Theatre for Kids this Spring Holiday: Journey to Space & Infinite Imagination!
Expert companies creating and delivering fantastic entertainment for children are prevalent in Scotland, and the Centre is excited to host two shows that will stimulate and inspire little ones and their accompanying adults from experts in the field of entertainment for the next generation.
Space Ape
Sat 7 April, 2pm & 7pm (1hr) | 7+
Space Ape is a new piece of young people’s storytelling theatre conceived and devised by Andy Cannon and produced by Red Bridge Arts, with support from the Edinburgh International Science Festival and Puppet Animation Scotland. It follows a once upon a time, approximately twenty years from now, when Yorick stands alone, suited up and ready to blast off in a rocket to Mars.
Part of the inspiration for the show came 50 years ago when a young Andy was up way past his bed time patiently waiting for Apollo 11, the first manned mission, to land on the moon.
It landed at 4:17pm EDT on 20 July 1969, with only 40 more seconds of fuel to spare and six hours later, astronaut Armstrong spoke those immortal words; ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’, symbolising a moment of togetherness for most of the western world.
But Space Ape isn’t just about the lunar landing – it’s about all space and time and history and our presence as humans within all that chaos.
Andy Cannon, Scotland’s leading storyteller for young audiences, tells the tale, sharing his passion for space travel, using everyday objects and animation, with his skill of simplifying the most complicated information into digestible facts that will have youngsters aged 7+ glued to his every word and action.
Grandad and Me
Thu 12 Apr, 2pm & Fri 13 Apr, 11am & 2pm (40mins) | 5+
No matter what age you are, the loss of a loved one is a devastating blow that throws your life askew and can make you question everything.
In Grandad and Me – a little girl knows that her Grandad has gone forever. But if she makes-believe that they’re still having fantastical adventures, he can remain vividly alive in her memory.
Full of fresh invention and adorable surprises, imagination translates into a living storybook about loss, longing and the treasures of memory, as the young girl traces her Grandad’s footsteps on a magical adventure through time and space, with projected animations.
See her living-room wall become a moonscape, stormy sea and a park where the seasons can shift instantly, sharing the universal message of how to come to terms with the loss of a loved one by creating uplifting and surprising moments in this gentle introduction, from a company that specialises in making high quality, engaging theatre for young people.
Premiered in May 2014 at Imaginate (Edinburgh International Children’s Festival), The Letter J are delighted to be re-touring this wonderful show for families to enjoy, with immersive storytelling co-created and performed by Judith Williams and Jon Bishop, who are joined by choreographer and performer Ruth Janssen.
Visually beautiful and tremendously moving, Grandad and Me is a perfect show for the whole family; from children to grandparents.