch, smell and taste. It’s a pitch perfect introduction to Shakespeare for the very young.”
2012 was an exciting year for the Oily Cart. A book celebrating 30 years of the company entitled All Sorts of Theatre for All Sorts of Kids was published by Trentham Books. The book looks at Oily Cart’s extraordinary history through the experience of the founders, actors, reviewers and audience. It’s an essential source for theatre practitioners who make, or are seeking to make, theatre for young children or for children and young adults with learning disabilities; teachers and students who are engaged in Special Educational Needs, early years and nursery work, or drama and theatre, anyone interested in drama therapy or music therapy. Previous show Ring A Ding Ding also receives itsUS premiere atNew York’s Victory Theatre this Autumn.
Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, London SE1 2HZ 6th Dec 2012 – 6th Jan 2013 (various times) I 020 7645 0560 | www.unicorntheatre.com | £16/£10
Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL 14th – 19th January 2013 (various times) I 024 7652 4524 | warwickartscentre.co.uk | £9.45/£6.45
The Gulbenkian, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NB 21st – 26th January 2013 (various times) I 01227 769075 I www.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian/ | £8
Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Raikes Lane, Clwyd CH7 1YA Mold 28th January – 2nd Feburary 2013 (various times) I 0845 330 3565 I www.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk | £8.50
