15 December 2021
Newsdesk
Following their wonderful re-opening season in 2021, Polka Theatre has announced its new programme of children’s shows for January to August 2022. From sensory play to awesome adventures, these world-class family theatre shows will run alongside a wide variety of workshops and activities for children of all ages.
In the Main Theatre, there’s adventure at every twist and turn with a season of big stories and tales for all ages. Gorgeous literary revival How To Hide A Lion, which brings Helen Stephens’ beloved children’s tale to life with playful humour and stunning puppetry, is adapted by Polka’s Artistic Director Peter Glanville and features original music and songs by Barb Jungr (We’re Going On A Bear Hunt). In a co- production with Polka Theatre and Derby Theatre, the award-winning Hiccup Theatre spin music, puppetry, BSL and storytelling into The Emperor’s New Clothes. It’s going to be a swashbuckling summer with The Pirate, The Princess and The Platypus, created by the brilliant minds behind Potted Potter and Potted Panto – come and join this magical musical world of pirate kings, queens, frogs, tall towers and shipwrecks!
Over in the Adventure Theatre, Ready, Steady, GO!, written and directed by Polka’s Artistic Director Peter Glanville and created in collaboration with the Creative Europe Mapping programme, takes you on a thrilling journey through the natural world, exploring the bond between a mother and her young daughter. Supported in development by PolkaLAB (Polka’s artistic development programme), Akademi’s Plastic Drastic Fantastic is a dance show for older children focusing on the big issues, and Polka and Little Angel Theatre’s acclaimed co-production of The Paper Dolls returns to wow audiences once more.
Alongside Polka produced shows, there is a brilliant programme of visiting companies with exciting shows for babies and up. Watershed Productions present the Little Angel Theatre and Royal &
Derngate, Northampton production of The Singing Mermaid, based on the book by Julia Donaldson, brought to life by a cast of three performers, beautiful puppets and music and songs by Barb Jungr. Audiences are invited to meet the bravest biscuit of all time in Stuff and Nonsense’s The Gingerbread Man, and The Egg, Wales Millennium Centre and Oxford Playhouse bring their co-production of Holm Theatre’s Josephine to Wimbledon, as it follows Josephine Baker’s incredible journey from the slums of St Louis via the bright lights of Paris and into the hearts of the world.
Polka’s Artistic Director Peter Glanville comments, As we head into the new year, we are delighted to have a new season of productions and workshops on offer, created to engage and inspire children from 0-12yrs. This is an exciting and historic time for us. Following our major capital redevelopment, Polka has been transformed into a hub for the community with a new café, shop, free-to-access indoor and outdoor play spaces – it truly is a wonderful space to spend an hour or the whole day!
The programme for the Main Theatre is as follows:
MAIN THEATRE
The Singing Mermaid
Watershed Productions present a Little Angel Theatre and Royal & Derngate, Northampton production.
Based on the original book by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Lydia Monks. Adapted by Samantha Lane & Barb Jungr
Thursday 10th – Sunday 20th February 2022
Tickets from £10
Suitable for ages 3 – 8
The singing mermaid is tempted away to join a travelling circus, with the promise of a life of excitement (and her own swimming pool!). The audience love her singing but soon she finds she’s been tricked by the dastardly circus master. Will she ever escape? And who will help her along the way?
A cast of three performers, beautiful puppets and music and songs by Barb Jungr (We’re Going On A Bear Hunt) bring Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ much-loved story to life.
Praise for The Singing Mermaid:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exquisitely designed puppets manipulated with captivating skill transform Julia
Donaldson’s book into an entrancing stage show – The Times
This play is based on the original book The Singing Mermaid, written by
Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Lydia Monks. Text © Julia Donaldson 2013. Illustrations © Lydia Monk 2013. Published by Macmillan Children’s Books
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The Gingerbread Man
A Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company production
Directed by Niki McCretton
Wednesday 23rd – Sunday 27th February 2022 Tickets from £10
Suitable for ages 3+
Imagine being born in an oven and the first person you meet wants to dunk you in his tea!
Come and see the adventure of the deliciously-smelling Gingerbread Man and meet the bravest biscuit of all time!
Stuff and Nonsense apply their usual brilliance with a mix of puppetry, live action, great music, humour and a stunning staging of this well-loved classic tale.
Praise for The Gingerbread Man:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Just brilliant: an innovative, musically and theatrically skilled show – Brighton and Hove News
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Josephine
The Egg, Wales Millennium Centre and Oxford Playhouse’s co-production of Holm Theatre’s Josephine. Written by Leona Allen & Jesse Briton
Thursday 3rd – Saturday 5th March 2022
Tickets from £10
Suitable for ages 8+
Josephine Baker. The little girl from Missouri who became an original 20th Century icon. Dancer, actor, activist, campaigner, spy and mother to the multicultural Rainbow Tribe, Josephine broke the mould and high-kicked the pieces to the kerb. But, almost 50 years after her death, Café Josephine, a down-at- heel New York diner dedicated to her memory, faces closure. Nobody remembers Josephine, who she was, what she did, what she stood for. And she just can’t allow that.
With a sultry, Harlem Renaissance-inspired score, spring-heeled Charleston dancing and a hatful of historical figures, Josephine blurs the real with the imagined as we follow one woman’s incredible journey from the slums of St Louis via the bright lights of Paris and into the hearts of the world.
Praise for Josephine:
⭐⭐⭐⭐A brilliantly physical performance – The Guardian
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How to Hide A Lion
A Polka Theatre and Oxford Playhouse co-production
Adapted by Peter Glanville, based on the book by Helen Stephens Friday 11th March – Sunday 24th April 2022
Tickets from £10
Suitable for ages 3 – 6
Helen Stephens’ rip-roaring story about hiding a lion and finding a friend.
When a lion is chased out of town, a young girl helps him find somewhere to hide. It’s not easy – lions are too big, too fluffy and too heavy! Join Iris on a mission to squeeze and squash her furry new friend into a variety of sneaky spots, as Helen Stephens’ magical book comes to life with playful humour, dazzling puppetry and original songs. Adapted by Peter Glanville (director of Polka’s acclaimed staging of The Paper Dolls) with music by celebrated singer-songwriter Barb Jungr.
Praise for How to Hide A Lion:
“An enchanting musical adaptation of Helen Stephens’ picture book” – The Guardian
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The Emperor’s New Clothes
A Polka Theatre, Hiccup Theatre and Derby Theatre production.
A brand-new adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic Written and directed by Sarah Brigham
Thursday 28th April – Sunday 22nd May 2022
Tickets from £10
Suitable for ages 3 – 8
Hiccup Theatre bring you the greatest fake news story ever told!
It’s Dress up and Play Day! The Emperor likes nothing more than a fashion parade and you are all invited to Ooh and Ahh at his latest eye-popping outfit. Meet the vain Emperor, the pandering advisors who offer uncritical support, and the crowd, who fail to recognize the truth, preferring lies to flourish. Hilarious and heartwarming, magical and musical, it’s a stylish treat for all the family.
The award-winning Hiccup Theatre spin music, puppetry, BSL and storytelling into a very special yarn.
Praise for Hiccup Theatre:
“Hiccup Theatre’s family shows always take you to unexpected places in such imaginative ways” – The Guardian
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Snow White
A New International Encounter, Cambridge Junction and Tobacco Factory Theatres co-production
Directed by Alex Byrne
Friday 27th May – Sunday 5th June 2022 Tickets from £10
Suitable for age 5+
In a wild and windswept land, far, far away, a cruel Queen is assured by her magic mirror that her beauty surpasses all others. Until one day, the mirror proclaims that Snow White is the fairest in the land...
Join our charmingly cheerful heroine as she escapes her hilariously homicidal stepmother with help from a family of feisty woods-dwelling, banjo-strumming, washboard-wearing vegans.
This joyful retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale is about growing up, growing old, growing your own food and why you shouldn’t trust a very shiny red apple. Overflowing with charm and wit, this laughter-filled delight celebrates how we can all make the world a better place.
Praise for Snow White:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Warm, family-friendly fairytale with a smart twist. – The Stage
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The Pirate, The Princess and the Platypus
A Polka Theatre production
Written by Daniel Clarkson and Richard Hurst Saturday 18th June – Saturday 20th August 2022 Tickets from £10
Suitable for age 5+
Once upon a time there was a pirate who wanted to be a princess, a princess who wanted to be a pirate and a platypus who was happy being exactly themselves! Join us this summer for a brand new comic fairy-tale adventure for children and their grown-ups, about choosing your destiny, discovering your identity, and finding your friends. Let us take you to a magical musical world of pirate kings, queens, frogs, tall towers and shipwrecks; of French fancies and barrels of grog!
See our heroes strike out across the high seas, but be back to the palace in time for high tea!
From the incredible silly minds behind the Olivier-nominated global hits Potted Potter and Potted Panto. And the programme for the Adventure Theatre as follows:
ADVENTURE THEATRE
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Ready, Steady, GO!
A Polka Theatre and Mapping co-production
Written and directed by Peter Glanville, designed by Verity Quinn, music by Rex Horan Saturday 29th January – Sunday 27th March 2022
Tickets from £9
Suitable for age 2 – 5
When Sofia discovers a mountain bike in the boarded-up shed at the bottom of her garden, she doesn’t realise the thrilling adventures that await her. Join Sofia and her Mum as they travel across mountains and lakes, through day and night, in a race like no other.
Created by Polka’s Artistic Director, this is a gentle show for younger children which introduces different natural environments, and explores the bond between a mother and her young daughter.
Are you ready? Are you steady? Then let’s GO!
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Plastic Drastic Fantastic
A Polka Theatre and Akademi co-production
Artistic Direction and choreography Suba Subramaniam Wednesday 6th April – Sunday 8th May 2022
Tickets from £9
Suitable for age 7+
Plastic... is it friend or foe? Remarkable or rubbish? Helpful or harmful?
Akademi presents Plastic Drastic Fantastic a new dance show exploring our complex relationship - from the molecular to the planetary - with all things plastic. Using the medium of South Asian dance, intricate movements, play and lots of interaction, Plastic Drastic Fantastic draws on stories and ideas from
In collaboration with Mapping. A Map on the aesthetics of performing arts for early years, a larger scale
cooperation projects 2018-2022 supported by Creative Europe, Sub-programme Culture
children and young people to disentangle the fantastic possibilities that plastics offer us, from the drastic consequences of their misuse.
Plastic Drastic Fantastic is a vibrant, fun and thought-provoking show for our time. Development supported by PolkaLAB.
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Glisten
Half Moon presents a Daniel Naddafy production Wednesday 11th – Sunday 15th May 2022
Tickets £20 (adult & baby)
Suitable for age 0 – 18 months
Glisten is an interactive performance for babies aged 0-18 months and their grown-ups. The audience are taken on a sparkling and shimmering immersive journey exploring the world of reflective materials wrapped up in an ambient soundscape of evocative yet laid-back music.
Watch as the empty space of the theatre fills with colour, sounds and surprises, creating a sensory landscape ready to explore after the performance is over.
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The Paper Dolls
A Polka Theatre and Little Angel Theatre co-production
Adapted and directed by Peter Glanville, original book by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb
Friday 20th May – Sunday 7th August 2022
Tickets from £11
Suitable for ages 3 – 7
When a little girl makes a string of paper dolls, she takes them by the hand on a fantastical adventure. Whirling through the home and garden, they fly through the air, until they are confronted with some very sharp scissors...
Adapted from the acclaimed picture book created by former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson with award-winning illustration by Rebecca Cobb, The Paper Dolls comes to life with stunning puppetry and original music in Polka Theatre’s much-loved production.
“Every glimmer and glint of light is transfixing... Though the immersive environment changes over time, Naddafy’s performance remains entrancing.”
This play is based on the original book The Paper Dolls, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb. Published by Macmillan Children’s Books © 2013.
