Adverse Camber - STORY BREW (Storytelling) Adults & Young People 12+yrs
Story Brew "a feast for the senses", "joyous", "beautiful, intimate evening" Blending forest folktales, herbs and tea, Pyn Stockman’s 90 minute perfectly ‘brewed’ show fuses tales and atmospheric music. Herbalist Arlene Burnett shares morsels of knowledge about medicinal properties of seasonal herbs, plus freshly brewed, delicious teas, served from vintage teapots. With music from Kate Luxmoore (clarinet, voice) or Marc Narrative (filmic soundscapes) depending on the brew, celebrate nature connection, through a delicious blend of rooted folklore, conversation and music.www.adversecamber.orgContent: Story Brew blends a series of specially chosen folktales and legends drawn from across our islands with morsels of knowledge about medicinal herbs and original new music. There are 3 ‘brews’ or different show blends which are available, each themed based on season, or location:Wild Woods Brew – Autumnal flavours of the wild forestMidsummer Brew – the magic of mugwort in the shimmering heat of summerUrban Forest Brew – celebrating the unexpected wildness of urban spaces
Each 90 min show celebrates the wild power of nature, bringing it to audiences imaginatively, through deeply rooted folktales, new music and conversation about folklore, herbs and plant-wisdom. During the interval, with options to enjoy freshly brewed tea from medicinal herbs, audiences are encouraged to celebrate their own nature-knowledge, with strong links to fostering nature connection and celebrating our environment. This piece encourages relaxed, reflective and accessible conversations, while celebrating the waysides, fields and forests of an animated world. RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes in two halves of 45 mins with an interval. Wrap around activity is available for an additional fee, including: a schools version of any of the blends (Pyn is an experienced storytelling facilitator) / workshops blending storytelling and music, with invitation to participants of all ages to experiment with blending their own stories and music.The piece is fully made and has been performed in all three versions with adult audiences in indoor and outdoor spaces, including libraries and community gardens. We have a NLPG application in assessment with Arts Council England to fully develop marketing resources, using the initial design work attached as a starting point, including a trailer. If successful, this work will happen in Jan/Feb 2027, ahead of the show going out across English regions and storytelling clubs. The costs given below are independent of the application, so this will not be double funding.AUDIENCE: Adults and older children age 12+. Suitable for audiences with interests in folklore, heritage, storytelling, gardening, wellbeing, rural or urban, wildlife, environmental, literature, music, ancient remedies, alternative medicine.Sensory Experience: Each show features a rustic wooden set, made from natural materials, dried herbs and rustic crates. The team bring a selection of vintage teapots, and, with addition of hot water, provide medicinal ‘brews’ drawing on seasonal herbs – the immune boosting power of hibiscus for winter, relaxing rose-petals and camomile for summer, using these as conversational prompts, reflecting on the wisdoms of hedgerow, field and forest. Musicians Kate Luxmoore (clarinet, voice) and Marc Narrative (digital soundscapes and handpan) complement Pyn Stockman’s beautifully woven traditional and contemporary folktales, with a mix of funky classical and filmic original musical flavours. Canal-barge living storyteller Pyn Stockman moves about as she tells the stories, making eye contact and connecting with audience members, inviting gentle participation and creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere.ACCESS: 'Relaxed Event (no additional supporting materials), Audio Description, Hearing loop.GET IN 90 MINUTES. GET OUT 30 MINUTES.Capacity: Is there a maximum capacity? Up to 80 peopleExperience: This show was developed with audiences in Stoke on Trent , Warwickshire and Coventry, including library users and groups with wellbeing needs including young people and people with wellbeing and mental health needs. Feedback from these early audiences has helped to shape the show and the range of different blends, with people responding especially strongly to the mix of tales, music, tea and conversation. People spoke about how the tales gave them a stronger sense of connection to nature around them, and how much they enjoyed chatting with other audience members over a cup of tea. With many reports showing the growth in loneliness in our communities and anxiety about climate crisis and its impact on nature, this show offers an antidote – providing solace and uplifting content celebrating local wild spaces, which helps to bring people together.TECH: The show is self-sufficient. Amplification will be provided by the musicians.Adverse Camber - The Gods Are All Here, by Phil Okwedy (Storytelling) Adults and Young People 14+yrs.
Warm-hearted, beautifully weaving African diaspora folktales with an astonishing family story. Sparked by the discovery of a series of letters from his father in Nigeria to his mother in Wales, The Gods Are All Here is a compelling, lyrical, one-man performance from first-class storyteller, Phil Okwedy. This captivating show skilfully weaves myth, song and legends of the African diaspora with an astonishing personal story, uncovering Phil’s experiences of growing up as a child of dual heritage in 1960 &70’s Wales. "Enthralling and magical" * * * * * Buzz Magazinewww.adversecamber.orgContent: Suitable for Black History Seasons, plus Environmental and Climate themes“May your shadow never grow less.” Phil Okwedy didn’t grow up with either of his birth parents, although he kept contact with his mother throughout his life. When his mother died, he discovered a series of letters from his father in Nigeria to his mother in Wales from the time when they met, to when he was around 12 years old. The Gods Are All Here is a compelling, lyrical and warm, one-man performance which weaves together his parents story, as he discovered it in the letters, with the story of his own upbringing, as a dual heritage child in 1960s & 1970s West Wales, with folktales, myths and legends from the African continent and diaspora. Exploring equality, freedom, racism, family and growing up without your birth parents, in a touching, funny and evocative performance, The Gods Are All Here is both timeless and very much a story of now."This stunning show is spectacularly crafted" - Rufus MufasaCreated and performed by Phil Okwedy, Directed by Michael Harvey, Funded by Arts Council of Wales sponsored by Welsh Government, National Lottery Funded. Supported by Theatrau Sir Gâr and Arena Theatre Wolverhampton.Audience Age: Adults and older children age 14+Sensory Experience: Phil tells this intriguing and involving story with two photographs behind him on wooden easels – one of his parents taken at Joe’s Café in Cardiff (the only photo he has of them together), and another of himself age 12 with his Auntie Barbara, the long term foster mother, with whom he grew up. He sits between these photos, beside a simple square wooden table and a suitcase (as shown in the photograph) which contains some of the letters from which the show is made. Throughout the show, he references and reads from these letters, while also weaving in his own story and folktales/myths/legends to create the whole piece. In theatres, we also have long fabric banners created by designer Molara, to convey the imaginative world of the traditional African diaspora stories being told, but in libraries and informal venues we don’t use these, and the intimate setting works perfectly without them. Phil has a very warm and involving presence and he wears clothes also created by designer Molara, which convey some elements of African culture. He begins the show singing, this song recurs at key moments, including the interval and at the end of the show invites the audience to sing with him.Capacity: Up to 100 peopleExperience: This show has toured across England, Wales, Scotland and Europe since it was made in 2022 for over 50 performances, and has received development and tour funding from Arts Council Wales and Arts Council England, plus the Barry Jackson Trust. It has been performed in theatres, arts centres, rural village halls and libraries and generated enthusiastic feedback and response everywhere. It includes references to transatlantic slavery and racism, and conveys childhood experiences in ways which promote connection, whether or not audiences have experienced discrimination themselves. Includes examples of discriminatory language.Technical Equipment: The show is self-sufficient for library settings and does not need amplificationGet IN 45 minutes, GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS : Hearing LoopRUNNING TIME: 50 + 45 minutes with an interval of 15 minutesPhil has also performed a schools version, which focuses on his own story, and is a very experienced storytelling facilitator -able to work with any groups using storytelling as a basis for creativity and discovery. He is particularly keen to connect with people who have experience of the care system, fostering and adoption. Any workshops need to have additional fees, based on £350 per day for 2 sessions x 2 hours.Adverse Camber - Upside Down in a Hoop (Dance) Adults and Young People 14+yrs and Over 60’s
This ‘moving memoir’ is an antidote to sadness, for anyone seeking new momentum. It shares the story of life-long dancer, choreographer and writer Tricia Durdey. In her 60s, Tricia was facing new challenges, the ill-health and eventual loss of her parents. She began to experiment with aerial dance, a bold new creative and physical challenge. The result is this beautiful blend of movement, music and memoir, integrating aerial hoop, telling Tricia’s story of moving through loss, facing fears and embracing life, illustrating the vulnerability and immense power of creative aging.www.adversecamber.orgContent: Upside Down in a Hoop is a ‘moving memoir’ and an antidote to sadness, for anyone seeking new momentum. “Upside down in a hoop, seeing the world anew and yet utterly familiar.” When Tricia Durdey’s father reached the end of his life, Tricia would sit with him, drawing and writing. Remembering. And after decades of training, performing and teaching dance, she began to experiment with aerial dance – a new creative and physical challenge. Tricia’s performance invites audiences to travel with her through the creative journey of her life, from the joys of her childhood passion for dance and her determination to follow dreams, to the challenges and adventures of mid-life, caring for her parents as their health declined, learning aerial hoop, embracing risk and facing fears. This beautiful blend of movement, music and memoir showcases the power of creative aging. “Great to see an older woman being so bold and physical.” “I both wept through the performance and felt surprisingly empowered.” (Audience Feedback). With production support from Adverse Camber.AUDIENCE: Adults and older children age 14+. This performance is especially suitable for audiences over 60.Relevant themes: Creative aging, well-being in our older years, loss and nurturing resilienceSensory Experience: This performance blends performed memoir, movement and aerial hoop. We watch Tricia reliving and enacting memories before us, from her first ballet class age 5, to training in Amsterdam, and her life-long passion for dance. The aerial hoop Tricia uses is a self-supporting A frame, with the hoop suspended between 5-6 feet high. Tricia uses the hoop throughout the piece, demonstrating her increasing confidence, as we follow her parallel journey from a first sudden decision to take up an aerial class, age 60, in parallel with facing emotional challenges of losing her parents. Music extracts accompany the piece, and as we witness Tricia’s determination to keep taking risks and facing her fears. We are invited to reflect on stories of resilience in own lives.Capacity: 60-80 people, depending on layoutExperience: This show has been performed over 20 times, at Derbyshire arts festivals including Wirksworth Festival, Belper Festival, at Lakeside Arts Centre Nottingham and Hastings Storytelling Festival. Tricia worked with a team of older creatives, including a director and dramaturg to make the show. She is now being supported by national touring storytelling producers Adverse Camber to take the show to audiences further afield.Our ideal is for the audience to sit around the hoop, as in the trailer video, however this requires a space at least 5m x 5m square and the performance works equally well 'end on'. The hoop is a training hoop and can be lowered, to accommodate lower heights. Our ideal is a performance space 6m(w) x 6m (d) x 3m (h) but we can be flexible.RUNNING TIME: first half 55 mins. Second Half: 40 mins Q&A or readings from Tricia's memoir.Wrap Around: Tricia is a specialist in running movement classes for older people. A pre or post-show workshop with Tricia is available ideally the day before or after the show, including movement workshops of up to 90 mins for older people, enabling people to experience feeling strong and comfortable in the body, dancing alone, with a partner and in a group, with options for chair based or a mix of seated/standing sessions.GET IN 90 minutes. GET OUT 45 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loop.Al Gurr - Much Ado About Jazz with Chris Gumbley and Al Gurr (Music) Adults / All Ages
“Much Ado” is something a bit different. It’s a show aimed at people who do not necessarily like jazz -(and for those that do). There is often a complaint that jazz can be aloof, self-indulgent and lacking in any real melodic content. As a result, we revisit some much-loved (mostly) jazz classics and present them with a lot of energy so that the audience not only feel more involved, but also gain an insight into how jazz musicians work on stage. If you add to that a large dose of dry humour you'll hopefully start to get a feel for what our performance is all about.http://www.muchadoaboutjazz.co.uk/Much Ado is a lighthearted, fun show that has audience engagement as the main aim; giving a glimpse into how jazz musicians work but ensuring that audiences of all ages feel part of the show. There is a high level of performance by two musicians who have professional performing careers spanning over 38years where Chris Gumbley is also an ABRSM Examiner/composer, and Al Gurr lectures at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Their experience of performance and audience engagement is wide and this show allows people to experience the energy of intimate live performance where the peppering of humour allows audiences (young and old) to feel safe. The set takes audiences through a range of non-threatening moods from fun to poignant leaving everyone with a sense of musical and human escapism. TECH: “Much Ado” is self sufficient in PA but do prefer basic lighting to be provided but this can also be provided if that is not an option. There is no limit on the number of people that make up the audience.RUNNING TIME: Around two 50min sets with an interval.GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 45 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing LoopAscension Dance Company - AMARIS & RAE (Dance Theatre) Families 3+yrs
Amaris & Rae is a magical dance theatre adventure for families, celebrating imagination, bravery, and the beauty of the unknown. Amaris dreams of space, transforming darkness into a universe of wonder, while her brother Rae fears what he cannot see. When she invites him into her world, they embark on an extraordinary journey through galaxies, alien encounters, and shimmering stars.Blending movement, light, and playful storytelling, this immersive production reimagines darkness as a place of possibility. With a participatory element, audiences are invited to explore alongside the characters.https://www.ascensiondance.co.uk/RUNNING TIME: The performance time is approximately 45-minutes, with a 15-minute stay-and-play (60-minutes in total). The show can be performed twice per day (with a minimum of 1 hour between performances) and this is included in the overall fee detailed below. ACCESS: Amaris & Rae is inspired by the boundless wonder of childhood. The non-verbal show follows Amaris, a young dreamer captivated by the mysteries of space, and her older brother Rae, who harbours a very different relationship with the dark.Amaris & Rae is created primarily for children aged 3 to 7, while also offering an engaging experience for older children and for people with additional needs, learning disabilities or neurodivergences. The response to the work shows that its appeal lies in the inclusive and supportive atmosphere at the heart of the production. The performance does not rely on spoken language; instead, it welcomes audiences through movement, music, light, texture and imaginative play. This layered approach allows viewers to connect with the story in different ways and can be particularly valuable for those who may find conventional theatre settings overwhelming. Families and carers are encouraged to experience the work at their own pace, helping to create a relaxed environment in which curiosity and participation are valued.We usually recommend a capacity of approximately 70 audience members, including adults. This helps preserve the intimate quality of the production, ensures that the sensory and interactive elements remain clearly visible, and gives families enough space to engage comfortably with the performance and stay-and-play activity.TECH AND VENUE REQUIREMENTS: W: 6 metres, D: 6 metres, H: 4 metres. Ascension Dance provides its own PA sound system and all specialist technical equipment required for the production, including projectors. We ask the venue to provide basic lighting. A blackout or suitably low-light state is essential because projection, torchlight and shadow are central to the performance’s visual language. We are happy to work with venue teams in advance to support an efficient fit-up and ensure that the performance environment is safe, welcoming and technically consistent.GET IN 90 MINUTES. GET OUT 45 MINUTES.MORE DETAIL ON THE SHOW: Amaris thrives in it. To her, darkness is not something to fear but a canvas—alive with galaxies, shooting stars and the possibility of adventure. Armed with homemade “space gear” and an unstoppable imagination, she transforms her surroundings into a cosmic playground, inspired by pioneering astronauts such as Mae Jemison and Chiaki Mukai. Everyday objects become the starting point for new discoveries, reminding audiences that even the most extraordinary journeys can begin at home. Rae, however, is hesitant. The unknown unsettles him, and he does not initially share Amaris’s excitement. When she invites him into her world, uncertainty gradually gives way to curiosity and trust. Together, they step beyond their familiar surroundings and into an extraordinary, imagined universe—floating through constellations, dodging alien encounters and uncovering breathtaking new worlds. At its heart, their adventure is about two siblings learning to understand one another, finding courage through connection and discovering that darkness can hold wonder as well as uncertainty.The show offers a rich sensory experience, exploring the relationship between movement, darkness and light. It begins with the performers and the metal dome structure fully illuminated as the audience watches them dance, play and discover the possibilities contained in their toy box of treasures. Tactile everyday objects, including scrubbing brushes and sieves, are transformed into spacesuits and tools for intergalactic travel. A fabric sheet floats above the audience before becoming part of the dome itself, inviting spectators to notice its movement and texture. As the light fades, the performance reveals a changing interplay between brightness and darkness: torchlight cuts through the space, stars and vivid colours are projected across the sheet, and the performers’ movements create shifting shadows within the dome. These visual transformations allow the audience to experience the setting as something alive, playful and full of possibility. The stay-and-play element of Amaris & Rae then gives audience members time to explore and engage with the performance space. They can feel the textures of the props and set, experiment with sound, light and shadow, and express themselves through dance and movement. This interactive segment extends the imaginative world of the show beyond the performance itself, creating space for children to follow their own ideas and discoveries. Throughout, the music complements and elevates the action, carrying the audience through the adventure and supporting its shifts between playfulness, uncertainty and wonder.Amaris & Rae has been in development with Ascension Dance since 2024, with support from The Spark Arts, Warwick Arts Centre, Compton Verney Art Gallery and Arts Council England. The development process has included repeated opportunities to share the work with audiences, test its sensory and interactive elements, and refine the experience in response to feedback. These sharings have received a highly positive response, with audiences particularly valuing the production’s inclusive approach and the ways in which it invites children to participate. The show will premiere at Warwick Arts Centre on 11th October 2026 and is due to visit several prestigious venues in early 2027, including The Egg in Bath, the Southbank Centre in London, Z-Arts in Manchester and Hullabaloo Theatre in Darlington. Ascension Dance also brings substantial experience of touring professional work, building on successful previous productions including Early Weaves and The Other Side. This experience informs a practical, adaptable approach to touring while maintaining the artistic quality and welcoming atmosphere of the work.ABOUT THE ARTIST: Ascension creates work that brings contemporary dance and raw physicality together in visceral, visually striking performances. With a keen focus on human interaction and relationships, Ascension Dance pushes the boundaries of communication through high-velocity encounters that soar, slide and crash, asking what it means to connect with the people and places around us. We are committed to inclusivity and diversity across everything we do, from our professional productions to the dance and movement workshops we deliver for people of all ages and abilities. We also provide a range of measures to make our performances more accessible, including Easy-Read Guides and relaxed performances, so that more audiences can engage with the work in ways that feel welcoming and supportive.Becky Owen-Fisher, producer for Frank Wurzinger - Drill Baby Drill (Theatre) Adults and Young Adults 12+yrs
The end of the world - but funny! The arctic is melting and an evil capitalist polar bear goes through a whole range of feelings to deal with the catastrophe.http://frankwurzinger.comFrank Wurzinger is an experienced clown, his new show Drill Baby Drill is a funny, moving, heartfelt and poignant look at climate change through the eyes of a polar bear. Directed by John Wright (Told by an Idiot), the show takes a look at the effects of climate change right at the heart of the problem. Audiences will be encouraged to participate in the show to help the central polar bear character deal with the effects of climate change. They will laugh, Frank is a beautifully gentle clown who interacts with a room in a very charming way. They will also be very moved and hopefully driven to consider our future.Drill Baby Drill is for 12+yrs audiences: comedy lovers, clown fans, eco conscious activists, millennials and school groups. There's no max capacity.Frank is incredibly experienced, he has been touring clown shows for over 20 years.RUNNING TIME: 1 hour (no interval).GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.TECH: We would need lighting and PA provided.CarmenCo - A Pocket Opera (Music) Adults / All Ages
A seamless amalgamation of classical music, theatre, opera, and comedy, CarmenCo’s A Pocket Opera is an irreverent reimagination of Bizet’s opera Carmen - now told by Carmen herself. Dare you consult the cards with her? What does she think of the men in her story? Did she foresee her gruesome ending, and does she like Bizet's opera about her? CarmenCo will have the audience in turn, laughing out loud, and listening with absolute silence to the immersive and evocative music.www.carmencotrio.comCarmen Reimagined: A Theatrical Concert of Spanish Music, Passion and Drama. This is not just Bizet’s Carmen. It is a vibrant theatrical concert that weaves together the greatest hits from Bizet’s iconic opera with the rich and evocative sound world of Spanish guitar. Inspired by Carmen and told from Carmen’s own point of view, the performance unfolds as a play, with costumes, props, storytelling and a compelling dramatic narrative. Alongside beloved arias and melodies from Bizet, the music travels beyond the opera into the heart of Spain, featuring gorgeous guitar works by Albéniz, de Falla, Tárrega and García Lorca. The result is a fresh, immersive experience that brings together opera, classical guitar and theatre — moving seamlessly between Bizet’s unforgettable melodies and the sensual, atmospheric and deeply Spanish soundscape of composers inspired by the country. Familiar, theatrical and beautifully unexpected, this is Carmen’s story — but told through much more than Bizet.With over 60 past performances all over the UK from Orkney, Carmarthen and Wexford to Crazy Coqs and Kings Place, and bookings stretching into 2028, CarmenCo have truly taken the UK by storm with their unique combination of world-class musicianship, humour, theatre and storytelling. We are seasoned Rural Tourers, and have had repeat bookings with AirinG, Night Out Wales, ArtsReach Dorset, TakeArt Somerset, Pound Arts Wiltshire, NEAT in Scotland and Arts Alive in Shropshire over the past few years, as well as being on the Library Presents menu for this year.We can adapt to perform in any space, from a concert hall to a church hall, from schools to village halls, to theatres and cabaret venues, and we don't need a piano!With promoters queueing up both to rebook this show and to book CarmenCo's next show (My MY MY Delilah, opening October 2026), everyone who has seen CarmenCo has been captivated. “The most ASTONISHING performance we have EVER staged. While measuring up magnificently in sheer musical quality to any of our other concerts, it SOARED FANTASTICALLY BEYOND anything that you could call just a concert” – Aberdeen Chamber Music Concerts, November 2025. "A buffet of musical morsels, served with an infectious mixture of respectful reverence and impish send-up; an evening that will linger long in the memory. In short – unique."- Carlisle Music Society review, September 2024. "An unusual, highly entertaining evening... The three first-rate musicians rose to the challenge of acting and dancing as well as musical performance... Superb range of musical colour and artistry throughout the programme" - Ayrshire Post. "What an outstanding performance by the extraordinarily talented and delightful CarmenCo ensemble. It was a magnificent evening ending with rapturous applause" - concert organiser, Arts in The Langfords. "The feedback from your concert has been huge, universally everybody loved it. The number of times I have been stopped in the street this week to compliment the performance is countless." - concert organiser, Portesham for ArtsReach Dorset. "The musicianship was wonderful, I love Emily's beautiful voice and the story telling was spellbinding. What I had absolutely not expected was that it would be so entertaining as well as dramatic and touching - I laughed out loud when I was listening. A lot!" - concert organiser, Frome Concerts GroupAudience: Suggested age 10+. Everybody loves it, no need to be an opera fan, or even into classical musicRUNNING TIME: 2 x 40 minute halves around an intervalGET IN 75 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loopSensory: We walk among the audience as we play in many numbersCapacity: we perform acoustic so suggest max 150 although we have performed to bigger audiencesTechnical Equipment: nothing needed except a table and 3 armless chairs.Ceyda Tanc Dance x Theatre Fideri Fidera - evim [my home] (Dance Theatre) Families 2+yrs
“If light is in your heart you will find your way home.” Rumi. Inspired by Sufi mystic Rumi, and the mesmerising whirling dervishes, evim [my home] is a magical and interactive performance for young children and their families. Follow three wanderers as they search for belonging, in places, with people, or in a feeling. Twirl, whirl and play as the performers take you on a spellbinding journey to find a place to call home. A wonderful introduction to dance theatre for young children, using captivating movement and enchanting music in this non-verbal and sensory show.www.ceydatancdance.comThe show is a visual and sensory spectacle aimed at ages 2-7, yet an exciting performance for all ages and members of the family to enjoy together.Evim [my home] is a fully developed and ready-to-tour show. A collaboration between Turkish-British Choreographer Ceyda Tanc (Ceyda Tanc Dance), Children's Theatre Maker Natasha Granger (Theatre Fideri Fidera) & Creative Producer Hayley Ovens.ACCESS: Highly visual and sensory performance. Non-verbal, inclusive for non-english speakers. Zoned set and draped structures creating a feeling of safety and areas for ‘quiet time’. Relaxed and interactive performance. Visual Story access document available for audiences prior to the show. Sensory adapted performances available. Hearing Loop.Content, audience and sensory experience: Evim [my home] explores the concept of ‘home’ & how a sense of belonging can be found with people, communities, places & feelings. A unique collaboration, combining contemporary & Anatolian folk dance styles with an established early years theatre approach, creates a magical interactive performance for young children and their families. Using a unique combination of non-verbal storytelling and contemporary dance, the audience are skillfully guided by the performers with freedom to move around space, make noise, and interact throughout. All audience members have a chance to play, rest, experience a moment of mindfulness, and connect with others.Skilled artistic collaborators have created a high-quality performance experience for young children at the earliest stage & an exciting performance for all the family to enjoy together.Our vision is to enable audiences to find connection through the universal elements that make us human, removing language and access barriers to create a place where everyone feels at home. “The lamps are different, but the lights are the same” - RumiMovement: Starting with images of fanned skirts and the gracefully undulating arms of the Whirling Dervishes, we reference the writing of Persian poet and Sufi mystic, Rumi, to explore the meditative and hypnotic practice of turning and twirling. Drawing on the strong and spiritual friendship of Rumi and Shams, a mystic and nomad, the dancers playfully and gracefully support each other to move through the space. Movement vocabulary is taken from Ceyda Tanc’s distinctive style blending Turkish folk dance and athletic contemporary styles.Costume/props: Flowing light-up skirts inspired by the traditional dress of the whirling dervishes create a visually stunning effect when turning. Confetti appears from the hands of a dancer creating a moment of surprise for the audience. A giant ‘parachute’ skirt is held at the edges by children to move it in waves and ripples with a dancer in the centre. Children can explore under, on and around the skirt. A basket of translucent scarves are provided to join in with twirling, whirling and dancing.Set: Draped structures in soft and flowing fabric cocoon the space and create a ‘world’ for the performance. In neutral tones, the set provides a blank canvas for imagination, individual interpretation and a calming atmosphere. A welcoming place to land and feel held.Sound: An original composition incorporating Middle Eastern instrumentation and vocalisation conjures imagery for the journey of the work. Soothing tones and twinkling sounds create a magical feel.“We come spinning out of nothingness, scattering stars like dust.” - Rumi Capacity: Maximum 30 children per show. Number of adults depends on the size/layout of the space.Experience: We premiered evim [my home] in May 2025 and since then have been touring the work successfully around the UK including the Southbank Centre (9 x sold out shows), The Place, Half Moon Theatre, artsdepot, The Nest at Chichester Festival Theatre, Pavilion Dance South West, The Key Theatre in Peterborough (presented by Jumped Up Theatre) and Sandnes Kulturhaus in Norway.Technical/Production Requirements: We have an adaptable and portable set and lighting for a range of theatre venues and community settings. We do not require blackout, although a dimly lit space is preferred where possible. We tour with a central lightbox, 4 ‘aura’ lamps and a star projector lamp that are powered by normal 13amp sockets, so we can create a magical atmosphere in the most basic of settings. Where possible, basic atmospheric stage lighting and PA will be provided by/at the venue, however we may be able to bring our own equipment depending on budget/location. Audio playback is via 3 single tracks playable from a laptop that we tour with - aux minijack connection required.Ideal audience layout is a horseshoe shape around the performance space. Audience seating (cushions, rugs and pods) are provided by the company.RUNNING TIME: 45 minutes including pre-set for the audience entrance and a 10-15 minute stay-and-play at the end. It works well to add a 30 minute children's or family movement workshop before or after the performance, bringing the full event time to 90 minutes.GET IN 150 minutes, GET OUT 60 minutes.CoDa Dance Company - Avoidance and Other Acts of Love (Dance) Adults and Young Adults 12+yrs
Step up to a mirror and see yourself reflected inside someone else's story. Avoidance & Other Acts of Love is CoDa's intimate exploration of those awkward conversations we struggle to have with those dearest to us. You get to choose to watch or participate. Expect tenderness, curiosity, and a moment that stays with you.www.codadance.comContent: Avoidance & Other Acts of Love is an intimate iteration of CoDa's large-scale mirrored dance production, built around the awkward conversations we struggle to have with those dearest to us. Where the full-scale work is more suited to large outdoor festivals as it uses three large rotating mirrors and four performers, this iteration distils that same encounter into a single mirror, 2 performers, and an opportunity for audience members to engage in quite unique ways. An audience member will see themselves reflected inside someone else's story: a study of care, family, and the things left unsaid, made physical.Audience: The piece is designed for a broad, intergenerational audience with a suggested age of 12 years upwards. No prior dance knowledge is required as it works for someone encountering contemporary dance for the first time as much as someone who watches it regularly. Its themes, family relationships and difficult conversations, are recognisable to adults and young people alike, though the tone and content are probably beyond comprehension for young children. Because audience members can choose to physically engage or simply watch and listen, the piece offers more than one way in, which reflects CoDa's identity as a disability-led company and our broader commitment to work that can be experienced in different ways.Sensory Experience: A mirror is the centrepiece. This unique blend of performance and engagement sees two professional dancers work with audience members curious to wear headsets and dance alongside them, with all instructions given. Two dancers perform throughout, so there is always something to watch even if no audience members choose to physically engage that day. Those who choose to watch also wear headsets but listen to a different track that unifies the movements they see with the voice of our Artistic Director Nikki Watson and an original soundscore by Jeph Vanger. Audiences see themselves and the performers reflected together, so the 30-minute show is watched as much through their own image as the performer's. The headset creates a close, private listening experience even within a shared public space, while movement stays close and unhurried rather than large or spectacular, in keeping with the work's intimate scale.Capacity: Maximum capacity is 75, as that is number of headsets we currently have. The piece is deliberately designed to be adaptable, so it can work in as many diverse spaces as possible, from library corners to larger community halls, rather than requiring one fixed configuration.Experience: CoDa Dance Company is a disability-led, Arts Council England NPO with a strong track record in producing and delivering inclusive, intimate, close-contact dance for public and community settings. The original large-scale production this iteration is drawn from, developed through R&D at Sadler's Wells East and supported by Unlimited, 101 Outdoor Arts, and Essex County Council, has already been tested with live audiences. A test event of this smaller iteration without the new mirror engaged 170 people in short excerpts at an outdoor event in Thurrock, where a library worker enquired if it could be housed in their library. Beyond outdoor and site-specific work, CoDa also delivers ongoing hospital-based dance programmes, including Dance for Neurology at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, which has given the company deep experience of adapting close, sensitive physical work for a wide range of audiences and needs.Technical Equipment: CoDa will arrive fully equipped for the performance, including the headsets used by both dancers and audience members. Accessible parking may be required close to the site for both dancers and unloading and loading equipment. No blackout is required. Simple lighting may be beneficial and can be discussed with the venue. Electrical supply to fully charge the headsets may also be required.Access: 'Relaxed Event (neuro-divergent and autism friendly) - with guides and supporting materials, Audio Description. Hearing loop. Nikki is currently working with an access consultant, Koko Brown, to establish how best the piece can be made more accessible to d/Deaf audiences. This work is ongoing, so we hope to have more information on this nearer the time of booking.RUNNING TIME: We anticipate the performance will run for approximately 30 minutes. An open and honest conversation afterwards, engaging the audience in exploring what difficult conversations they may or may not have been struggling would will be the wraparound activity.GET IN 150 minutes, GET OUT 60 minutesDanielle Reales - South of Polaris (Music) Adults
South of Polaris is the Flamenco-infused Alt Folk duo of Danii Reales (UK) and Saúl Díaz (Spain). Their distinctive sound brings together intimate folk storytelling, the fire of flamenco and the theatrical energy of rock, driven by Danii’s expressive Vocals and Violin and Saúl’s intricate Electro-Classical Guitar. Born from grief, their music became a form of healing, and on stage they move effortlessly from hushed intimacy to explosive intensity. Recent appearances include Cambridge Folk Festival and Bury Folk Festival.https://southofpolaris.comRUNNING TIME: 2x 45 minute sets with one interval of 15-20 minutes.Content: South of Polaris is a live concert of original music by husband-and-wife duo Danii Reales (vocals, violin) and Saúl Díaz (electro-classical guitar). Our sound blends the raw storytelling of English folk with the fire of Andalusian flamenco, with touches of rock and a strong sense of theatre. Danii comes from Northamptonshire and Saúl from Seville, and that coming together of two cultures sits at the heart of everything we write.The show doesn't follow a scripted plot, but it does have a clear emotional journey. South of Polaris was born in 2022 after the loss of Danii's dad, and what began as a way of navigating grief became a body of songs about love, loss, longing, healing and finding joy again. Between songs we share the stories behind them: how we met working aboard cruise ships, our first date in Cochin in southern India, and the people and places that have shaped our music. The set draws on our debut EP The Year After (2024), which earned Cambridge NMG Award nominations in two consecutive years, alongside songs from our forthcoming album.Nature and the environment run through much of our songwriting. 'Becoming Ocean', winner of the 2026 Milkmaid Folk Songwriting Competition, follows a river on its journey to the sea, using that natural process as a metaphor for the inevitability of becoming who you are meant to be. 'Reflection' looks out across open water and asks it life's big questions. In these songs the natural world is a source of wisdom, comfort and perspective, and we hope they leave audiences with a renewed sense of connection to the landscapes around them.While the show doesn't focus specifically on Black History or LGBTQIA+ themes, it is rooted in cultural exchange and shared heritage. Flamenco grew out of a meeting of Romani, Moorish, Jewish and Andalusian traditions, and our music continues that spirit of blending cultures to create something new.Audience : Our show is best suited to adults, and we find audiences aged 35 and over particularly connect with it, though people of all ages have enjoyed it, including younger listeners at festivals. It appeals to lovers of folk, world and acoustic music, fans of flamenco and Spanish culture, and anyone who enjoys songwriting with emotional depth. No prior knowledge of folk or flamenco is needed, as the stories we share make the music accessible to first-time listeners and seasoned folk audiences alike. Some lyrics refer to grief, and we let venues know this in advance, but the overall feel of the show is warm and uplifting.Sensory Experience: Audiences will hear expressive, soaring vocals, evocative violin and intricate Spanish-inspired guitar, moving between gentle fingerpicking and brisk, percussive flamenco rhythms. Baldock Folk Club described how Danii's voice "can soar to incredible heights and then drop to soft melancholia," and that contrast between hushed intimacy and real intensity is a big part of the live experience.Visually, the show has a theatrical feel. Danii's background in theatre and dance shapes how we move and connect on stage, and audiences can expect flashes of flamenco style, including the use of a fan and castanets. We enjoying performing close to our audience and talk directly with them, so the atmosphere feels personal, like being welcomed into our story.Emotionally, the show carries people from rural England to warm Andalusian evenings in a single performance. FolkMyLife wrote that they "did not expect to be lifted, touched and moved by an emotional deftness that is quite entrancing," and Kerry Cosh of BBC Three Counties Radio said listening felt like being in "some sort of book or wonderland of storytelling."Capacity: There is no maximum capacity. We have performed in spaces of every size, from house concerts in people's living rooms to folk clubs, theatres and large festival stages. The show works especially well for seated, listening audiences, and we're happy to be guided by the venue on numbers and layout, adapting easily to end-on, semi-circle or thrust seating.Experience: In just a few years we have built a strong live track record across the UK, performing at Cambridge Folk Festival, Bury Folk Festival, West Coast Folk Festival at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, Derby Folk Festival, the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket, Quay Arts and Kashmir Fringe on the Isle of Wight, The BIGG Theatre in Biggleswade, and folk clubs including Cambridge, Baldock and Bowes Park. We have opened for acclaimed artists Mad Dog Mcrea, Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet and Tom Bright, and our music has been featured on BBC Introducing and on Alan Ritson's Fine Folk, which described our songs as "sublime, intricate and precise." This means we're comfortable holding an audience, reading a room and shaping a show that feels polished while staying warm and spontaneous.Technical Equipment: We are a fully self-contained duo and bring all our own technical equipment, including our PA system. We run our own sound. All we need is access to two plug sockets and a performance space of around 2.5m wide, 2m deep and 2.5m high. The show does not require blackout. Lowered house lighting helps create an intimate atmosphere, but we perform happily in daylight and outdoor settings. We do not need screens or projectors.GET IN 90 minutes, GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.Danyah Miller Storyteller Ltd - The Mystery of... Show (Theatre) Families 7+yrs
Calling all trainee detectives! Join us for The Mystery of... Show, an award-winning board-game style theatre show where your skills are needed to solve this thrilling murder mystery. “Better than a good game of Cluedo.” From the creators of 'I Believe in Unicorns' comes this brain-teasing interactive adventure. Team up with super sleuth Danyah Miller to navigate secrets and surprises. We’ll examine evidence, inspect video footage, and interrogate suspects, every clue bringing us closer to the truth. Can we crack the case together? Get involved… get it solved!https://danyahmillerstoryteller.co.uk/RUNNING TIME: The show runs at 65 -70 minutes without an interval. We are happy to offer post show Q&As with our performer Danyah Miller.ACCESS: Relaxed Event (neuro-divergent and autism friendly) - with guides and supporting materials. Hearing loop.The Mystery of… Show is an innovative, interactive board-game-style theatre production designed for families to solve together. The games-show host, award-winning storyteller Danyah Miller, is cast in the role of bumbling Constable Newbie. The audience becomes a team of trainee detectives, working collaboratively to crack the case. Families engage in problem-solving, critical thinking and spontaneous fun as they navigate secrets and surprises, examine evidence, inspect video footage, and interrogate suspects. The show encourages curiosity, creativity and connection, especially as ‘Who Did It’ is not always the same! It’s a joyfully unpredictable show for all the family from ages 7 plus.This interactive production blends mystery, storytelling and play. Part board game, part escape room, part murder mystery, families influenced the plot, solved clues and voted to reveal ‘Who Did It’. Each performance is unique, with the ‘game’ played in different orders, depending on how the venue and audience influences the plot. As with every good board game, the murderer is not necessarily the same very time! Our inventive set hides clues, discovered by children coming onto stage. Pre-recorded footage of six actors (our victim and suspects) delivers vital evidence and twists. Writers Phil Porter and Robin Stevens helped us create a compelling narrative.We developed the show with Little Angel Theatre in 2024, and involved KS2 children throughout our rehearsal process. Their ideas and perspectives shaped the show. Three Islington schools took part in workshops where we explored mysteries and played games with Years 3 - 6. Their input directly impacted us. We also formed a ‘Storytelling Supergroup’. 12 children, including neurodiverse participants and those from diverse cultural backgrounds. They attended rehearsals, contributed ideas and tested interactive elements. They helped us create a show that’s engaging, inclusive and meaningful.Audiences at Little Angel, at the Edinburgh fringe and on our UK tours have praised the show’s interactivity and multi-layered involvement, which engaged both children and adults. One parent shared that their 10-year-old, who has sensory issues and anxiety, engaged fully - for the first time - a huge milestone for them.The Mystery of... Show has the potential to expand and contract, however in it’s current form it’s most suited to small scale venues, with seating capacity in the region of 100 - 200.Our aim at DMS Productions is to bring wonder into the everyday through the power of story.
We have over 12 years of experience producing and touring solo theatrical storytelling productions. These include ‘I Believe in Unicorns’ by Michael Morpurgo, (Argus Angel Award for Artistic Excellence, an Audience Choice Award, three West End summer runs), ‘Why the Whales Came’, ‘Perfectly Imperfect Women’, and ‘Kika’s Birthday’, (Primary Times Children’s Choice Award). In celebration of Pippi Longstocking's 75th birthday, we collaborated with The Astrid Lindgren Company to create both a mid-scale musical production and a solo show, the latter of which was filmed during lockdown. Our innovative, educational ‘Secret Garden Experience - Story-in-a-Box' adventure was also created during lockdown for multi-generational families to enjoy at home.One of our three mid-scale musicals, ‘Soul Sister’, was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2012.We will tour our set and technical equipment in a transit van, and will need help from one or two library staff members to get everything into the space. There are a couple of heavy set pieces so venues with tight stair cases and no lifts may be problematic. Sound will be controlled via a toured Mac book running Qlab. We will tie into the venue FOH sound system if this is available, and will tour two additional powered on stage speakers. The show includes several video cues controlled by the same Mac book as sound. These video cues are displayed on a toured television screen USC. We will need a link between the sound control position and the stage, and are touring HDMI to Cat5e/6 convertors and a 50m Cat5 cable for this. We also stream onto the TV live footage filmed onstage by an iPhone using a toured WiFi router. We will need some basic lighting for the show, and the ability to control this. There are a couple of points in the show where we need to be able to focus on one area of the stage with other lighting dimmed, so would need lanterns to cover these areas (DSC and a SL table) along with a lighting desk. The performer remains onstage throughout the show, but we will need access to the auditorium. Audience members will be invited onto the stage at various points in the show. All participation is voluntary.GET IN 150 minutes, GET OUT 60 minutes.Daria Kulesh - The Voice of Fairytales by Daria Kulesh Trio & James Mayhew (Music) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Experience a spellbinding musical odyssey with Daria Kulesh, described by Mike Harding as “one of the finest voices and one of the most intriguing and interesting songwriters on the present folk scene”. Daria is joined by two spectacular musicians, Marina Osman from Belarus and Katrina Davies from Latvia. As Daria Kulesh Trio, they showcase passionate, virtuosic musicianship and heaps of heartfelt, infectious energy. To make the show completely unforgettable, award-winning author and illustrator James Mayhew is painting live along to the music.www.daria-kulesh.co.ukContent: Themed, a combination of music and spoken word. "She held us in a spell, weaving her family history with Russian folklore. And then she sang a lullaby in Ukrainian after wishing there could be one night in human history where every baby slept in safety. And I'm welling up again. Phenomenal." (Kate Soli, Bungay Folk Festival)Audience: ideally 12+, no restrictions as it's a magical experience to be enjoyed by all, by especially those interested in folklore, family history, Russia and the North Caucasus, as well as art and virtuosic piano and violin.Sensory: music, spoken word, art being created live (projected on a screen or simply on an easel)Capacity: no maximumExperience: At least 15 years for the musicians; 30+ years for James Mayhew.Technical equipment: blackout ideal, lighting ideal; screen and projector ideal; but the show can also be stripped back with no projection for smaller audiences as the art is being created in real life on an easel. Own PA.RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes (2 x 45) plus intervalACCESS: Hearing loopDavid Rees Julie Webb-Rees Dreamcast Productions - From Maxim's to The Cotton Club (Music) Adults
Join Dreamcast Productions for the story of two of the world’s most ‘chic’ and cheeky, sometimes risqué, sometimes risky nightspots, and their famous clients, entertainers and characters! ‘From Maxim’s to The Cotton Club', invites you to indulge in a feast of some of the greatest musical melodies from the heady days of fine dining at 'Maxim's de Paris', coupled with the sparkle and fizz of New York's ‘The Cotton Club’. Two legendary venues. One Extraordinary Musical Journey. An evening to remember!https://www.dreamcastmusic.com/From Maxim’s to The Cotton Club. The story of two of the world’s most ‘chic’ and cheeky, sometimes risqué, sometimes risky nightspots and their famous clients, entertainers and characters! ‘From Maxim’s to The Cotton Club, invites you to indulge in a feast of some of the greatest numbers from the heady days of 'Maxim's de Paris', coupled with the sparkle and fizz of New York's ‘The Cotton Club’.Find out about the scandals, heroism, glamour and intrigue which was served up daily in these two iconic venues, the home and playground of royalty, spies, gangsters and stars from both sides of the Atlantic, and accompanied by a magical soundtrack of melodies from the 1920’s through to the 1980’s as well as some of the personal cocktail recipes and favourite dishes of some of the stars along the way!Dreamcast Productions is a male and female duo who perform a repertoire of popular vintage music blended with historical content and fascinating facts about the venues, stars, personalities and popular culture of the times. ‘From Maxim's to The Cotton Club’ is a show presented and performed in song, words and visual projections, in a ‘revue’ style performance format.The show features the melodies and swinging hits of a galaxy of musical stars, such as Django Reinhardt, Michel LeGrand, George Shearing, Ella Fitzgerald, Edith Piaf, Fred Astair, Nat King Cole and many more in a sparkling evening of music, song, and Joie de vivre.AUDIENCE: Suitable for Adults and young people 15-90+yrs, it has particular appeal and engagement for audiences of older people (aged 50+) who can find the reminiscence around vintage music and classic melodies, combined with historical content, a valuable connection to memory. Some audience members may also have barriers or concerns in accessing mainstream venues or traditional performance spaces, so holding the events in familiar community spaces, such as libraries is a valuable and often much welcomed experience, and helps to put audiences at their ease in a way that some ‘arts specific’ venues may not.As well as singing and speaking directly to the audience in a cabaret/revue type format, the artists' performances are enhanced by projected images, photographs and historical film footage, as they share engaging stories and anecdotes about the famous, charismatic and extraordinary personalities who frequented these two iconic venues, and the music and times that they were at their height of popularity or significance.The show is performed to a backing of professionally recorded musical backing tracks (which makes it possible to tour the show on a small scale with two performers and two technicians) together with projected images/footage and sound. In this way the audience will see the live performance from the singers against a backdrop of images and film, and direct engagement from the performers as they talk direct to the audience and also narrate the show as it progresses.The Dreamcast artists are a very experienced live performance duo, who have worked together for 25 years. They have performed for numerous theatre and rural community venues, whose audiences always share their enthusiasm and appreciation of the content, and the memories and enjoyment they bring.CAPACITY: There is no specific min. or max. number needed for the audience capacity. Seating for audiences would be determined by the venue space in which it is being performed. The Dreamcast performers are comfortable in a variety of settings, wide or intimate, and very much enjoy being able to engage closely with an audience.RUNNING TIME: Two 45-minute halves, (plus an interval of 15-20 minutes if required). Each performance is usually a total time of 90 minutes (2 x 45 minute sections, with an interval) as a traditional ‘show experience’. However, the show can also be tailored if required to e.g. a slightly shorter experience with no interval, depending upon the requirements of the venue or event. We are always happy to discuss the needs of the venue/audience.TECH: Dreamcast Productions will supply our own sound and lighting equipment for each show. Ideally, we would welcome the use of a screen but can also supply this if necessary, alternatively if the performance area has a clear pale wall that would also suffice. Whilst the show does not require full ‘black-out’ if e.g. it were a daytime performance, or during a light summer evening, being able to close curtains or blinds in the performance area would be advantageous.Dreamcast Productions have previously performed at March Library in 2019 and 2026 to enthusiastic and welcoming audiences, and we received fantastic feedback from both of those shows, so we would very much like to be able to be part of this great programme of accessible and varied events again, and to bring a new show to the library-based audiences there. As additional information, the Dreamcast performers are also very happy and keen to bring a shorter afternoon programme of entertainment to e.g. care or day facilities, and enjoy being able to enhance the experiences of people using those provisions.GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing Loop.Divya Kasturi company - MargaM - a VR experience (Dance, Creative Tech) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
MargaM guides you through a virtual South Indian temple on a memorable journey through Bharatanatyam – one of the world’s oldest classical dance forms. Through a VR headset, you move from the temple’s entrance to its inner space encountering intricate moves, held inside an original soundscape of voice, music and song. A first-of-its-kind project integrating Bharatanatyam into VR headsets MargaM is created by Dance artist Divya Kasturi in collaboration with leading digital technologists and partners. MargaM represents a bold meeting of ancient artistic tradition and pioneering technology.https://www.divyakasturi.com/Content: MargaM is a first-of-its-kind VR experience led by South Asian dance. It offers an intimate welcome into a South Indian temple, bringing Bharatanatyam, a 2,000-year-old temple dance form, as close to the audience as physically possible.The piece follows the margam, the sequence of seven pieces every Bharatanatyam dancer learns. Legendary artist Balasaraswati likened this structure to a spiritual journey through a temple, from the towering entrance to the inner space, and MargaM takes audiences on that journey. Divya, a first-generation South Asian practitioner, sees herself as part of this lineage. The work honours an ancient tradition while offering radical new access to it.MargaM was born from Divya's artistic and spiritual questioning: What does it mean to carry a temple dance form in contemporary life? How can virtual space open up the traditions held within South Indian temples? How do we give voice to the overlooked histories of female temple dancers?Theme: South Asian heritage.Audience: MargaM is for anyone aged 12+. No dance or VR experience is needed.Bharatanatyam has a dedicated audience, but it is often limited to people with cultural or artistic connections to the form. VR opens the door to people interested in immersive technology, gaming, digital art or experimental performance, many of whom will never have experienced South Asian dance.For South Asian and Bharatanatyam audiences, VR offers a fresh perspective. They can see the dance from angles impossible in a theatre, explore the architecture of the temple, and connect with stories in an intimate, almost tactile way.For cultural explorers, MargaM is an entry point into a rich artform that is visually striking, rhythmically dynamic and deeply narrative.Sensory Experience: Our team guides each participant into the headset and explains what will happen. Once it is on, they will no longer see or hear their surroundings. We are there for their safety throughout. They can take the headset off at any time, or raise an arm and we will come to them.Inside the headset, you can look in every direction and move freely through the virtual temple. You can take in its architecture, watch the dancer's gestures up close, and explore to your heart's content, without the limits of a traditional seated performance. An original soundscape of voice, music and song holds the whole experience together. It is not a film you watch from a seat. It is a world you are held inside.Audiences have described it as intimate and welcoming: "I felt part of the performance itself." "The voiceover felt like friends or family welcoming me in."Capacity: MargaM is a 30-minute solo experience. We can provide 1 headset in min. 3 x 3 space. 2 headsets requires 3 x 6m.We believe MargaM works best as a pop-up, bookable drop-in day session at a weekend or bank holiday, to reach the most diverse audience. This is the format for our premiere at South East Dance's Dreamy Place Festival in Brighton in late October 2026.For £800 we can offer a day session, for example 10:30am to 4:30pm, with bookable 30-minute slots. This covers equipment, staffing and full delivery. The venue can choose to offer it free or on a pay-what-you-can basis (£5 to £15).Experience: MargaM was developed through a Sadler's Wells Time & Space Residency in May 2025. The team included creative technologists Sam Lawrence and Clémence Debaig and creative digital dramaturg Rebecca Evans, with Guildhall Production Studio and Target 3D. [It is supported by Arts Council England.] After Dreamy Place, it will be presented at Sadler's Wells East from 5 to 7 November 2026. It was also presented at Stevenage Festival 2026 to a wider range of the general public.Divya has combined Bharatanatyam with technology for over a decade, including a fusion of 3D hologram technology with classical dance. She has performed internationally with artists including Maestro Ilayaraja, Sir Paul McCartney and Simon McBurney. She has taught and choreographed at London Contemporary Dance School and Trinity Laban, and leads talent development work with children, young people and adults in Hertfordshire. We have up to date Safeguarding policy and training.MargaM is produced by Kyla Booth-Lucking of Clearcut Arts, former Director of Programming at Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival, who has 25 years' experience delivering dance.Technical Equipment: We bring one or two VR headsets, a laptop and 1 or 2 team members to run the tech and introduce the work and its cultural context. The work does not require blackout. We can also bring stage dressing to create a distinct space which reflects the cultural heritage of MargaM.We ask the venue to provide:- a space of approximately 3 or 6x6m (foyer, theatre or studio)- 2 power sockets- At least member of staff to help manage queries and possible queue- a safe place for audience belongings- Strong, reliable WIFI connectionGET IN 120 minutes. GET OUT 60 minutes. DOMINIC KELLY - MARA (Storytelling) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Sweden,1868: Morten, a discharged soldier, begins to suffer nightmares and mysterious night visits. He is told he’s plagued by a Mara – a possessed person who visits another in their sleep. To free himself, he must discover the Mara’s identity. But who is it? In this moving, funny and immersive storytelling performance, Dominic Kelly draws you deep into the vast Swedish forest for a whodunnit with a difference. “Dominic Kelly conjures an entire world from an almost empty stage” Lancaster Guardianhttps://dominickelly.net/1868: Morten lives on his croft on the edge of Sweden’s ancient forests. Suddenly he begins to suffer nightmares and mysterious visits as he sleeps. He’s told it must be a Mara - a possessed person who visits another at night. To free himself, he must discover their identity. But who is it? In his hunt for the culprit, he starts paying close attention to the human and natural worlds around him, and his relationship with his neighbours and the ancient forest begins to transform. Funny, unsettling, immersive and moving, this storytelling performance isa whodunnita love storya dive into the dreamscape of Swedish folklorean immersive journey through Sweden’s vast forestsa delve into our relationship with the natural worlda playful look at sleep, and what it means to be awake
MARA is a single story melded from 60 different narrative elements - real-life stories, anecdotes, folk legends, folklore, ecology; and my own wildlife encounters with moose, bears, wolves and more in Sweden’s forests. It follows the life of Morten, the main character; but through him we meet a host of his neighbours, whom we get to know and care about. At the same time, they form the cast of suspects in the very particular whodunnit mystery of the plot: which of them is the Mara? MARA explores what happens if we stop seeing the world through the stories we tell about it and instead really see what is in front of us. What happens to our view of those around us, to our relationships with them? And what happens to our relationship with the natural world, and how we care for it?Audience: MARA has been very successfully performed for young theatre-going audiences in small & medium-sized urban theatre venues, for older audiences in rural touring venues, to audiences of people struggling with homelessness, addiction and financial hardship in a food bank in Burnley, and to mixed age audiences in libraries in Blackburn with Spot On Lancashire. It’s attracted a very broad audience in age, ethnic background and socio-economic circumstances. Reasons for its ability to reach beyond conventional theatre-going or storytelling audiences include the attraction of its whodunnit element; its clear cultural identity (many people who are interested in Scandinavia or in Nordic Noir, come to performances of MARA) and its ability to be staged in almost any space. “You were so well received - Mara is a brilliant piece of storytelling.” Lyndsey Wilson, Company Manager, Spot On Lancashire, on MARA at Great Harwood Library & Cherry Tree Library, Blackburn “A stellar performance… the skill you have to hold everyone in another world for 90 minutes is something else” Julie Bell, Chair, Lancaster Litfest “MARA was such a wonderful show, so many people have been saying they could have had another two hours of it.” Helen Jessopp, Director, Manx Litfest “Witty, understated storytelling with a huge emotional punch; ancient trees rooting themselves on the stage, jays and owls flitting through the forest, and a chilling environmental message running through; an audience completely silent and spellbound during the show that couldn’t stop talking afterwards”.- Marion Leeper, East Anglian Storytelling Festival “Mara was a total experience. Your extraordinary cinematic style made me feel like I was watching a film - or rather, standing physically in the scene with the characters. I was swept along and felt so strongly for Morten throughout. Fantastic!” Joe Dodd, audience member at The Dukes Theatre, LancasterSensory Experience: MARA is a small-scale show with a big feel. Performed on a near-empty stage or space, it uses oral storytelling’s ability to create the ‘cinema of the imagination’ for the audience. The performance conjures up an entire story world - so that, as audience members & bookers have commented, it feels as if the entire performance space and auditorium becomes populated with it, giving an experience that at times becomes powerfully immersive. I alternate between telling the story direct to the audience without a fourth wall, and inhabiting the characters and their interactions with each other. The story is, by turns, funny, atmospheric, gripping, unsettling, entertaining and very moving. While the emotional charge of the story quietly builds up, the audience become drawn into wondering who the Mara is; and a smörgåsbord of little clues and red herrings leads them on. The story is minutely composed and stuffed full of little details and anecdotes that seem insignificant if entertaining at the time, but which are all woven back in to give a very satisfying experience for the audience, full of ‘aha!’ moments. Most of the story is experienced by the audience through my voice and physicality. But in the night-time sequences I use a number of short sound pieces that accentuate Morten’s unsettling dream-like experiences and give extra texture to audience’s experienceCapacity: There is no maximum capacity.My experience: MARA has been performed very successfully in Blackburn with Darwen Libraries, with Spot On Lancashire. And it’s been performed across the country since 2023. I’ve been creating and touring storytelling performances since 2007 - to theatres, village halls, art centres, libraries, schools, festivals & community spaces. Prominent venues have included The Barbican, National Theatre and The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival. I’ve toured performances to around 20 countries in Europe, Asia & South America. I’ve directed performances for institutions including Norway’s national stage Riksscenen; and lectured in Storytelling at Sweden’s Linköping University and Royal College of Music.Tech: I bring everything I need for the sound pieces: laptop, control pedal, speakers, cables and extension leads. Out of MARA’s 35 venues to date, I have only needed to use amplification for my voice in two. It’s highly unlikely I’ll need voice amplification in your libraries, but I carry a headmic in case, and would liaise with yourselves and/or library staff about the spaces and your audience’s needs in respect. My portable lighting rig will unfortunately be in Sweden in Spring & Summer 2027. If TLP have LED wash lights available I’d be grateful if I can use them.RUNNING TIME: First half: 95 minutes. 50 minutes, Interval (length is flexible - venue can decide), Second half 45 minutesGET IN 120 minutes, GET OUT 45 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loop.Edalia Day - Let People Like You (Spoken Word / Poetry) Adults and Young People
A feel good poetry show about how great how great the audience is. Trans poet Edalia Day will tickle your heart strings and serenade your soul in this feel good spoken word show, full of saucy ostriches, tender dancing, comedy songs and heart hugging poetry.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Luvviewithaboard "Edalia fills the room with a sense of hope and the will to live a beautiful life. A warm hug of a show"http://www.edaliaday.co.uk/Let People Like You is a feel good spoken word poetry show full of tender dancing, comedy songs and electrifying, heart felt poetry. I developed the show last year and debuted it at Ely Library as part of your touring scheme. I then went on to develop the show further, performing at norwich pride, Norwich Theatre and then this year taking it to the Edinburgh Festival where it achieved widespread aclaim and developed into a slick, tight, brilliant piece of theatre. I'm booking a tour for 2026 and I'd love to bring it back to your spaces.The show is about celebrating how wonderful the audience is. It included sections about love and about overcoming anxiety as well as moments about body positivity that are mirrored through heart felt stories of my own experiences of coming out as a trans woman in Paris in 2010.Ideal audience: the show, like all of my work is designed to appeal to all ages and demographics rather than just LGBTQ people, but it's especially aimed at fans of spoken word poetry, Neurodivergent people, LGBTQ people, feminists and people looking for a wholesome night out.Sensory experience: I perform onstage barefoot with a microphone and a ukulele and operate the sound through a handheld bluetooth keyboard connected to an ipad. I move about the space like a balletic hilarious gazelle bringing comedy and tenderness through my physical comedy antics and poetry.Access: The show is designed to have a minimal carbon footprint. Everything I need fits in 1 suitcase which can fit on the back of a bike. Optionally we can discuss bringing lights though this may increase costs. There's also the option of having captions for the show which will require either an operator that I bring or one supplied by you (it's very easy to operate). These changes for access and style may incur further costs but i'm passionate about accessibility and always up for including it where it's possible and happy to discuss cost effective ways of making this possible.Capacity: up to 200 people depending on sight lines.Experience: I've being making touring work of this kind for 10 years touring all over the UK to theatres, libraries and site specific venues.I'm fine performing without lighting, but if you're able to supply lighting that would be great. I require you to supply a PA.RUNNING TIME: 1 hour 30 mins + 15 minute interval. Optional Q&A. Optional short open mic on the theme of joy. Length can be decreased if a shorter performance is preferred.GET IN 45 minutes. GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: 'Captions / Subtitling, Relaxed Event (no additional supporting materials). Hearing Loop. (captions and lighting inccur additional £100 cost due to need to hire transport and additional team member)Edy Hurst’s - Dream Park! (Theatre) Families 8+yrs
Join acclaimed comedian and theatre maker Edy Hurst and map out, plan and build the theme park of your dreams, live on stage! How would you build your perfect park? How many loops is too many loops for a looping rollercoaster? Can you add another one? But watch out! What’s that noise through the trees? Could it be Fun Police? Here to put your designs to the test in our greatest challenge….planning permission?★ ★ ★ ★ ★- “Effortlessly Funny” ND review★ ★ ★ ★ – The Skinny★ ★ ★ ★ – “Absolutely Non-stop Bonkers” British Comedy Guidehttp://www.edyhurst.co.uk/Dream Park is a family comedy show created by Neurodivergent comedian and theatre maker Edy Hurst showing families that they get to choose how we build the world around us. Using our imagination, we can choose what gets made and how it gets made, so that we can create a world that works for everyone whilst still having fun. The inhabitants of the theme park join us throughout the fun lofi recreations of park rides with their concerns, and these are in the form of endangered wildlife concerned about their local environment. The show is specifically family friendly, there are games and activities that work for all age ranges, as well as appropriate humour that is specifically for adults. Whilst the show was created with 8 - 11 year olds in mind, we have made sure there is something for younger siblings and grown ups.Audiences will see a world of homemade rides, talk to characters who respond via pre-recorded phrases chosen live to create a sense of conversation, and get to have a say in how we can change the park of our dreams to be for everyone. There are games where they help name the park, choose the outfit for a mascot, help a carousel horse become a magical creature, make a cup of tea on teacups, and put on some special glasses for a unique fireworks finale (definitely not having torches shone around).There is no maximum capacity, although audiences have ranged from 10 - 150 so far. It has been performed at Z-arts in Manchester, The Buxton Fringe where it was nominated for best kids event, and at Just So Festival.I am an acclaimed comedian and theatremaker, who has been touring shows across the country since 2022, including bring works to libraries and unconventional theatre spaces. My latest show 'Edy Hurst's Wonderfull discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself' a show about the Lancashire Witch Trials, the venga boys and neurodivergence, received 5 star reviews, and performed sold out shows at libraries in St Helens as well as studio spaces across the UK. This is my first family show, however, I have performed with Comedy Club 4 Kids for a number of years as well as other kids comedy clubs, including hosting the UK Kid's Comedy Festival Opening Gala in 2025.I can provide equipment including lighting PA and projector, but if this is possible to be brought by the venue that can help reduce performance costs.RUNNING TIME: The show is 50 minutes, but could deliver wrap around activities if requested.GET IN 120 minutes. GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.Eli Lewis & Joe Garbett - Plue (Dance Theatre) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Plue is a 55-minute hypnotic dance-theatre duet by Eli Lewis and Joe Garbett, combining contemporary dance, illusion and playful theatricality to explore queer visibility, intimacy and privacy. The work asks how queer people appear and disappear in response to other people’s gazes, assumptions and expectations. It explores the tension between what we choose to share, what we may feel pressured to hide, and what we refuse to hide even when we could.http://www.elinorlewis.com/Content: Plue is a 55-minute hypnotic dance-theatre duet by Eli Lewis and Joe Garbett, combining contemporary dance, illusion and playful theatricality to explore queer visibility, intimacy and privacy. The work asks how queer people appear and disappear in response to other people’s gazes, assumptions and expectations. It explores the tension between what we choose to share, what we may feel pressured to hide, and what we refuse to hide even when we could. At its heart, Plue is interested in the gap between how LGBTQIA+ people experience themselves and how they are perceived by others, alongside themes of care, intimacy, trust and connection.The performance does not tell a conventional linear story. Instead, its narrative emerges through the relationship between the two performers, their physical interactions, moments of disappearance and illusion, and the gradual development of trust and connection. The work creates a playful and otherworldly theatrical environment in which ideas about visibility and identity can be experienced rather than simply explained.Plue has a direct connection to LGBTQIA+ experiences and is particularly concerned with queer visibility, belonging and the ways that LGBTQIA+ people navigate being seen. It is made by Eli Lewis and Joe Garbett, a neuroqueer, non-binary couple, and their collaboration brings together different approaches to dance to explore new common ground.Audience: Plue is suitable for audiences with an interest in dance, theatre, live art, visual performance, illusion and LGBTQIA+ culture. It can appeal both to audiences already familiar with queer performance and to people who may have little prior knowledge of LGBTQIA+ themes but are open to encountering them through performance. Potential audiences include: LGBTQIA+ art enthusiasts, LGBTQIA+ allies, friends and family members, creative learners and performance/design/visual arts students, local LGBTQIA+ community groups.The work can therefore be presented to a mixed general audience rather than requiring specialist dance knowledge or previous experience of contemporary performance. There are also opportunities to accompany the performance with workshops for different ages and experience levels, including open-level LGBTQIA+ movement workshops and dance/illusion workshops ranging from no previous experience through to professional dancers.Sensory Experience: Audiences experience Plue as a visually striking, playful and intimate performance. The combination of dance, illusion, set, lighting and sound creates a world that can feel hypnotic and otherworldly. Audience responses to the work have described it as “spellbinding, moving & thought-provoking”, “tender, playful & soft”, and filled with “joy, humour, precision & cheekiness”. The work is particularly concerned with the audience's act of looking. Its illusions rely on controlling the audience's line of sight, meaning that what audiences see - and what they do not see - becomes part of the theatrical experience. Audiences will see contemporary dance, physical interaction, illusion and a carefully designed visual environment. They will hear the performance's original sound design while experiencing the changing atmosphere of the work. The overall experience is playful and visually engaging while also inviting audiences to reflect on visibility, identity, intimacy and connection. For increased accessibility, Plue can also be accompanied by an audio description and touch tour led by Shivaangee Agrawal, specifically supporting blind and visually impaired audiences.Capacity: The performance runs for approximately 55 minutes. The minimum performance space is 8m x 8m. Because the illusions depend on controlling audience sightlines, the seating arrangement may need to be adapted.Experience: Plue has substantial experience of touring and presenting dance theatre in both conventional arts venues and rural/community settings. Previous UK performances include The Place and Touch Wood in London, FABRIC in Birmingham, PDSW in Bournemouth and Cambridge Junction, alongside rural touring performances at Hatch Beauchamp Village Hall in Somerset, Crediton Arts Centre in Devon, and venues in Cornwall. It has also been performed internationally at Vis-a-vis Festival in Gorizia, Italy.Technical Equipment: Plue has been specifically developed for both dance-theatre venues and rural touring contexts. A full-length 55-minute version is available, alongside a flexible version for smaller rural touring venues which uses a stripped-back set and lighting design.The company provides the main set, including white flooring and a white 2m x 4m clad scaffolding platform. For smaller venues, the platform can be removed. Ideally, the venue will provide and preset a black dance flooring and a white backdrop before the company's arrival.The performance has a specific technical and lighting requirement because the illusion elements depend on controlling sightlines and the visual environment. Full technical requirements are contained within the company's technical rider. The venue should therefore confirm its available lighting, PA and performance-space provision with the company in advance.The company also requires access to a private, secure dressing room, a gender-neutral toilet or dedicated toilet, and, where possible, a quiet room for the team and post-show facilitator. Parking for a long van is also required.RUNNING TIME: Show is 55 minutes staight throughWe offer...*A Q&A after each performance*Pre show games and activities to invite audiences to play and reflect.*Dance workshops for professionals and school groups*Open level workshops for LGBT+ communities*Craft workshops for LGBT+ community groups.
GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Audio Description. Hearing loop.Fifi la Mer - Folie a Deux (Music) Adults
" Folie a Deux” offers an immersive experience of French music, featuring works from artists like Piaf,Trenet, Bechet and Gainsbourg. The show is guided by Parisian-born Fifi La Mer, who sings and plays accordion, and Oliver Wilby, who performs on clarinet tenor saxophone and accordion. Together they bring a unique blend of French musical history, covering a century of Parisian tunes, while sharing captivating tales of romance, mystery, and heartache associated with the City of Lights. Audience testimonials praise the show for its captivating music, entertaining storytelling.http://www.ohlalamusic.co.uk/Our show is about the golden era of French music -1880 to 1970. We take audiences on a journey to Paris through music and interesting anecdotes about Paris, it's immigration that made the city and it's culture what it is. Most of the tunes we play are well known. We may sure we perform them with integrity and originality. The stories we tell between the music are very interesting and entertaining. It gives a new vision to a very well known repertoire. We play some les known instrumental music that will take the audience somewhere in their mind hey feel happy. We can adapt our show to various audiences. We often have played relaxed performances for people with various abilities. The music is gentle but upbeat, joyous and would make anyone feel good. People with dementia in particular respond wonderfully to our show. The stories between the music are interactive and a lot of fun with a little French film music quiz in the second set. We adapt the content of our show depending on the size, age and skill level of the audience, and what we believe would work best. The music talks for itself. We sometime talk about our instruments and show how they work, get audiences to join us in the singing.We have performed our show over 150 times around the country performing in theatres, art centres, hospital, festivals constantly updating its content and adapting to audiences without loosing the integrity of the music we play .We. can perform to any size audiences . We adapt our show accordingly if it is a very small group. We keep tunes short and the flow of the show is quite fast but not rushed.We provide sound with a high tech sound system or a small speaker for a smaller audience. We can bring stage lights that really make a difference to the perception of the show.Anyone attending our show will have a terrific time and go home with a sponge in their step.Our aim is to take people with us on a journey where all is fun and beauty with a bit of Parisian grit for contrast. A break from every day life .We offer workshops too and if we are chosen and you wanted us to offer a workshop we would be happy to. The fee would be the same as for the show in the way that instead of 2x45 minutes shows we’ d do 1 hour show and half an hour workshop or 45 minutes workshop / 45 minutes show .RUNNING TIME: 2x45 minutes with an interval but we can perform a 1 straight set for relaxed performances.GET IN 90 mintues GET OUT 30 minutesACCESS: Relaxed Event (no additional supporting materials). Hearing loop.Finding Magic CIC - The Peachy Show (Magic, Comedy) Adults Over 60yrs & their family / carers
The Peachy Show is a 50-minute, non-verbal magic and comedy act bringing a touch of vintage variety to audiences of all ages. Blending visual magic, visual surprises and Peachy’s distinctive character, the show combines classic cabaret charm with playful physical comedy. With no words needed, Peachy connects with audiences through laughter, wonder and moments of unexpected magic, making the show ideal for theatres, cabaret venues, festivals and care settings.http://www.findingmagic.co.uk/The Peachy Show is a 50-minute magic and comedy performance inspired by the golden age of variety. Combining magic, physical comedy and audience participation, Peachy brings a little vintage cabaret charm to the stage, with plenty of unexpected moments along the way. Performed entirely without words, the show follows Peachy through a series of magical surprises, comic mishaps and playful interactions with the audience. There isn't a traditional storyline to follow. Instead, the fun comes from watching the magic unfold, seeing Peachy's reactions and wondering what might happen next. Drawing on the spirit of classic variety entertainment, The Peachy Show offers something a little different from a traditional theatre performance. It's light-hearted, welcoming and, most importantly, designed to bring people together through laughter. Beverley previously performed Peachy&Me with The Library Presents last year. This proposal is for a different production, The Peachy Show: a 50-minute visual magic and comedy show for adults, with a particular focus on older audiences, followed by close-up magic. The close-up magic offers a more personal encounter, bringing the tricks directly to audience members where they are seated.Content: The show celebrates the joy of live entertainment, with a particular nod to traditional variety, music hall and cabaret. Its mix of visual magic and physical comedy means there's no need to follow a complicated plot or understand spoken dialogue. Rather than telling a story with a beginning, middle and end, the performance unfolds through a series of magical moments and comic situations. Peachy's character ties these moments together, with the audience never quite knowing what might happen next. While the performance does not follow any particular political or cultural themes, it looks to entertain audiences and allow them to just laugh and have fun.Audience: During this season, The Peachy Show looks to focus on adults over 60. After recent success running a pilot scheme of touring care homes across Norfolk with close-up magic and similar style performances, The Peachy Show would love to bring a little magic into these local communities. The hope is that its vintage influences may bring back fond memories for some audience members, while its playful humour and visual magic offer something fresh for everyone. It can be enjoyed by people with different levels of mobility and a range of communication needs, with no previous knowledge of magic or theatre required. The absence of spoken dialogue reduces language barriers and the need to hear speech clearly. As the performance is primarily visual, clear sightlines are important. Individual access requirements can be discussed with the venue in advance. Audience participation is optional. Audience members can join in or enjoy the performance from their seats, without any expectation that they come onto the stage. Close-up magic after the show provides further opportunities to participate while seated.Sensory Experience: Expect visual surprises, expressive physical comedy and plenty of opportunities for laughter. Audiences will see visual magic, unexpected tricks and Peachy's distinctive character bringing each moment to life. There is no spoken dialogue, so the performance relies on movement, gesture, facial expressions and visual storytelling. The stage performance can be enjoyed without following spoken dialogue; clear visibility of the action is important. The humour comes from the action itself, from the unexpected things that happen and getting the audience involved in the magic.For older audiences, these shared moments can be particularly special. Live entertainment offers an opportunity to experience something together, whether that's a burst of laughter, a look of disbelief or the pleasure of seeing a trick up close. Close-up magic follows the 50-minute show, giving audience members the opportunity to experience magic at close quarters and participate from their seats if they wish. The show is designed to be engaging without being overwhelming, and the performance can be discussed in advance to make sure it suits the venue and audience.Capacity and venue: The Peachy Show can be adapted to suit different venues and audiences, which works perfectly for libraries which are all entirely different. There is no fixed maximum audience capacity, although the space, layout and visibility will affect how well everyone can see the magic and enjoy the interaction. A seated audience with clear, unobstructed sightlines is preferred. Audience capacity and layout should be agreed with each library according to the available space, visibility and access requirements. Close-up magic after the show can be arranged to suit the audience size and the time available.Experience: Finding Magic CIC creates inclusive creative experiences using magic, theatre and playful performance to support wellbeing and bring people together. The organisation believes that creativity should be accessible to everyone and that a shared moment of laughter or wonder can make a real difference to someone's day. The Peachy Show has been performed for a variety of audiences, including older adults in care settings. With support from Norfolk Community Foundation and Norfolk County Council, Peachy visited 10 care homes this year across Norfolk, bringing close-up magic directly to residents. These visits were a wonderful opportunity to see the impact of live magic in a new setting. Watching residents react to the tricks, share a laugh and engage with something unexpected was a reminder that entertainment doesn't need to be complicated to be meaningful. Sometimes, a small moment of wonder is enough to brighten someone's afternoon. We are passionate about making creative experiences accessible to people who may not always have the opportunity to enjoy live performance. Previously, this has included working with refugee communities, bereavement support groups, and working-class families. The Peachy Show is one way of doing this, bringing professional entertainment directly to audiences and creating opportunities for people to connect through a shared experience.Technicalities: The Peachy Show is designed to be straightforward to stage and adaptable to different venues. We can discuss the technical setup in advance to make sure everything runs smoothly and the performance is suited to the space. The show does not require a blackout, screens or a projector. Good general lighting is preferred but we will also provide small rigs of stage lighting. This allows audiences to clearly see the magic, as Peachy's expressions and the smaller details are what makes the tricks so effective. A simple, well-lit performance area is usually ideal. Any PA or sound requirements can be agreed with the venue beforehand, depending on the space and the planned setup. There is no need for microphones, as the show does not rely on the spoken word.However, we do use music throughout the performance. We are able to provide a sound system and speakers if required. Our aim is to keep the setup simple, allowing the focus to remain on the performance and the shared enjoyment of a little magic.RUNNING TIME: 50-minute show, followed by close-up magic. Duration of close-up magic: to be agreed with the venue.GET IN 60 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: No verbal language used in performance. Hearing loop.Frantisek Brikcius - Solo Cello Suites by František Brikcius (Music) Adults
Discover the extraordinary beauty of Johann Sebastian Bach’s solo cello suites in an intimate recital by Czech cellist František Brikcius. This 60-minute programme features selected complete suites, bringing together music of lyrical tenderness, contemplative depth and joyful dance. With just one cello, Bach creates an entire musical world, inviting listeners to experience the instrument’s remarkable expressive range. Whether you are a lifelong classical music lover or discovering Bach for the first time, join us for an engaging and memorable live musical experience.https://www.brikcius.com/Solo Cello Suites is an intimate classical music recital by Czech cellist František Brikcius, featuring selected cello suites from Johann Sebastian Bach’s six suites for unaccompanied cello, BWV 1007–1012. Composed in the early eighteenth century, Bach’s cello suites are among the most celebrated works in the solo instrumental repertoire. Each suite is built around a sequence of dances, combining a distinctive musical character with remarkable structural sophistication. Despite being written for a single instrument, the music suggests an extraordinary breadth of melody, harmony, rhythm and emotional expression. The programme will last approximately 60 minutes and feature selected cello suites, rather than individual movements taken from different works. This approach preserves the musical unity and individual character of each suite, allowing audiences to follow its development as a complete artistic statement. The final selection will balance contrasting moods and musical styles within the available performance time. The repertoire moves between lyrical reflection, contemplative stillness, rhythmic vitality and virtuosic brilliance. Bach’s music remains remarkably immediate and accessible, offering listeners opportunities for both intellectual discovery and emotional connection.The central idea of the recital is the expressive power of a single instrument. Without accompaniment, the cello must create the impression of multiple musical voices, suggesting harmony and counterpoint through melody, rhythm, resonance and phrasing. František Brikcius approaches this repertoire with a commitment to solo cello music and the exploration of its expressive possibilities. His wider musical interests include Czech repertoire, contemporary composition and the works of composers from different historical periods. The performance will be presented in an intimate recital format, with the cello and performer at the centre of the audience’s attention. Brief spoken introductions may be included to provide context about Bach, the structure of the suites and their distinctive musical characters. These introductions will be concise and welcoming, helping audiences engage with the music without interrupting its flow. AUDIENCE: The performance is intended for adults, older audiences, families with older children and anyone interested in live music, cultural experiences or discovering classical repertoire. It will appeal to established classical music audiences as well as people who may have limited experience of live classical performance. The programme does not require specialist musical knowledge. Rather, it invites listeners to experience the contrasts between the selected suites and discover the richness of Bach’s writing through attentive listening. The accessible duration of approximately one hour makes the recital suitable for a community setting. Its intimate format also offers an opportunity for audiences to experience the cello at close quarters, appreciating the physicality of the performance and the instrument’s range of tone and colour. Public libraries provide an inviting environment for this type of event, bringing live music into familiar community spaces and reaching people who might not ordinarily attend a traditional concert hall.Sensory experience: Audiences will experience the natural resonance of the cello, the expressive detail of the performance and the contrasts between the suites’ musical characters. The music ranges from quiet, meditative passages to energetic dances and technically demanding sequences. The visual experience is equally intimate: the audience can observe the performer’s interaction with the instrument and the physical gestures through which the music is shaped. The performance requires no elaborate staging, projections or special effects. Its focus is on sound, interpretation and the shared experience of live music. The atmosphere will be welcoming and reflective, with space for audiences to listen closely and respond to the music in their own way.Experience and artistic background: František Brikcius is a Czech cellist with an international performance career. His musical education includes studies at the Prague Conservatoire and the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno, further study in Japan, and training in the United Kingdom with Professor Anna Shuttleworth. His repertoire encompasses solo cello works, chamber music, Czech composers and contemporary music. Alongside performing, he is involved in artistic direction, music education and cultural projects, including Festival Brikcius and Waltham Forest Cello Fest. His commitment to the solo cello repertoire provides a strong foundation for a programme centred on Bach’s suites, works that demand musical sensitivity, technical command and an individual interpretative approach.Practical and technical requirements: The recital is designed to be flexible and straightforward to present in a library or community venue. It requires a suitable performance area, a chair appropriate for cello playing and a quiet environment with reasonable acoustics. No elaborate lighting, blackout, projection or specialist stage equipment is required. The artist will bring the cello and personal performance equipment. Any additional requirements will be confirmed with the venue in advance. The performance can be presented without amplification where the room’s size and acoustics allow. If spoken introductions are included, a microphone and hearing-loop provision would be welcome where available.The project aims to make high-quality classical music accessible to a broad audience through an approachable programme, an intimate presentation and the option of brief introductions. The format can be adapted to the venue and audience, subject to the artist’s schedule and the agreed performance arrangements. The recital supports the role of public libraries as cultural spaces where people can encounter live music, discover new artistic experiences and participate in the cultural life of their community.Solo Cello Suites offers a focused and engaging encounter with Bach’s enduring music, performed by František Brikcius in an intimate solo recital. Through selected complete suites and a carefully considered 60-minute format, the programme combines artistic depth, accessibility and practical flexibility. The project is well suited to The Library Presents, offering audiences an opportunity to experience the expressive possibilities of the cello and the richness of the classical repertoire in a welcoming local setting.RUNNING TIME: 1 hour (no interval)GET IN 30 minutes GET OUT 15 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loop.Gareth Davies-Jones - A Troubadour Journey: Lindisfarne to Durham (Music) Adults / All Ages
Grab your metaphorical walking shoes and join singer-songwriter Gareth Davies-Jones for an inspiring musical journey through the Kingdom of Northumbria. Carrying a guitar on his back and playing concerts along the way, Gareth walked 141 miles from Holy Island to Durham Cathedral along the pilgrimage trails of St Oswald’s Way and The Way of Light. Turning his experiences into music, ‘A Troubadour Journey’ brims with vivid storytelling and evocative songwriting, transporting audiences vicariously by coast, castle, mountain and moorland through this much loved part of North East England.http://www.garethdavies-jones.com/Content: In June 2025 singer songwriter Gareth Davies-Jones travelled the 141 miles from Holy Island to Durham Cathedral along the pilgrimage trails of St Oswald’s Way and The Way of Light. As he went he carried a small guitar on his back and performed concerts for local communities everywhere he stayed. Moving at walking pace through the history, landscape and character of this unique and much loved region of North East England provided the inspiration and raw material for a new collection of songs tracing his journey. Gathering together digital recordings he made along the trails, notebooks and journals of his encounters and over 600 photographs he took whilst on the way Gareth went on songwriting retreats in the Cheviot Hills that border England and Scotland during late August 2025 and back on Holy Island in October 2025 to bring the new songs into being. The collection was released as an album in April 2026 and toured as a live show through the Spring/Summer of 2026 including iconic venues like Carlisle Cathedral, Hexham Abbey and the Crossman Hall on Holy Island. As a live show “A Troubadour Journey: Lindisfarne to Durham” harnesses Gareth’s engaging ability as a storyteller and songwriter, taking audiences vicariously along the way through his music. The new songs and stories introduce a world of coasts and castles, mountains and moorland and draw the listener deep into the atmosphere at the edge of Roman Empire, the Golden Age of Northumbria, the exploits of the Northern Saints, famous Anglo-Saxon Kings and the rise (and fall) of the industrial revolution. Who was Oswald ancient King of Northumbria, what can you see as you walk barefoot along the pilgrims way across the sands from Lindisfarne to the Northumbrian mainland, what can you experience at the wonderfully named “Lordenshaws” just outside the Cheviot town of Rothbury and did Gareth make it to Durham on the eve of midsummer in time to claim his pewter pilgrim’s coin at the city’s majestic Cathedral ? Questions all answered in the course of ‘A Troubadour Journey’.Audience: The live show is appropriate for all ages though younger children may find it difficult to concentrate.Sensory Experience: Gareth comes with a range of stringed instruments - usually 5 different guitars for this show - and concentrates on painting pictures with words and music throughout the event. His aim is always to use his performance to unlock an audience’s imagination and encourage them along the trails with him into the heart of the journey. To metaphorically feel the North Sea breeze upon their face, the Northumbrian sand between their toes, to hear the roar of the south wind upon the Durham moorland tops and picture the rise and fall of the landscape beneath their imaginary walking shoes is all part of his ambition. Audience feedback has consistently told of a vivid musical experience, being able to imagine themselves into experiencing the sights and sounds of Northumbria.“A very rich and special evening …it will live long our memory”“I closed my eyes and I was right there with you through the music”“An excellent night - your storytelling really brought the route to life”Capacity: Ideally to maximise the intimacy of the experience for audiences the show works best with 40-60 people, however any audience size up to 120 will work well.Experience: Singer, songwriter, story-teller and producer, Gareth has been writing, recording and performing as a professional musician for over twenty years. The lead songwriter from Howay The Lasses, a collaborator with folk luminaries like Megson, Calum Stewart, Celtish and Yvonne Lyon, from community halls to concert halls, he has travelled the length of the country armed with a rich distinctive voice and two decades worth of perceptive, compelling songwriting spanning sixteen albums and song-writing collaborations. His solo performances are known for gathering people together, inviting audiences to travel with him into a world of landscapes, history, characters and causes all underpinned with assured vocals and the warmth and vibrancy of a beautifully played array of stringed instruments. An evening with Gareth is as much story-telling adventure as it is musical entertainment.“Wonderful acoustic guitar throughout, and lyrically impressive, it is a journey well worth taking.” Americana UK“A singer-songwriter in the troubadour tradition...songs with a deep humanity at their heart” Net Rhythms"There is a long tradition of pilgrimage and of song in the North East. A Troubadour Journey suggests that the two still have much to say to one another." The Northumbrian MagazineGareth has worked and toured with several NRTF Companies in the past including Highlights Rural Touring, Spot On Lancashire, Rural Arts North Yorkshire and Arts Out West.Technical Equipment: Gareth travels with his own medium sized PA system and lighting set up suitable for rooms seating up to 120 people (PAT tested - certificate upon request). No requirement for blackout or staging as he stands to perform - but happy to use a stage if one is in situ. He can adapt to whatever space is available and work with cafe style layout or seated in rows.Running Time: 90 minutes. Two halves of 45 mins each with an interval of 15-20 mins (for refreshments, comfort breaks etc). Can be adapted/condensed to a single one hour show without interval depending on requirements.GET IN 90 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed event. Hearing loop.Garlic Theatre - Billy Goats Gruff (Theatre Puppetry) Families 3+yrs
This is the simple story of three hungry goats and a grumpy old troll. Watch out for the dance of the goats, the flying troll and loads and loads of rubbish. And don't forget to make friends with a little green frog hopping about... A wonderfully intimate show for children with puppets made from natural materials, gentle and funny with lots of interaction. http://www.garlictheatre.org.uk/Billy Goats Gruff. Who's that trip trapping on my bridge...? This is the simple story of three hungry goats and a grumpy old troll, told with a gentle ecological message. Watch out for the dance of the goats, the flying troll and loads and loads of rubbish. And don't forget to make friends with a little green frog hopping about... Garlic Theatre create a magical world to entrance and delight a young audience with storytelling by wonderful performers, Iklooshar Malara and Mark Pitman. Billy Goats Gruff show has live accordion music, beautifully crafted puppets and lots of interaction with a magical and positive messages about caring for the environment woven into the story.RUNNING TIME: 50 minutes for the show with a meet and greet afterwards where the audience can take photos of the puppets and meet the characters from the show. Garlic Theatre provide each venue with downloadable colouring in sheets to use before to promote ticket sales or after the show as an interactive family activityAUDIENCE: Puppet Theatre for 3-7 year oldsThe story of the Billy Goats Gruff is an all time favourite with younger children and their families who will love to see a live funny and warmhearted adaptation of the story. Although the show is for 3 - 7 years both younger and older children will enjoy the puppetry and the music and be entertained by the show.Before the show starts, Iklooshar welcomes the children and families into the space as little Billy Goats and this builds a sense of fun and excitement and makes every child feel special. The venue too is invited to refer to everyone as Billy Goats for fun.The show has been developed with international audiences in mind so the story is easy to follow for anyone who is non verbal or for whom English is a second language.Mark and Iklooshar from Garlic Theatre are fantastic performers with a wonderful rapport. Billy Goats Gruff is mesmerising to watch, with beautifully manipulated puppets, catchy music and a mixture of storytelling and pure puppetry in the show where there are little or no words.The children will recognise the puppet characters of the goats and the troll and enjoy our version of the story. Garlic Theatre set the performance in Sweden where trolls are a big part of Scandinavian culture and the audience will learn to say Hello/Hej in Swedish to the troll.Mark and Iklooshar play with the audience and invite lots of joining in throughout. Near the end of the show the audience sing the Rubbish Song with actions and everyone helps to clear the river. Young people will feel a sense of empowerment and understanding about environmental issues. The show is gentle, inspiring and uplifting for audiences.In the meet and greet at the end of the show, audience members can meet the puppets, feed the goats and interact with the troll and take photos or videos.Garlic Theatre is one of the most loved touring puppetry companies in the UK that receives regular arts council project funding and has toured the UK and abroad for the last 30 years entertaining audiences from Brazil to Taiwan.Garlic Theatre has rural touring experience over the last 15 years touring regularly with Live and Local, The Library Presents, Applause, Rural Arts, Live and Local and Arts Alive. The company is passionate about bringing live theatre to families in isolated communities and for audiences that do not have access to the arts. All shows are beautifully made, funny and feelgood and our feedback from family audiences have been consistently 5 star.For Billy Goats Gruff performance the maximum capacity is 200 and the show is self contained with lighting and sound.GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 40 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed event. Hearing loop.Gill Simmons - Under the Hammer (Theatre) Adults
Are you a bit of an armchair detective? Then why not elevate your game by solving an art crime in your local library! Under the Hammer is a solve-along live art crime show that puts you in role as an art detective. Facilitated by Agents Kahlo and Dali of the Company of International Artists, a top secret art detective agency, you'll work with friends and family to re-enact events, scrutinise evidence and hopefully crack the case!https://companyofinternationalartists.com/theatre-shows/#ArtCrimeShowsContent: A forgery is discovered mid-way through a charity art auction. The audience are in role as art detectives, working with 2 actor-facilitators who are also in role as art detectives to try to work out who forged the Vermeer. So fits with the Agatha Christie vibe except the crime is totally bloodless.Audience: 15yrs to Adult. Fans of detective and crime fiction/media, visual art, interactive or immersive theatre, murder mystery events, puzzles, escape rooms & role-play experiences (LARPing, D&D)Sensory Experience: Room is set as a detective HQ with a large detective board on which evidence is placed as it is uncovered. Room is usually arranged cabaret style so people can work with friends and family on the case file.Capacity: up to 80.Experience: Plenty - we have been touring interactive theatre since 2013.Technical Equipment: Yes, we are fully self-sufficient other than needing access to some regular plugs. We are touring this show with a rural touring scheme to village halls etc so it's already all set for working in non-conventional theatre spaces. We don't need a blackout.RUNNING TIME: Don't panic when you read this, because it's a very participatory event, people are not sitting listening to us yap at them for this time, they are chatting with friends, spotting clues and the actors are at times injecting moments of theatrical re-enactment or setting extra challenges for them to help them crack the case. The experience necessarily runs at 3 hours plus a 15 minute interval. We have toured this experience a lot and no-one ever complains it's too long because it's a very rich, varied and immersive experience.GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 90 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed Event (neuro-divergent and autism friendly) - with guides and supporting materials. Hearing Loop.Golden Toad Theatre - Miss Moore Thought Otherwise (Musical Theatre) Families 3+yrs
Meet Anne Carroll Moore, the trailblazing librarian who pioneered the creation of the children’s library. With the help of her puppet Nicholas Knickerbocker, Miss Moore tells the story of a time when children weren’t welcome in libraries - and how she changed that, building a magical space full of books, music, and art. Join them for a joyful mix of puppetry, songs, and imagination. You’ll never see your library the same way again!
Overview
Golden Toad Theatre presents MISS MOORE THOUGHT OTHERWISE, a new interactive musical for ages 3-6 (but all ages welcome). Meet Anne Carroll Moore, the trailblazing librarian who pioneered the creation of the children’s library. With the help of her puppet Nicholas Knickerbocker, Miss Moore tells the story of a time when children weren’t welcome - and how she changed that, building a magical space full of books, music, and art. Join them for a joyful mix of puppetry, songs, and imagination. You'll never look at your library in the same way again!
Running time: 35 min.
Age guidance: For children ages 3-6, but all ages welcome
Set: Lightweight and adaptable, with one performer, a puppet, and a portable set.
Tech: minimal, uses a hidden portable minirig speaker with music tracks triggered by the performer
Audience size: the ideal audience size is between 20-40 children + accompanying adults. The show can play to both smaller and larger audiences, but because of the heavily interactive nature we’ve found that c.30 children is an ideal audience size.
More detail: MISS MOORE THOUGHT OTHERWISE is an interactive one woman musical for children aged 3-6 based on the award winning book by Jan Pinborough. Young audiences meet Anne Carroll Moore, the trailblazing librarian born in 1871 who pioneered the creation of the children's library: she literally and figuratively tore down the 'SILENCE' signs, brought in musicians and storytellers, and transformed ordinary rooms into interactive performance spaces. Miss Moore and her puppet Nicholas Knickerbocker engage young participants in an interactive performance, encouraging them to look at their local library or public space through a new lens. They tell about the time when children were banned from libraries and how Miss Moore imagined and built a space filled with music, stories and art, welcoming children into a special reading room created just for them. Miss Moore was a 19th century pioneer: she acted on her belief that all children should be able to access public libraries, and that the provision in these library spaces should be exciting, innovative, free at the point of use, and targeted at the needs of the local communities. Over 100 years on these aims and ideals still hold true, and form the backbone of this performance.
What to expect : MISS MOORE THOUGHT OTHERWISE is best described as half way between a ‘rhyme time’ session and a small scale theatre production, designed specifically to take place in libraries and public spaces. Miss Moore arrives at the library with a travelling suitcase, which magically transforms into a bookcase. As the performance progresses more things appear magically from hidden compartments in the suitcase, so by the end of the 35minutes the space has been transformed with bright bunting, coloured flags, and books. Key components of the performance are:
Magic: As the performance progresses magical objects (developed with a stage magician) appear out of her bookshelf - books that can change colour, sticks that can turn into flowers, and books that can transform and disappear.
Music: This is a musical performance. Miss Moore sings 9 original songs, which are to backing tracks. Tracks are operated by the performer using a speaker within the set. The audience is invited to join in at specific points in the performance.
Puppetry: Miss Moore’s puppet Nicholas Knickerbocker can interact with both Miss Moore and the audience. Some of the books from her bookshelf transform into comical ‘grey librarians’, who are operated by the audience.
Interactivity: The audience are invited as part of the performance to speak, sing and join in with age appropriate activities eg waving flags. There are opportunities to become characters within the story, for example the King and Queen of Belgium, as well as the children in Miss Moore’s original library.
Makaton: The performance uses integrated makaton, and audiences are invited to learn and participate using makaton signing.
The key message of the show is Miss Moore’s own philosophy that 'any space can become a place for music and stories and art, and anytime there is art to be made, children must take part.' This is a heavily interactive experience and the young audience are actively encouraged and enabled to use their own ideas and creativity to bring the story into reality. They shape and create the project itself, play characters in the story, participate in the creating of one of Miss Moore's spaces and leave feeling empowered to make changes in their own environments. There are invitations for young audiences to sing, sign and use simple props such as flags to re-enact the creation of Miss Moore’s library for children.
2026 Feedback: "I loved learning about Miss Moore - especially when she burst into song!" "I loved being the grey librarian and shouting NO!" "I liked the talking books" "We loved the show, it was so fun, especially the songs"
Miss Moore Thought Otherwise is a joyful, interactive celebration of libraries and books. The production is incredibly professional and a lot of thought has gone into making it fun and suitable for younger children. The performer we saw was phenomenal: beautiful voice, fantastic storyteller and very well honed skills in crowd management too. The level of interaction and pupil participation was perfectly pitched, so everyone was involved, engaged and spellbound. Highly recommended! (Victoria Edwards, Librarian, Alleyn’s Junior School)
Experience in delivering similar content: Golden Toad creates and produces vibrant original musical theatre for young audiences and their grown-ups. MISS MOORE THOUGHT OTHERWISE is now on an ongoing UK tour and has visited schools, libraries and community spaces across England, including a trip to Cambourne Library as part of ‘The Library Presents’ 2026. In addition to MISS MOORE THOUGHT OTHERWISE, Golden Toad has experience producing work for family audiences at a variety of scales. Previous productions include ERROL’S GARDEN (UK tour 2021-2024) and Michael Morpurgo’s PIGS MIGHT FLY (UK tour 2023). Our audio adaptation of ERROL’S GARDEN was shortlisted for the Week Junior Audiobook of the Year 2026 and the British Podcast Awards 2026 (kids category).
GET IN 30 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.
ACCESS: 'Makaton / Other Signing System, Relaxed Event (no additional supporting materials)
Graffiti Classics - The Comedy String Quartet (Music Comedy) All Ages
Graffiti Classics are 16 strings, 8 dancing feet and 4 voices in 1 electrifying and hilarious musical show! A comedy string quartet who never sit down, they burst the perceived boundaries of traditional classical music with their hilarious all-singing, all-dancing musical comedy show. From Beethoven to Bluegrass, Baroque to Pop, Mozart and Offenbach to Elvis, Strauss to Saturday Night Fever, this ground-breaking group is on a mission: to make classical music irresistibly fun. www.graffiticlassics.comRegular past visitors to The Library Presents, Graffiti Classics are 16 strings, 8 dancing feet and 4 voices in 1 electrifying and hilarious musical show! They are a comedy string quartet who never sit down, bursting the perceived elitist boundaries of traditional classical music with their hilarious all-singing, all-dancing musical comedy show. Wickedly funny, the group energetically leap and clown their way through an eclectic musical landscape from Beethoven to Bluegrass, Baroque to Pop, Mozart and Offenbach to Elvis, Strauss to Saturday Night Fever—all virtuosically accompanied on their own instruments, this ground-breaking group is on a mission: to make classical music irresistibly fun. This isn’t just a classical concert—it's a virtuosic mix of musical comedy, gypsy-folk, opera, bluegrass, stand-up comedy and dance! Expect lots of laughs, dancing and singing, all tied together with cheeky audience interaction. Suitable for all ages, Graffiti Classics' shows are in hot demand in top theatres, festivals and at prestigious venues across the globe, as well as headlining on the world’s most luxurious cruise ships and also perform regularly on national TV and radio. Graffiti Classics regularly tour theatres and festivals across the world because the show is enjoyable in any language and is loved by all audiences, young and old and works equally well in village halls and large theatres. The group’s virtuosic playing of well-loved classics combined with its cheeky comedy and hilarious audience interaction ensure that audiences are left with a smile on their face and a song in their heart!Graffiti Classics have appeared London’s Southbank Centre, the Edinburgh Festival as well the Babaró International Children’s Festival in Ireland. Also in recent years, the band has appeared at the Bermuda Festival, the Theatre Royal and Pavilion Theatres in Dublin, Sherborne Castle, Glór Festival, Leeds International Jewish Festival, Chichester Festival, Ashbourne Festival, the Rochester Proms as well as performing at the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The band also tours internationally to theatres including Taiwan, Norway, China, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Morocco, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.Graffiti Classics are completely self-contained and can perform in any venue, large or small, and are seasoned veterans of rural and small-venue touring. Highly acclaimed Educational shows are also available for schoolchildren as part of their Playground Proms project.RUNNING TIME: Either 2 x 45 minutes + 20-minute inteval. Or straight-through peformance of 60-70 minutes.GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 15 minutesACCESS: 'Makaton / Other Signing System, Relaxed Event (no additional supporting materials). Hearing loop.Gus Glynn - Irish Routes (Music) Adults
Join Irish singer-songwriter and classically trained finger-style guitarist, Gus Glynn, in a celebration of Irish folk music with a difference. Expect a heady night of rousing sing-along favourites and raucous drinking songs alongside heartfelt ballads and exquisite finger-style guitar arrangements of choice traditional Irish tunes. https://www.gusglynn.com/gus-glynn-solo.htmlRUNNING TIME: 90 minutes. Set 1 - 45 min. Interval - 15/20 min. Set 2 - 55 minGET IN 60 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: none.More than a celebration of the songs and tunes of Ireland, both native and adopted, Irish Routes, is an exploration of the importance of folk music historically and it’s enduring and increasing popularity in the modern world. Join Irish singer-songwriter and classically trained finger-style guitarist, Gus Glynn, in a celebration of Irish folk music with a difference. Expect a heady night of rousing sing-along favourites and raucous drinking songs alongside heartfelt ballads and exquisite finger-style guitar arrangements of choice traditional Irish tunes. Experience Irish folk scene favourites, both native and adopted, from the likes of The Dubliners, The Cheiftans, Van Morrisson, The Waterboys, Shane McGowan, Christy Moore, Sinead O’Connor, and many, many more. A selection of new original songs, some tall tales and hilarious anecdotes completes the mix in this unique new show from a proven well-rounded performer. Music can transport us like no other art form to another time and place so it’s importance in the collective historical record is hard to overstate and Irish folk music is perhaps particularly well known for this. Spancil Hill reminds us of those who left Ireland during the famine and still dream of returning while Sweet Sixteen, written by Irish American, James Thornton, in 1898 quickly became a Vaudeville hit and has since been a hit for so many of the Irish folk scene. The Fields of Athenry laments the loss of loved ones to the penal colonies in a touching poetic love story that has one of the most reliable sing-along chorus of any genre. The Irish political struggle is remembered in another great love story, that tells the tale of Grace Gifford’s marriage to Joseph Plunkett in Kilmainham Jail, hours before his execution in 1916. This song has recently been adopted by Rod Stewart as a staple of his live sets as one of his favourite love songs. The forgotten Irish soldiers who helped fight for smaller forces in Europe, known as the Wild Geese, are remembered in The Foggy Dew, famously performed by Sinead O’Connor with the Chieftains. These songs document some of the most difficult periods of Irish history but also tell the stories of everyday people becoming heroes and are examples of some of the most enduring love songs we know of. Gus lets the songs tell the stories while keeping a fun atmosphere between songs with humorous anecdotes and tales of well known figures of the Irish folk scene. The songs written by those visiting Ireland that have become a staple of the tradition include Galway Girl, written by the American songwriter Steve Earl when he lived for a short time in Galway city and became immersed in the music he found there. This song never fails to enliven an audience wherever it is played and has become a flagship song of the Irish folk catalogue. A Song For Ireland was written by Phil and Jane Colclough from North Staffordshire on a visit to Ireland and celebrates the natural beauty they experienced there and the musical culture they absorbed. Too many artists to mention have covered this including The Dubliners and Mary Black. Ewan McColl’s Dirty Old Town, written about his native Salford, is now assumed to be Irish by most listeners as is Beeswing by Richard Thompson as they are so often sung in an Irish accent, having been adopted into the Irish folk scene. These songs are great examples of the inclusive attitude of the Irish folk music scene and of the happy and often healing relationships established between people of all cultures by the sharing of songs and music. Newly arranged finger-style guitar versions of traditional Irish tunes; Inis Oirr, The Rolling Wave and Planxty Irwin, show how contemporary inspiration can capture the ancient airs in exciting and intriguing new ways. These arrangements are inspired by environmental issues and the need to move toward a natural, sustainable perspective in modern living. This theme is central to the original song The Blood in Our Veins which challenges us to ‘plough a new furrow’ when ‘rivers run where pollution seeps’ and find our freedom of mind in the technological age. It is here that we begin to see why folk music is attracting new, younger audiences. There is an unmistakable pull towards the natural world, conscious or unconscious, among young people. The more we endanger the environment we live in, the stronger the pull to the music that celebrates the past and is so often pastoral and evocative of rural settings.The third drinking song of the show, The Wild Rover, closes the night with a rousing song-along that is as much about personal freedom and the enjoyment of good company in lively spirits as the spirits themselves. Irish Routes takes the audience on a journey from very early Ireland’s mythic history, through troubled and difficult times to it’s present era where Irish culture and in particular Irish folk music is appreciated, enjoyed and respected throughout the world. In my many years of performing Irish music I can honestly say I have never had an unhappy reaction to it. I often include Irish songs in general covers gigs at pubs and without fail I get a very positive reaction, often getting asked back as the audience enjoy the inclusion of Irish music in the sets so much. In my performances as solo singer songwriter, the Irish songs and tunes help me to connect with audience members of all ages. Younger people are not necessarily as familiar with the songs, though they often surprise me on that score, but nonetheless are immediately drawn in by the melodies and always excited by the rhythms of jigs and reels. Over the past twenty years playing in England I've been consistently impressed with how popular Irish music is here and what a draw it has proven in cities and rural areas alike.Halfpace Theatre - Transit (Theatre) Adults and Young Adults 12+yrs
"How do you pack a life into 23 kilograms? One item at a time." Transit is an evocative, genre-bending investigation of identity, belonging and migration in contemporary Britain. Based on experiences from migrants across the UK, Transit is an authentic and hopeful piece about the places we call home. Utilising physical theatre, dance, poetry, multimedia, original music, audience interaction and multilingual text, Transit asks: what does it mean to settle in the space between languages, cultures and locations?Home | Halfpace Theatre CompanyContent: Transit is an ensemble show using vignettes to explore migrants in contemporary Britain. Rather than a single linear story, five deviser-performers unpack kaleidoscopic vignettes from a herd of ever-shifting suitcases.Audience: see attached venue pack for full audience list. Generally migrants and Asian diaspora aged 12+Sensory Experience: Transit uses multimedia, movement, audience interaction, multilingual text, voiceover for a highly sensory experience. Audiences will see rich movement, hear multiple languages spoken live and on voiceover, see colourful costumes and moving suitcases, and even participate in the show. Capacity: N/A (depends on venue)Experience: We are an award-winning company who have been producing work across five years as a group (most people have been professional artists for 10+ years). Technical Equipment: Transit is a flexible show. There is a tech-heavy version of the show that uses projectors, particularly for integrated creative captioning. You can see 'full' tech specs in our attached venue pack, though please note we can do a lower tech version of the show. We can do the show without projections at all, however, it does mean we lose an element of accessibility as our captions are built into our projection design. Our ideal scenario is to have a projector so we can include this, but we can make it work if not. We can run this with basic lighting and PA for speakers (we need access to at least a partial blackout, and speakers as a lot of the show is voiceover). RUNNING TIME: 75-80 minutes show (depending on audience interaction), no intervalCan easily include workshops, post-show discussions, and other wrap-arounds. Can include 'curtain raiser' 15 min pre-show performance with local artist (see below on menu of engagement activity)GET IN 90 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Captions / Subtitling. Hearing Loop.WRAPAROUND OPTIONS: We regularly run activities for migrant and marginalised communities and can include these as a package with performances of Transit. We can also create bespoke events for your local community.Intro to Self-Producing Workshop: designed for creatives taking their first steps into producing their own work, this workshop series equips them with the essential knowledge needed to plan, budget, fundraise, market and manage a show. Can be offered as a standalone ‘quick run’ 2 hour workshop; as 3 more detailed 90-minute sessions; or as a full day, in-depth workshop with exercises. Sold out two years in a row.Ensemble Theatre Making Workshop: this 2-3 hour, all-levels workshop explores ways of building ensemble using facilitated warm ups, exercises to foster understanding and trust, and practical discussions around how to create a welcoming and collaborative environment.The Halfpace Devising Workshop: an introduction to Halfpace’s devising methods, looking at how physical theatre, text, design and research can come together in a compelling and contemporary piece. Encourages participants to use their own voices and skills to create work that is unique and exciting to them. Can be a quick ‘crash course’ 2-3 hour workshop or an in-depth, full day session. This workshop can also be broken up into three more specific topics: Directing Devised Work, Devising with Physical Theatre, and Design-Led Devising.
All our workshops are accompanied by resource and education packs for participants to continue their learning.Post-Show Chats: our take on the traditional talkback, this is a relaxed two-way conversation between audiences and artists about migration and interdisciplinary theatre. Usually lasts around 45 minutes immediately following any performance of Transit, and will be facilitated by a member of the team.Community Night: our popular networking event connects migrant and diaspora communities with one another in a structured, accessible format developed on a commission from Chisenhale Dance Space. These networking evenings are more approachable than standard networking evenings thanks to guided pairings and question prompts that focus on process and curiosity rather than ‘what you do for work.’Curtain Raisers: a paid opportunity for a local migrant artist to perform a 10-minute slot before the show, giving them critical exposure for their work. Past Curtain Raisers have focused on cultural music, storytelling and comedy.Migrant Career Q&A: four migrant artists from different disciplines come together in a facilitated, honest conversation on how to ‘make it work’ in the industry as a migrant artist and answer questions from the audience. The panels usually last around 90 minutes and can be paired with a community night following the talk.
Hop Skotshne Klezmer Band - An evening of high energy Klezmer Music! (Music) All Ages
Hop Skotshne Klezmer Band is a dynamic, mostly female, multigenerational ensemble rooted in family and deep friendship. Perfectly suited for libraries, our program offers a rare cultural experience featuring unusual tunes and Yiddish songs sourced from historic field recordings and recently unearthed Ukrainian archives. This performance blends a window into history with the uplifting, high-energy atmosphere of Klezmer celebration music, engaging and inspiring audiences of all ages to dance. Hop Skotshne Klezmer Band | London, UKRUNNING TIME: 90 minutes. We would normally play 2x 45 minute sets with an interval of around 20 minutesGET IN 60 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.We would love the opportunity to bring a vibrant celebration of music, history, and community to your library!Hop Skotshne Klezmer Band is a dynamic, mostly female, multigenerational ensemble with members ranging from their 30s to 60s. Our warm, intuitive stage chemistry comes from a place of genuine friendship and actual family ties. We share a profound love for this musical heritage, and our concerts are joyful, uplifting, and full of high-energy music that makes you want to laugh and dance. It’s truly music for celebrating with family and friends.We feel our program is a perfect fit for a library setting. It offers a unique educational and cultural experience featuring unusual tunes and Yiddish songs sourced from historic field recordings—including rare melodies recently unearthed from archives in Ukraine. This evocative performance blends a literal window into history with the celebratory atmosphere fundamental to Klezmer music. We guarantee that audience members of all ages will be engaged, energized, and inspired! Our concerts are suitable for absolutely everyone, from young children to senior citizens—essentially anyone who loves music.While we regularly play in clubs, theatres, halls, weddings, bar mitzvahs, and parties, we love the intimate community space of a library.Our Setup & Technical Info:• The Band: We perform on accordion, clarinet, violin, trumpet, French horn, tuba, and the poik (a traditional Eastern European portable drum kit).• Technical Requirements: We have very minimal needs! We can bring our own PA system and only require basic lighting. There are no other technical requirements.We look forward to the possibility of collaborating with you to bring this special event to your community.Ishi Khan - Ask Granny: Adults show- An improvised Comedy Chat Show Celebrating Community, Connection & Life's Absuditites (Comedy) Adults
VIDEOS : http://www.instagram.com/ishi2funny/
Got a problem? Ask Granny! Meet NaanE, the larger-than-life Granny dispensing outrageous wisdom, magical cucumber cures and hilarious life hacks. In this improvised comedy chat show, local personalities and audience members share their woes, stories and passions, while Granny offers her wonderfully unconventional advice. From artists and bakers to mayors and librarians, nobody knows quite what Granny will ask next! Expect laughter, surprises, singing, dancing and a celebration of the people who make your community special. Every show is unique!RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes with the flexibility to expand to 105 minutes including a 15 minute interval.GET IN 30 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing Loop.Content and Themes: Ask Granny: Adults Show is an interactive, improvised comedy chat show starring NaanE, a larger-than-life Asian Granny with a magical cucumber, a lifetime of unconventional wisdom and an opinion on absolutely everything. Created and performed by comedian and theatre-maker Ishi Khan, the show invites audiences to bring their worries, dilemmas, stories and questions to Granny, who responds with hilarious life hacks, cheeky observations and unpredictable advice. For The Library Presents 2027, the adult show offers an additional opportunity to celebrate the people who make each local community unique. Where possible, local personalities will be invited to join Granny on stage as special guests for approximately five to ten minutes each. These could include artists, community leaders, librarians, local business owners, volunteers, craftspeople or even the mayor. Guests will have an opportunity to introduce themselves, share something about their lives and promote a local project, business, creative practice or community initiative. However, this is no ordinary interview. Granny's questions are spontaneous, her curiosity is boundless and her advice is rarely what anyone expects. A baker might find themselves discussing the secret ingredients of a happy marriage, while a librarian could be asked whether there's a book capable of explaining modern relationships. The guests provide the starting point, but the comedy emerges naturally through their interactions with Granny. Audience members are also invited to share their own experiences, questions and dilemmas, creating an atmosphere of playful conversation and collective laughter. There is no fixed script. Every performance develops in response to the people in the room, ensuring that each show is unique to its community. The show combines character comedy, clowning, improvisation, storytelling, singing, dancing and audience participation. Beneath the silliness is a deeper purpose: encouraging people to recognise their shared humanity through laughter. Ask Granny was originally inspired by a desire to challenge division and isolation within communities. Granny offers a playful way to explore relationships, belonging, generational differences, cultural assumptions and everyday struggles without preaching or judgement.NaanE brings the perspective of an older Asian woman to the centre of the stage, challenging expectations about whose stories, voices and experiences are celebrated. By welcoming guests from different backgrounds, the show can reflect the diversity, creativity and character of each Cambridgeshire community.Audience: The adult show is designed for people aged 18 and over, particularly those who enjoy comedy, storytelling, improvisation, local culture and community events. It welcomes both regular theatre-goers and people who may never have attended a live comedy performance. The familiar chat-show format provides an accessible introduction to improvisational theatre, while the possibility of seeing a local personality interviewed by Granny creates an additional reason to attend. The show has particular potential to engage adults over 60, whose experiences and perspectives are often overlooked in contemporary comedy, while also appealing to younger adults through its spontaneity, irreverence and audience interaction.No previous knowledge of theatre or improvisation is required. Participation is entirely voluntary. Audience members can contribute questions, share stories or simply enjoy watching Granny interact with her guests. Local guest participation would be arranged in advance where possible, with support from library staff or community contacts. Guests would be invited rather than expected to take part, and the show can proceed successfully without prearranged guests.Sensory Experience: Audiences enter an intimate, welcoming performance space arranged to resemble an informal chat show. Granny takes centre stage, surrounded by a few chairs for her guests and her collection of familiar props, including her magical cucumber. From the moment she appears, audiences encounter her expressive gestures, playful physical comedy, distinctive personality and infectious curiosity. They will hear lively conversations, unexpected questions, laughter, spontaneous songs and the occasional musical or dance interlude. Audience contributions shape the rhythm and direction of the performance, creating moments of surprise and shared discovery. The atmosphere is warm, humorous and inclusive. Although the adult version allows for cheekier conversations about grown-up life, the performance can be tailored to the requirements of a public library setting. Audience members are never required to disclose personal information or participate beyond their comfort level. The show aims to leave audiences feeling entertained, connected and perhaps a little more curious about the people around them.An optional meet-and-greet after the performance offers opportunities for photographs, informal conversations and further community connection.Capacity: The show is adaptable to a variety of library and community spaces. There is no fixed maximum audience capacity beyond the venue's safe occupancy, available seating and appropriate sightlines. The performance requires only a small playing area with seating for Granny and invited guests. A traditional theatre stage is not necessary.Artist Experience: Ishi Khan is a British comedian, writer, theatre-maker and improviser who has been performing since 2008. She has written, produced and toured five solo shows, combining stand-up comedy, character performance, physical theatre, clowning and audience engagement. Her professional development includes clown training with Spymonkey, strengthening her ability to create spontaneous comedy through physical expression, play and interaction. Ask Granny began its live development at Leicester Comedy Festival in February 2025, with 15 adult performances. In February 2026, Ishi expanded the show to 26 performances over 19 days, including ten adult shows and sixteen family-friendly performances. This extensive live development has enabled her to refine the character, respond confidently to unexpected audience contributions and create a welcoming atmosphere for people from diverse backgrounds. The family version was selected for The Library Presents 2026 programme, demonstrating the format's suitability for libraries. The proposed local guest element builds on the show's established improvisational chat-show format, bringing a fresh community-focused opportunity to its 2027 performances.Technical Requirements: Ask Granny: Adults Show is fully developed and ready to tour. The performance requires approximately three to five chairs, a small table or stool, a microphone and PA system, and a connection for recorded audio from the performer's own device. A headset or handheld microphone is suitable, with an additional microphone desirable for guest contributions. No blackout, projection, elaborate lighting or specialist technical crew is required. The flexible, low-tech format is well suited to library environments.Jamie Rycroft - Life With Oscar (Theatre) Adults
VIDEO: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPB5SAfkfCd/?stkn=aHV0ZTQwMTdhbzFjWhat would you do to win an Oscar? Actor and Filmmaker Nick Cohen relives his desperate Hollywood years. Nick flees London to live as a permanent guest on Sunset Boulevard with a double Oscar-winner, who promises to get Nick’s film nominated, if he follows exact instructions... Over the course of the show, Nick plays 30 different characters in a confessional rollercoaster through Hollywood’s dark, twisted underbelly.‘This autobiographical show will keep you laughing for 60 minutes straight’ Broad Online ★★★★★https://www.lifewithoscar.com/RUNNING TIME: 75 minutes plus interval. We can provide a wrap-around workshop afterwards where Nick discusses getting involved with the theatre and film industryGET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 60 minutesACCESS: 'Captions / Subtitling, Relaxed Event (no additional supporting materials). Hearing Loop.AUDIENCE: Adults, especially those interested in movies and wanting to learn more about the stories behind their creation.‘Life With Oscar’ is an exciting blend of real-life autobiographical narrative and surreal flights of fantasy, of different genres including comedy, tragedy and horror. It’s a thoroughly entertaining show which you could watch and just have a good time, or dwell on further and realise it has a lot to say about creative ambition, the difficulties of creative failure, and the strange handshake between art and commerce that happens in Hollywood. Audiences will see Nick embody multiple characters on-stage, accompanied by projected film clips helping to tell the story. CAPACITY: There is no maximum capacity for the show. ‘Life With Oscar’ began at the Edinburgh Fringe, and since then has performed Off West End, regionally in the UK and USA, in spaces ranging from theatres to village halls, meaning that we are technically very flexible and adaptable.TECH: We are able to bring our own projector and screen for film clips, and our own PA system (or can use the venue’s PA where possible). If any basic lighting is available then we will happily use it but we do not need lighting for the show.
Jasmine Cole Productions - Hello Beach (Theatre Puppetry) Families with children under 2yrs
A brand new sensory story show for babies aged 0-24months.Following the hugely successful Hello Birds in 2025, Bran and Tor are back and joined by new friend Piper for a day out at the beach. Who will we meet on our seaside picnic? An interactive multi-sensory storytelling show for 0-2 years, featuring puppetry, singing and key-word signing. https://jasminecoleproductions.co.uk/hello-beach/Content: A day out at the beach meeting a crab, a seagull and a seal. Audience: 0-2yrs and SEND audiences. Sensory Experience: Sitting on our sensory beach blanket with baby safe props the audience will experience storytelling, puppetry and singing. The show has integrated audio description and key-word signing throughout. Experience: We toured Hello Birds for 2 years (it won best children's show at Colchester Fringe 2025) Hello Beach is our new show and we are touring from Feb 2026. We took the show to Edinburgh Fringe in Aug 2026. Technical Equipment: We are totally self contained. RUNNING TIME: 45mins including free play. Option to have up to 3x performances in one day. GET IN 45 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: 'Makaton / Other Signing System, Relaxed Event (neuro-divergent and autism friendly) - with guides and supporting materials, Audio Description. Hearing Loop.John Macnaughton - Klezmer Songbird (Music) Adults / All Ages
Klezmer Foygl - meaning Klezmer Songbird in Yiddish, play traditional Klezmer music, performing both traditional and newly composed repertoire in an authentic way. The band shares a deep love and understanding of this music and seeks to educate audiences about its origins, development, and current function. The band’s performance, woven with explanations and stories along the way, will take audiences on a journey through many elements of this music and its role in Yiddish culture. 'Top-notch, next-generation Klezmer' - Resonance FM https://www.johnmacnaughtonmusic.com/klezmer-foyglContent; Klezmer Foygl - meaning Klezmer Songbird in Yiddish, play traditional Klezmer music, performing both traditional and newly composed repertoire in an authentic way. The band shares a deep love and understanding of this music and seeks to educate audiences about its origins, development, and current function. The bands performance, woven with explanations and stories along the way, will take audiences on a journey through many elements of this music and it role in Yiddish culture. From Romanian Doina (laments), stories about lengendary Klezmorim (such as Dave Tarras), non-Jewish co-territorial repertoire (such as waltz’s and a polka), the meaning of the word Klezmer itself (Kle-zemer – vessel of song), Dobriden (morning songs), Kale Bazetsn (music for the seating of the bride), and much more. The repertoire will be diverse, with opportunities to hear slower music for listening, aswell as faster music for dancing, and music from different areas of the Pale of Settlement (the area this music originates in), with Ukrainian Kolomeyke’s, Rumainian Zhoks, Hongas, Mazurkas, Waltzes and more. Audiences can expect to learn something new, with stories and information about this music and culture woven in along the way. Interactive elements, including teaching the audience traditional dance steps, and learning Nigunim (traditional wordless melodies) will help bring the performers and audience together to make this a special community experience. We create a friendly, open atmosphere in which difference is accepted, questions are encouraged and the audience are encouraged to have fun.Audience; Our performances are suitable for all ages, from toddlers up to the elderly. With chances to listen, sing along, dance, and learn something along the way. Audiences will experience an outstanding concert from some of the UK’s leading Klezmer musicians. Members of the band played in many of the UK’s other leading Klezmer bands including She’Koykh, Oysland, Don Kipper and Loshn, and taught at UK festivals including KlezFest London, KlezNorth, Zumerfest and KlezMargate.Capacity; The maximum capacity for our performances will depends on the size of the space we play, ideally there will be some space left for dancing.Experience; We have a wealth of experience delivering this type of content with both Klezmer Foygl and other ensembles. Recently we have toured with Arts Reach Dorset (Spring 2026), and Arts Alive (Autumn 2025). Additionally, all of us having toured extensively with other Klezmer ensembles including Oysland, She’Koyokh, Don Kipper and Loshn. This includes working with many rural touring organisations such as; Arts Alive (Shropshire), Arts In Rural Gloucestershire (AIR), Arts Reach (Dorset), Highlights North (Cumbria), and Live and Local, and performing at some of the UK’s biggest Folk Festivals, including; Broadstairs Folk Week, Towersey Folk Festival, and Purbeck Valley Folk Festival. We also have experience of running Klezmer workshops, with members having been faculty at festivals including KlezFest London, KlezNorth, and KlezMargate.Technical Equipment; We will bring our own PA system and sound equipment, we just need basic lighting. Blackout is not required.RUNNING TIME: 2x 45minute sets, with a 20 minute break in between, so total 1 hour 50minutesGET IN 60 minutes GET OUT 45 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed event. Hearing loop.Jude Simpson - Anticipating Hindsight (Spoken Word / Poetry) Adults and Young People 13+yrs
Poet, entertainer and three-time national slam winner Jude Simpson presents a sparkling showcase of witty wordplay, whimsical humour and heartfelt life lessons. Touching on ageing, teenagehood, underwear and cuppa soup, Jude uses her “charming, sidewise look at life” (Skinny Fest) to ask whether we can predict how we might look back on life, and by doing so, challenge the idea that we are helpless in the face of time. Jude Simpson – Poet, Wordsmith, Writer, PerformerCONTENT: Poet, entertainer and three-time national slam winner Jude Simpson presents a sparkling showcase of witty wordplay, whimsical humour and heartfelt life lessons. With the aid of a grandmother clock, a proud clutch of parenting fails, and an interactive cake-naming competition, Jude asks whether we can predict how we might look back on life, and by doing so, improve our decision-making in the present. Touching on ageing, teenagehood, underwear and cuppa soup, Jude uses her “charming, sidewise look at life” (Skinny Fest) to challenge the idea that we are helpless in the face of time. “A genuine original. A joy. She has words on a string like so many yoyos and her lines sparkle with wit and panache” – The Scotsman “Showed true feeling, depth and soul” - The Stage “Wonderful! Gutsy, poignant and funny.” “Loved the parent poem and teen song. Funny but so moving. Cuppa soup and Bravissimo poems were hilarious.” "What I love about watching Jude is that she can make you laugh and cry within the space of a few minutes of each other, her poem about parenthood was just really beautiful." “Great energy, very inviting and makes you feel included and in on the jokes.“ “The show was very entertaining, emotional, funny and touching. Would go again, and bring friends.” “I like how natural she is on stage, she’s really warm and engaging right from the moment you walk in. You just feel part of the journey. I can imagine coming to the show with my Mum and us both loving it from different perspectives.” "It's funny, it's poignant, it's cheeky. I really enjoyed the cheese song!" “real, relatable, rip-roaringly funny, and maybe even redemptive” from Work In Progress, Summer 2026, at Cambridge Junction Theatre AUDIENCE: for word lovers, poetry consumers, soup drinkers and anyone who enjoys a warm-hearted laugh. Bring your teens, or your Mum! Suitable from age 13. CAPACITY: venues from 20 to 200EXPERIENCE: Jude Simpson is a poet and spoken word artist writing and performing for both adults and children. Her unique combination of humour, wordplay and song creates a warm, witty and uplifting act. From a love poem about soup, to a celebration of the power of language, Jude loves to elevate the everyday, celebrate the absurd, and create moments of shared wonder. Jude has won three national poetry slams, and her family show “A Noise Annoys” was nominated for Best Kids Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2026. She has performed at theatres, festivals and community venues around the UK, including Glastonbury, Greenbelt, Big Church, Edinburgh Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Landmark Theatres, Cambridge Junction, and Hereford Courtyard. Her work has been featured on Radios 2, 4 and 5, and on TV in Baby Cow’s “Slam Poets” on BBC3. Jude performed her family show “A Noise Annoys” with The Library Presents, and with other Rural Touring schemes such as Arts Alive, Black Country Touring, and applause. SENSORY: one performer, accompanied by a Grandmother clock. Jude performs spoken word poetry, tells stories and jokes, sings with a guitar and creates an intimate, warm atmosphere where the audience feels part of the experience. There’s even a live-voting cake song competition, where the audience work as a team to try and name as many cakes as they possibly can, without duplicating, whilst Jude sings the answers as they flash up on the screen! TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT: If you have some basic lights (warm wash plus a spot?) and sound (one microphone, one stand, one DI box for guitar, and capacity to play music) then Jude will use them. Also, if you have a screen and projector in the venue, she will use those, bringing her own computer and operating them from the stagel. If not, Jude will bring her own, portable amplification and screen / projector. She doesn’t currently have her own lighting. RUNNING TIME: Two halves of 45 minutes with a 5 minute interval. Can alternatively present a festival version of the show, which is 1 hour straight through. Workshops are available to accompany the show, on request. GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 60 minutesACCESS: Relaxed event. Hearing loop.Jude Simpson - Before and Dafter (Spoken Word / Poetry) Families 6+yrs
Poet, slam winner and Best Kids Show nominee Jude Simpson performs a joyful hour of playful poetry, silly songs and timely nonsense for children aged 6+ and their families. From things you can time yourself doing, to a Dad whose love of cheese is taking up too much of his life, you’ll find hilarious puns, clever silliness, and lots of fun interaction. A warm-hearted show that inspires and educates as much as it entertains! “A terrific performer” - Michael Rosen Jude Simpson – Poet, Wordsmith, Writer, PerformerTRAILER WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM END OCTOBER CONTENT: Poet, slam winner and Best Kids Show nominee Jude Simpson performs a joyful hour of playful poetry and silly songs for children aged 6+ and their families. After exploring sound in her last show - A Noise Annoys - Jude turns her attention to the subject of time. From things you can time yourself doing, to a Dad whose love of cheese is taking up far too much of his life, expect hilarious puns, clever silliness, and lots of fun interaction. A warm-hearted show that will inspire, educate and entertain! “funny, sharp, a terrific performer – she needs to be seen and heard wherever possible” – Michael Rosen “Simpson’s playful poetry is fantastically funny, and her love of language is infectious” – The Family Stage“Brilliant energy and lyrical magic” – Bedford Today "a cross between Nick Cope and Miranda" – Becky (audience member)AUDIENCE: The show is designed for children aged 5+ and their families, but is enjoyable at any age. As well as children and families, Jude has worked with learning-disabled adults while developing the show, and is confident that her material can be accessible and enjoyable to many people for whom mainstream theatre may not be suited. “Before and Dafter” is proud to be #FantasticforFamilies thanks to the Family Arts Standards https://www.familyarts.co.uk/family-arts-standards/ SENSORY EXPERIENCE: Jude is a solo performer who performs poems, tells stories and chats with the audience in a friendly manner. She also sings songs, using a guitar that she plays herself. The stage also has colourful boxes and blocks with different letters on, which Jude sometimes rearranges comically during the show. There is even a daft raft (on wheels) which Jude sits and rides on! The show is relaxed in nature, with audience members free to engage as they choose. Participation is always positive, and is encouraged but never forced. Props can be installed in advance for pre-show familiarisation or a touch tour. The script is available on request, eg. for audio-description or BSL interpretation. No flashing lights or loud noises. CAPACITY: ideal for venues equipped for between 30 and 150 audience members. EXPERIENCE: Jude Simpson is a poet and spoken word artist writing and performing for both adults and children. Her unique combination of humour, wordplay and song creates a warm, witty and uplifting act. From a love poem about soup to a celebration of the power of language, Jude loves to elevate the everyday, celebrate the absurd, and create moments of shared wonder.Jude most recently toured “A Noise Annoys” – her debut children’s/family show – from May 2025 to May 2026. She performed in 33 venues around the UK, including theatres, festivals, libraries and community venues. As well as getting rave reviews (see below), the show was nominated for Best Kids Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival in February 2026. “Packed with puns, silly songs and audience interaction galore, it’s an entertaining exploration of the world of wordplay… For adults and children alike, it’s practically impossible to leave A Noise Annoys without a smile on your face, and a certain song stuck in your head!” – The Family Stage (for full review see http://www.thefamilystage.co.uk/2025/10/08/reviews-a-noise-annoys-and-irish-storytelling-for-children-lambeth-fringe/ ) “A Noise Annoys really lifted my spirits in a way I wasn’t expecting. With well pitched puns, joyfully chaotic songs and poems that play, I was captivated the whole way through. My 9 year old kept giving me meaningful looks through his laughter so I enjoyed him enjoying it, and getting carried along with Jude’s brilliant energy and lyrical magic.” - Abbi Jinks for Bedford Today (for full review see https://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/arts-and-culture/review-a-noise-annoys-well-we-rather-enjoyed-5398591 )“ The show was full of whimsy and joy, and the audience – young and old – loved it.” - Elena, Festival Organiser. “A Noise Annoys is a really wonderful show for anyone but especially children and families. It delights in the joy of words, story and music, which Jude blends so skillfully to create a hugely enjoyable piece.” - David Durant, Associate Director, The Courtyard, Hereford. “A cross between Nick Cope and Miranda!” “Witty, engaging, fun, imaginatively clever.” “I loved it! Great poetry and audience interaction!” “Very sensory. Fun with jokes. Educational and immersive.” “I loved how interactive it was, making poetry more accessible to a young audience” - Audience members at “A Noise Annoys”TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT: If you have some basic lights (warm wash plus a spot?) and sound (one microphone, one stand, one DI box for guitar, and capacity to play music) then Jude will use them. If not, Jude will bring her own, portable amplification. She doesn’t currently have her own lighting. In very small venues, the show can be performed without amplification. MERCHANDISE: Jude will bring books to sell after the show. RUNNING TIME: The show is one hour long without an interval. If you prefer an interval, I can do the show as the first half, then do a Q&A, tongue twister competition and bonus material for the second half. Workshops are available to accompany the show on request. GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed event. hearing loop.Just Some Theatre CIC - Eyes Down (Theatre) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Video from previous show toured in 2022.
It’s Bingo Night at The Stairway To Heaven Social Club, and ‘Mr Razzle Dazzle’ himself, Bertie Bingo, is ready for an evening of dabbers, Droopy Drawers… and death! As numbers roll in and tension mounts, a body is discovered—but whose number is up? Eyes Down is a thrilling interactive comedy where the audience plays actual games of bingo for real prizes while a comedy thriller unfolds. From the team behind The Plot Thickens and The Killer Question, Just Some Theatre and writer David Payne bring this hilarious, high stakes whodunit to UK audiences!www.justsometheatre.co.ukContent: Theatre performance - Comedy Genre - Audience play 3 games of bingo during the show. They are attending 'The Stairway To Heaven Social Club' for Bertie Bingo's Bingo Night.Audience: Theatre and comedy audiences & Bingo-ers!Sensory Experience: The audience will have a fun crazy night at the theatre watching Bertie Bingo's night get ruined whilst he tries to hold things together ensuring his crowd still get the 3 games of bingo they were promised. We Give Prizes, Mayhem & Murder!Capacity: Is there a maximum capacity? Ideally the show work best with a max of 80 people. But there is no real capacity - more venue dependent ensuring everyone can fit in as it's cabaret seating.Experience: What is your experience of delivering the type of content you are proposing? Have delivered many shows in this style to great reviews. Been on The Library Presents programme before.Technical Equipment: We tour with all our own lighting and sound and is operated by the cast during the show seamlessly. We ask that we are situation on ground floor access venues due to the quantity of equipment/set we bring. We like to really change the space. RUNNING TIME: 105 Mins. Act 1 - 50 Mins. Interval - 15 - 20 Mins. Act 2 - 35 MinsGET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 90 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.Kane & Abel Magicians - Sketchy Magic (Magic) Adults and Young People 16+yrs
Join Kane & Abel in a world where everyone is a magician. The twin duo have accidentally cast a spell and given the entire planet magic skills. Accountants, baristas, your local Indian takeaway, an unsigned indie band with a striking resemblance to The Smiths, and even Louis Theroux all appear in Sketchy Magic. Magic, comedy, sketch and much more. “Real Magic” (BBC Radio). “Top Comedy Pick” (The Sunday Times) www.kaneandabelmagic.comSketchy Magic combines stand-up comedy magic pieces performed by Kane & Abel as themselves with sketch comedy magic routines as the twins take on new identities. By adopting this new approach to our magic show, it will allow us to tackle different themes. Sketches will take a swipe at popular culture and current affairs. It will combine thought-provoking and funny sketches with highly skilled magic. This approach also allows us to perform certain pieces of magic that are hidden with scripting to add more shock and surprise. AUDIENCE: We do believe this will be ok interest to all audiences, but it will have particular appeal to the 16- 30-year-old age bracket. We have been delivering contemporary comedy and magic shows for more than 20 years. These have ranged from large-scale cruise ship shows, rural tours of village halls and music festival stages to strolling corporate close-up magic and outdoor shows. Previous clients include P&O Cruises, MSC Cruises, TUI Hotels & Resorts, Grosvenor Casinos, Haven, Club Avolta, Warner Brothers and Glastonbury Festival. We have brought experimental new work to Fringe Festivals for the past decade. This has included runs at Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton Fringe, Durham Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Rik Mayall Comedy Festival and Bath Comedy Festival. The show will be designed to work in any setting. We have a lot of experience performing in the libraries within Cambridgeshire, and this show will be designed with them in mind. Basic lighting and a PA system would be ideal. We have performed multiple shows and workshops for Cambridgeshire County Council as part of its Library Presents programme since 2020.RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes + intervalGET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 45 minutesACCESS: hearing loop.
Kate Halsall - Connections: Kate Halsall & guest artist (Music) Adults
VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/@katehalsallmusicprojects/videos Connections is an intimate musical journey with pianist and harmoniumist Kate Halsall and a different special guest artist. Expect genre-hopping music, new arrangements, sonic landscapes, improvisation and unexpected instrumental combinations. Alongside high-quality live performance, Kate and her guests share stories about the music and how they have created the show together, inviting audiences into the creative process. Welcoming and accessible, Connections offers curious listeners the chance to discover music they may not normally encounter and connect directly with the musicians.http://katehalsall.co.ukConnections is about audiences' discussions, or questions to artists from the stage area. It also might feature an invited 'host', such as from radio, or arts journalism. Connections with genre - hopping, arranging and diverse guest artists such as Ella and Supriya. Content about introducing audiences to music they might not usually encounter, while the informal conversations make it accessible rather than intimidating. Also presenting high quality performance from really experienced artists. Capacity to suit venues, but I have billed it as 'intimate chamber' with a relaxed setting so seating doesn't have to be formal. EXPERIENCE: I've performed and produced series in venues such as Kings Place, Southbank Centre spaces, The Barbican and for many festivals; also in libraries, churches, schools and village halls. TECH: I'll bring all keyboard instruments in. PA equipment, especially vocal mics and stands is essential but we can tech our own set up, and like to keep it straight forward and minimal - we don't mic instruments, just voices generally, if the spaces are small. RUNNING TIME: 75 minute running time to include audience/guest chats as wrap arounds. No interval although happy for audience to come in and out as needed. GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 45 minutesACCESS: Relaxed event. Hearing loop.Lantivet Duo - The Four Seasons… And The Rest Of The Year (Music) Adults
What did Vivaldi miss out? The Lantivet Duo and Joy Becker have a few ideas! Alongside Vivaldi’s iconic Four Seasons, these incredible multi-instrumentalists take you on an original musical journey spanning 400 years of music, from classical masterpieces to jazz standards, folk tunes and pop songs, alongside two brand-new songs written especially for the show. Expect musical surprises, unexpected connections, moments of laughter and music that touches the heart. A celebration of life in all its seasons, in all its beauty, absurdity and tenderness.www.lantivetduo.comInspired by Vivaldi’s iconic Four Seasons, The Four Seasons… And The Rest Of The Year is a joyful, moving and unexpected musical exploration of our experience of the changing year. Taking Vivaldi’s much-loved masterpiece as our starting point, we ask what happens beyond the familiar scenes of birdsong, summer storms and winter frost. What about the magic of autumn rediscovered through a child’s eyes? The strange melancholy of January, when the festivities are over and spring still feels impossibly far away? And the sheer, uncontainable delight when the first signs of spring finally return?Through music spanning 400 years, we explore the emotional landscape of the seasons: their beauty and absurdity, their capacity to surprise us, and the ways they shape our memories, relationships and everyday lives. After all, the seasons are not simply a backdrop to our lives. They are part of the rhythm of being human, marking time, bringing change and reminding us that, however long the winter feels, nothing stays the same forever.Alongside Vivaldi’s celebrated music, we bring together an eclectic collection of classical masterpieces, centuries-old songs, jazz standards, folk tunes and pop songs, creating unexpected musical connections between styles and generations. The programme also features two brand-new original songs written especially for the show, as well as a song about first queer love by Joy Becker. These contemporary voices sit naturally alongside music from the past, celebrating the many ways people have always used music to express love, longing, hope and joy.Performed by the multi-instrumentalists of the Lantivet Duo and Joy Becker, the show moves between violin, piano, guitar, trumpet, flute and voice. Instruments and musical styles are continually exchanged, creating a varied and intimate performance in which the audience is invited to listen to familiar sounds and discover something unexpected in the unfamiliar.The show is playful, surprising, sometimes poignant and always rooted in the experiences we share. There are moments of laughter, moments of tenderness and music that speaks directly to the heart.Although the show is not explicitly about climate change, the natural world is woven through its central theme. The passing seasons connect us to our surroundings, and our enjoyment of them depends on the living world around us. By celebrating the wonder of falling leaves, the first warmth of spring and the familiar rituals that accompany each season, the performance gently invites us to notice and value the world we inhabit, and the changes taking place within it.Audience: The Four Seasons… And The Rest Of The Year is for anyone who loves music, whatever their age, background or level of musical knowledge. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons provides a recognisable and welcoming starting point for audiences who might not usually choose a classical concert, while the programme’s mixture of musical genres opens the door to a much broader experience.For some, the appeal will be the familiar classical repertoire; for others, it will be the folk tunes, pop songs or original compositions. For all, it will be the pleasure of discovering how these different musical worlds connect. No prior knowledge of classical music is needed, and there is no expectation that audiences will recognise every piece. The emphasis is on curiosity, enjoyment and shared experience.Our previous rural touring experience demonstrated the show’s ability to reach beyond an established classical audience. During our tour, it was the most selected show on the menu, and several venues reported that it had attracted people they had not seen at previous events. This is particularly important to us: we want to create performances that feel accessible without compromising their musical ambition, offering audiences something familiar enough to draw them in and surprising enough to stay with them. The inclusion of a song celebrating first queer love also brings an LGBTQIA+ perspective to the programme. Sensory experience: Audiences can expect a feast of musical colours, textures and contrasts. They will see three versatile multi-instrumentalists move between violin, piano, guitar, trumpet, flute and voice, creating a constantly evolving sound world. The intimacy of live performance allows audiences to appreciate the musicianship up close. The musical journey moves between boldness and intimacy, virtuosity and simplicity, humour and reflection. A familiar melody may lead somewhere unexpected; a song from another era may suddenly feel intensely contemporary. The changing styles, instruments and moods keep the experience lively and engaging, while the recurring theme of the seasons gives the programme a natural sense of flow.ACCESS: Hearing loop. All our performances are relaxed and neurodivergent-friendly. We aim to create a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere in which audiences can feel comfortable enjoying the music in their own way. The sound is carefully considered: this is not a loud or overwhelming concert, but one that offers variety, warmth and intimacy without relying on excessive volume or high-intensity effects. Capacity: The performance can accommodate the capacity of the host venue. We are well suited to rural touring spaces of different sizes, as our setup is pretty compact.Experience: We have already delivered this exact show on a five-day rural touring run in the Lake District in 2025. The experience gave us the opportunity to share the programme with a range of local audiences and demonstrated its appeal within the rural touring context. Its popularity on the touring menu, alongside feedback that it attracted new attendees to several venues, confirmed the value of offering a concert that bridges musical genres and welcomes people who may not otherwise attend a classical performance. As experienced multi-instrumentalists, we bring versatility, musical curiosity and a collaborative approach to the stage. The show's flexible format, varied repertoire and accessible theme make it well suited to community venues, village halls and other intimate spaces where live music can become a shared local experience.Technical equipment: We will provide all our own technical equipment. All we require is power (one plug socket).GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 30 minutesLouise Jordan - Behind Enemy Lines (Theatre) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Find out about the stories of extraordinary women whose courage, daring, ingenuity and sacrifice defeated Nazi terror in occupied France during WW2. Join songwriter and storyteller Louise Jordan to uncover the lives of the inspiring secret agents of Special Operations Executive.“an amazing, moving and poignant performance” Audience member“The whole show was thought provoking, clever and enjoyable.” Audience member“Louise has crafted a production that honours the legacy of these remarkable women with grace, artistry, and emotional depth.” Salisbury Journalhttp://www.louisejordan.co.uk/Behind Enemy Lines was written alongside a programme of community workshops to trial some of these interactive moments, including consultation with Artsreach (Dorset's rural touring scheme) promoters and staff; Celebrating Age Wiltshire audiences; Prime youth theatre in Swindon; New Forest young carers; City of Sanctuary Portsmouth; Mind the Gap theatre for older creatives. This programme of workshops revealed what audiences want to know about the SOE women agents, and this had a significant impact on the final show. For example, it is a show of two halves – in the first half the audience learn about who the women were, how they were recruited and what training they undertook. In the second half the audience watches as an SOE agent deals with the reality of life in the field and finds out what happened to the women at the end of WW2 and during the aftermath. These two halves take the audience on a contrasting journey from the camaraderie of training in Britain to the isolation of working as a special agent in the field.There is no maximum capacity for this performance.Behind Enemy Lines is my 6th ACE funded touring production and draws 10 years' experience to make this an interactive, entertaining and enjoyable experience for audiences. I have toured my previous shows with rural touring schemes including The Library Presents, Spot On, Highlights, Arts Out West, Live & Local, Artsreach, Rural Touring North Yorkshire and Rural Touring North Wiltshire & South Gloucestershire as well as touring to theatres, arts centres, museums and libraries across the UK. Behind Enemy Lines toured in November 2025, spring 2026 and tour dates are planned for autumn 2026, spring 2027 and autumn 2027 including rural touring schemes. I tour with full PA and there is a Stage Manager /Technician on the tour who supports the get in, set up, lighting cues and get out. I am currently awaiting the outcome of a funding application: if successful the show will tour with its own lights. If not, I would like to borrow lighting from TLP. The show benefits from black out where possible, although this is not essential. The Stage Manager will operate lights and is used to working with whatever lighting is available including rural touring venues and libraries.Behind Enemy Lines was created with funding support from Arts Council England in 2025 covering its development ready for touring. The grant does not cover performances /tours. Link to 30 second trailer: https://youtu.be/g4LTuzdXPDA?si=TyCKd69lNPx4uYrJ Link to 4 minute trailer: https://youtu.be/IGAaerQI7qo?si=p-OFepZDa22qiYlURUNNING TIME: 30 minute interactive pre-show experience (optional /from doors open): with the performer welcoming audience members in character and engaging them through discussion. There is no additional cost for this. 50 minute first act. 20 minute interval. 35 minute second act.GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 90 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loop.Mark Allaway - Hooray for Hollywood (Music) Adults / All Ages
The Pinewood Saxophone Quartet: Our ensemble brings together four of London’s leading saxophonists—including professors from the Royal College of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire. We specialise in a sophisticated, cinematic repertoire that bridges the gap between classical virtuosity and the golden age of Hollywood.https://www.kylehorch.co.uk/pinewood-quartetPinewood Sax Quartet play specially arranged pieces from classic films mainly of the 20th century, including works by Michel Legrand and Burt Bacharach. AGES: Our programme is suitable for all ages. Audience's will hear the music live and will also be given explanations of each piece and a history of the saxophone.RUNNING TIME: We usually play 2x 50 mins sets with a 20 min break.GET IN 90 minutes. GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loop.Mary Lincoln - Marcella's Minute to Midnight (Theatre) Adults (especially over 60s)
Do you find it hard to throw old stuff out? Marcella does. She's now in her mid 60's and she's up in her loft decluttering. As she sorts through things from her past, she starts to wonder if there's any time left to explore her past aspirations. Mary Lincoln's one woman play takes a humorous yet searching look at some of the unforeseen challenges that can crop up for us all in later life.https://marylincoln.co.ukDETAIL: The play’s plot initially focuses on Marcella’s discomfort at finding herself in her mid-60’s and knowing that at some point soon she is going to have to do the big de-clutter, which she is at present finding every excuse to avoid. It’s a theme that very much resonates with the 60+ audience for whom it was written. It is a botched eBay over-order that forces her into the loft and prompts the clearing out of a lifetime. Faced with artefacts that provoke a host of vivid memories, Marcella embarks on an unpredictable and unexpected journey through her past including, along with the highs, the inevitable lows: an abandoned career, a failed marriage, a total loss of self-belief. Choosing what to hold on to and what to let go of brings her close to a full-blown late life crisis. “You start out starring in the story of your own life, only to find you’ve become a bit part player in everyone else’s” The play reaches its climax when in a moment of total despair, she throws what have been her most beloved possessions out of the loft, only to then fall from the loft after them. The audience wonder…Is she dead? Is this the end of the show? After this near-death experience, Marcella is surrounded by her discarded objects, embodying her aspirations, and begins to feel strangely alert, and starts wondering if there may, actually, still be time to explore one or two of her dreams – thus ending on a hopeful note.Along the way we meet the young Marcella, her overbearing Italian mother, Miss Mordecai - her Scottish drama teacher, Lacey Dawes (the saloon floosy in a comedy Western), Marcella’s elderly father, her actress friend Amy, Derrick (who wishes he’d married himself) and Jacinta Huntingdon Smythe - a year nine school girl, playing Leontes in “The Winter’s Tale” – who has re-written Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter and delivers all his dialogue as a mind altering rap.AUDIENCE: While, as I mentioned, specifically conceived with a 60+ audience in mind, Marcella’s Minute to Midnight is a story for everyone on life’s journey and particularly relevant to those going through a time of change. The response from audience members in their thirties has been similar to those in their 60’s and 70’s as evidenced in the Vox Pops on my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MaryLincoln-actor. The play poses questions as to how we can hold on to our own aspirations amidst the tumult of distractions that crop up in ordinary day to day life. The language used is simple, direct and easily comprehendible. The Vox Pops are also a great indication of what audiences actually experience, in terms of what they see, hear and feel, when watching the show.SET: The set is imaginative and wittily drawn with large objects hidden under polythene dust sheets, creating a feeling of expectancy as to what lies beneath, with a humorously conceived “dodgy” light switch on a post … the switch that ultimately electrocutes Marcella. Audience members have described feeling totally at one with Marcella’s dilemmas; they have laughed and cried with her, and described how the play made them reflect on their own life issues. TECH: Technically the play is lit to a professional standard with microphone amplification where necessary. Audience members have commented on how well they could hear and understand every word. There is a hand-picked sound track – referencing a career in West End musical theatre, as audiences enter. CAPACITY: In a library setting I would think that a maximum capacity of 50 would be appropriate, unless it is an unusually large or flexible space.For me, theatre is about touching souls; stirring some new thought or idea in an audience, and this is what I feel I am doing each time I play Marcella. During the writing process, I used much of my own experience, very often stepping far outside of my comfort zone. In doing so I have become stronger as a person. It is that strength that drove my commitment to self-fund – to get Marcella’s story to the audience it would most inspire. That strength has risen to the demands of producing the show and taking it on tour, which was not something I expected to happen in my 60s. With my knowledge of theatre and my work alongside a professional dramaturg, I am now totally confident that I’ve created something of serious value to share with a broad audience. For myself, every performance fulfils for me – what I describe in the play as - some “weird desire to stand in a space with an audience and take them on a journey”.EXPERIENCE: My career as a professional performer has spanned West End theatre, music theatre, improvisation, television drama, and film. In the play I delve beneath the experiences of an actress and mother, to explore universal themes of parental influence, mental health, misplaced guilt, and the fear of loss of purpose. Marcella’s tale explores how health and wellbeing are impacted when personal creativity is suppressed, whilst affirming the belief that the creative flame can be re-ignited in anyone, at any time. QUOTE: “For the famous, their perceived glamour is as much part of their appeal as their failures and downfall … how refreshing then that Mary Lincoln’s heroine, Marcella, is no more of less than … a regular human who has to cope with life’s ordinary challenges …” (The British Theatre Guide)WRAP AROUND: Q & A. The topics that arise have been far reaching:• How memories attach themselves to random stuff.• Is it fair to hold on to things and let someone else sort it out after we’ve gone?• The role of parental influence in our lives, for good or bad.• The potential dangers in women’s ability to multi-task and adapt themselves.• The obstacles we put in the way of our creative fulfilment.• Is it ever too late to explore your creativity?• My particular journey in writing the play.https://www.youtube.com/@MaryLincoln-actorRUNNING TIME: The show lasts and hour with a 10min interval before a roughly 20 minute Q & A. So around 90 minutes in allGET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed event. Hearing loop.Minima - Silent film screening with live accompaniment from Minima (Music Film) Adults and Young People 13+yrs
Minima specialise in live accompaniment to screenings of classic silent films. Their instrumentation includes cello, double bass, guitars, mandolin, synthesiser and drum kit, creating a bold and unique live sound. Minima’s original scores strike up a thrilling relationship with the images and narratives of some of the most iconic silent films of 1920s, creating a truly immersive audio-visual experience. Minima specialise in the gothic horrors and thrillers of the era, performing to ‘Nosferatu’, ‘The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari’, Hitchcock’s ‘The Lodger’ and ‘The Phantom Of The Opera’.www.minimamusic.co.ukMinima are a Bristol-based four-piece band, specialising in performing original, live soundtracks to screenings of classic silent films. We are offering the choice of four feature films from the 1920s, listed below, and all considered to be classics of the era. The all fall into the horror or thriller film genre. 2027 is the centenary of the release of Hitchcock’ s ‘The Lodger’, so we feel this would be a good choice for your program, given the added interest there will be about the film in 2027. We tend to play straight through but an interval can be included. Phantom of the Opera (1925) – 77mins. The classic 1925 thriller starring Lon Chaney, the “Man of a Thousand Faces”, as the disfigured Phantom, wreaking havoc beneath the sewers of the Paris Opera House. Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lodger (1927) – 90mins. Set in a foggy and unsettled London with a Jack the Ripper type serial killer on the loose, this is Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece of atmospheric thriller filmmaking, containing many of his subsequent trademark themes, and also features his first recognisable film cameo. Nosferatu (1922) – 94mins. One of the silent era’s masterpieces. Its eerie, Gothic feel – and chilling performance from Max Shrek as the vampire – set the template for horror films that followed. Darkly humorous and tender too – this is a story of yearning and the search for fulfilment. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) – 76 mins. The quintessential German Expressionist film masterpiece. Robert Wiene’s distorted sets, sinister shadows and unnerving characters created a paranoid, unreal world at a time of despair throughout Europe.TECH: Our set up is highly adaptable and we provide and engineer all PA equipment for venues of up to around 500 capacity. We need a minimum of 90 minutes’ set-up time in the auditorium and can also provide all projection equipment, including screen, if necessary.EXPERIENCE: Formed in 2006, Minima have toured extensively in the UK and internationally at cinemas, arts centres and music and film festivals. We also perform regularly in village halls across the country as part of the rural touring network (NRTF), a scheme that has similarities with your Library Presents program. Highlights over the years have included performances at the Glastonbury Festival, the Barbican Centre, BFI Southbank and the Transylvania International Film Festival.DETAIL: When coming to one of our performances audiences can expect an immersive audio-visual experience. Our bold and contemporary music strikes up a thrilling relationship with the images and narratives of these iconic silent films, bringing new life to them. We pride ourselves in bringing these wonderful films to new audiences, and making them more relevant and accessible through our musical scores. Our shows are very much a combination of a gig, with a full live band and PA, alongside a film screening. The room will be dark throughout, with some low stage lighting. The music will get quite loud in moments but will also be quiet and understated at times, as we follow the narrative and drama of the films. The films have some scary and tense moments, as well as humour, all of which we try and accentuate with our music. The start and ends of our shows tend to be very relaxed and we are happy to talk to audience members before and after a performance. Our instrumentation comprises of cello, double bass, baritone guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, autoharp, dulcimer, synthesiser, glockenspiel and drum kit. We have slightly different configurations and instrumentation set-ups for each film, which can be discussed when bookings are made. We will bring an electronic screening copy of the film, in order to make sure the edit of the film to be screened is consistent with the version that we have written for. If you wish to source the screening copy from elsewhere, please let us know as early as possible, so we can check the compatibility with our score. AUDIENCE: The films we are proposing are all certified U or PG but we would suggest a suitable age range of 13 and above for our performances. RUNNING TIME: Our film times vary, between 76min - 94mins. We can perform with or without an interval. GET IN 120 minutes. GET OUT 120 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.CAPACITY: We are used to performing in a variety of spaces and configurations. Our audience numbers have ranged from 30 people in a village hall to over a 1000 people at Spitalfields Market in London, as part of the East End Film Festival. We have also performed numerous times at outdoor music and film festivals. both in the UK and abroad. We have found our shows attract and are enjoyed by an enormous range of people, whether it is film aficionados with prior knowledge of the films we present or people who’ve never seen a silent film before. We don’t feel that our show has any connections with Black History, LGBTQIA+ or Environment and Climate content. QUOTES: Below are some quotes and reviews of our performances from audience members, promoters and national newspapers. ‘’The show was absolutely brilliant.” “Blew me away.” “Fascinating and intriguing.” “Fantastic, mesmerising, unique.” “Dramatic, entertaining and engrossing.” “Minima are one of the leading bands accompanying silent film in Europe.” (Robert Rider, Head of Cinema, Barbican Centre, London) “Minima’s unmistakably spine-tingling music clung to each twist of the movie… spellbinding accompaniment.” (The Guardian) "A superbly sinister live score by the soundtrack group Minima.” (Financial Times) “One of the spring’s coolest events… Minima capture the film’s disturbing mood perfectly.” (Daily Telegraph) “The atmosphere was absolutely magical… hundreds of people seemed utterly spellbound.” (East End Film Festival 2012) “Acclaimed soundscapers Minima provide a superlative soundtrack.” (Time Out London)Moonrakers - Magic, Myth & Mystery in British Folk Music (Music) Adults & Young People 14+yrs
Moonrakers present an entertaining and informative dive into Britain’s strangest folklore. Devils, ghosts, witches, selkies and fairies appear as vivid, breathing characters carried through song. Driving harmonies and Celtic harp, cello, fretted instruments, accordion, keyboard and flutes ignite these tales. Drawn from early‑20th‑century folk‑song collectors, the show reveals how old magic still shadows modern life. A bold, atmospheric evening for adults and older children.www.moonrakers.netStep into a world where the everyday collides with the uncanny. Magic, Myth and Mystery in British Folk Music is Moonrakers’ immersive, narrated journey through the folklore that has shaped Britain’s imagination for centuries. Expect devils, ghosts, witches, selkies, elves and fairies — not as museum pieces, but as living characters carried through time in song.Moonrakers bring these tales to life with rich male/female harmonies and a multi‑instrumental palette of Celtic harp, cello, fretted instruments, accordion, keyboard and flutes. The show dives into songs gathered during the Folk Song Revival of the early 20th century — some already half a millennium old — revealing how superstition, wonder and other‑worldly beliefs still echo in modern life.This is folk music at its most vivid: storytelling, history and myth woven together in an evening that’s by turns eerie, beautiful and unexpectedly contemporary. Suitable for adults and older children.There is no maximum capacity for this show. We have toured the show for many years. We have our own PA system and come entirely self-contained. RUNNING TIME: The show is 2 x 45 mins long, with an interval of 15mins. If required, we can reduce this to one hour straight through. GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.Musical Balloon Band - Cecily Donkey's Bring-A-Sing-A-Teddy Bear's Picnic (Music) Families / All Ages
Jump, Bounce, Hop, Whoop! Bring your favourite Teddy or soft toy and join Cecily 'the Balloon' Donkey for a live music, percussion, drumming, singing, movement for wellbeing and balloon waving show. Influenced by many jazz forms including classic, latin, funk and swing and loved by babies and adults, this performance is age friendly, inclusive and accessible with a 'chill out' area provided. Verona Chard leads the band with vocal sounds and words and some Makaton for singing. Previous performances for The Library Presents rate the experience 9/10.https://musicalballoonband.comCecily 'the balloon' Donkey loves to back pack a picnic and go on a Safari adventure to the woods or the zoo. Travelling deep into the trees who will Cecily meet on her travels? Who is Lesula and why are they so blue? Can it be the litter and people not looking after the woods? Will Betty Bee appear to lead the way home?AUDIENCE: Appealing to all ages from babies to older adults, SEN /D children and adults and Age Friendly. We performed at the Accessible Festival this year and invited back next year. The audience will join in with balloons, singing, sounds, hand percussion and drums, Makaton and movement.No maximum capacity.We have performed previously for The Library Presents in 2022, 2023,2024 (I missed the deadline last year!) Also, Verona has facilitated for Harrow Council providing singing sessions at various Hubs where SEN, SEND adults attend for Learning and Carers are also encouraged to join in. She has completed Journals and monitoring forms for these projects. We create productions for families.ACCESS: Relaxed event. We create a 'quiet zone' for anyone who may need some space or prefers to participate away for other attendees. 'Makaton / Other Signing System. Hearing loop.TECH: We bring all technical, musical and workshop equipment. Requirement is for power please. Show does not require blackout.RUNNING TIME: Happy to provide 3 shorter, 2 medium or one full length show.GET IN 90 minutes GET OUT 90 minutes.Musical Balloon Band - Verona Chard - Cecily and Salty’s Monster Seashore Shake-up! (Music) Families
Sing our 'Tidy up Song' and beat the 'Recycle Rhythm Challenge' to help Cecily and Salty the Sea Monster clean the sea, bash the beach clutter, save their friends from plastic peril and conserve the planet. Combining Object theatre, Balloon animal models, Drumming & percussion in an interactive and inclusive performance. This production combines hand puppets, live music and Verona’s balloon animal characters and singing and our unique jazz influenced sounds and rhythm plus games to bring you a tale of a very cluttered beach somewhere near you.https://musicalballoonband.comWhat do we do? Inspire and encourage you to join in with singing, drumming, shaking percussion, dancing, movement, swinging, jumping, bouncing and rhymes. We play instruments and use bio-degradable balloons to help us on our journey of creativity and action. THEME: The story is about looking after the environment. Physical action and action to save the planet and raise awareness of its plight. Mainly we create musical mayhem and lots of fun and laughter whatever the theme and spread learning in an approachable way.AUDIENCE: Anyone can join in. Our show is for family members of all ages and we encourage participation from everyone and with that in mind offer a quiet zone created with cushions and mats where appropriate and we bring colouring to engage you too. We are Age Friendly and our programme consisting of influences from the jazz, swing, latin, blues and global genres which often delights the older members of the audience. We were complimented at our last TLP performance specifically for the quality of the jazz content and how we were engaging a young audience in those voicing, sounds and rhythms. There is also classical, pop and original child friendly tunes to enjoy. We are recognised by the organisation Fantastic for Families and were part of an award winning team a few years back. This show sequels nicely with other shows we have performed so if we were returning to a venue there would be different balloon characters and story to keep a young audience interested and although some material is repeated there is ample to keep the performance fresh. We are high energy, pretty loud and visual too. ACCESS: Relaxed event. We create a 'quiet' zone with cushions and soft lighting. Verona uses Makaton with some of the songs. Hearing loop.RUNNING TIME: Happy to perform 1 long, 2 medium or three shorter performances in one day.CAPACITY: No maximum capacity.GET IN 120 minutes, GET OUT 90 minutes.TECH: We will bring everything with us we need a power supplyNaomi Wood - Monster- a spoken word stage show on fear and shame (Spoken Word / Poetry) Adults
VIDEO TRAILER: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYWXtDnqSaK/?stkn=MTdlcHRibXNjOTI5Zw==Monster is a critically acclaimed solo spoken word show by Naomi Wood, exploring the nature of facing our fears and our relationship to all that we find terrifying. It is a hilarious and heartwarming true story about looking and being seen and all the ways we seek connection. Monster is a show for anyone who has been afraid to dip their toe in or felt all at sea. A true story about feeling exposed and learning to love both people and pond life. "Wood’s spoken word could be described as an act of creative mastery." Harley Keasey on Gobbess. https://youtube.com/@naomiwood64?si=IRJ_lA0AAecbIo4zRUNNING TIME: The show is 1 hour (can have an interval if required). Can offer a 1.5 hr storytelling/poetry writing workshop.GET IN 90 minutes GET OUT 30 minutesDETAIL: Monster is a true story of facing your fears told through original music and spoken word. It's been described as *Funny, unsettling, intelligent and deeply human. Bold, intimate and unpredictable' (Bespoke Black Book) *Expressive and captivating, with Fleabag-like intensity (Review Hub) *Thoughtful and emotionally rich piece of work (Brighton The Inside). The show follows a peculiar year from heartbreak, hair loss and family death to friendship, community, risk taking and watersports! The show looks at the desire to be seen and understood from learning language as a child to communicate to exploring how we inherit the need to be 'good' for others. It involves hilarious embarrassing stories and questions why we get onstage and ask to be witnessed. Naomi talks about a growing fear yet obsession with the sea and its creatures creating parallels with ocean depth/community solitude/togetherness and the danger of being visible in the ocean and onstage. Naomi compares dating to a encountering a string of strange sea creatures and ultimately learns to live the weird and 'ugly' anglerfish afyer a period of depression where she must learn to find and indeed create her own light. She realises she has been burying this ugly monster (which is actually the source of her inner knowing) for too long. She embraces becoming a monster and questions where the myths around monstrosity came from in the first place ie. ravenous appetites, comparing this to modern diet culture and staying conveniently small and 'palatable'. She grows increasingly fascinated by science and sea life and realises how much humanity is an interconnected flow of energy needing each other to survive. This looks at themes of queerness, mental health, being neurodivergent. AUDIENCE: It would appeal to early career creatives approx 25 yrs +, women and non binary people and people who like poetry and spoken word and stand up comedy. There is no max capacity. Audiences have said they felt the show was 'thought provoking ' and 'moving' and that they felt 'seen and understood', 'funny, vulnerable, smart, precisely well as the last show being described as 'a mic drop on women's experiences '.EXPERIENCE: I have previously toured a spoken word and circus show for 3 years and I have toured Monster for all of this year at a diverse range of venues and events from book festivals to music festivals and intimate gallery audiences and large scale theatre. TECH: I can bring tech myself but if there is an in house PA I would use that. Lighting rig great if available but not a requirement.ACCESS: Relaxed event. Hearing loop.Neus Gil Cortes - Who Do You Think I Am (Dance, Creative Tech) Adults and Young People 16+yrs
Who gets to decide where we belong? Step into an interactive acro-dance performance where your choices shape the experience. Using augmented reality on your phone, explore migration, identity and the labels placed upon us. You'll discover Juan's story and learn how he came to the UK. As the story unfolds, the choices you make will challenge the way you see him. At a time when conversations around migration and belonging are more important than ever, Who Do You Think I Am? invites us to pause, question our assumptions and reflect on how quickly we form opinions about others.https://www.nuadance.com/who-do-you-think-i-am.htmlWho Do You Think I Am? explores migration, belonging, identity and the assumptions we make about people we do not know. The performance centres on Juan, a migrant arriving in the UK, and asks audiences to consider what happens when someone becomes reduced to a set of questions, labels or assumptions about where they come from and whether they belong. There is no spoken dialogue during the performance. Instead, audiences encounter a live performer and use their own phones to scan his ‘passport’, taking them to a website where they can watch Juan through an augmented reality overlay. The visual language draws on surveillance, creating a deliberately mediated way of encountering another person. The audience is divided into three groups, with each group receiving a different story about how Juan came to the UK. They are then asked to consider which questions Juan is most likely to be asked, what they themselves would want to ask him, and how they perceive him, choosing from responses such as angry, vulnerable, welcome and others. Without initially knowing that they have been given different versions of Juan’s story, the work invites audiences to notice how quickly information can influence the way we perceive another person.The performance eventually asks everyone to put their phones away. Juan then offers audiences an experience of his culture through traditional music and dance, which develops into a Cumbia and an invitation for everyone to join in. The experience shifts from observing and questioning someone through a screen to physically sharing space, movement and joy with him. A facilitated conversation follows, giving audiences the opportunity to process what they experienced, discover that there were three different stories, and consider whether having different information changed how they felt about Juan. The conversation explores how migrants are perceived, the kinds of questions they are repeatedly asked, and how the accumulation of these questions can communicate that someone is seen as an outsider who needs to explain their presence or prove that they belong. THEMES: The work connects strongly to cultural identity, migration, inclusion and belonging. While it is not specifically a work about Black History or LGBTQIA+ identities, its wider themes of othering, representation, cultural difference and who is considered to belong can create meaningful connections to these conversations. It is also an opportunity to encounter another culture through music, dance and participation rather than simply through information. At its heart, the work asks audiences to examine the stories they construct about other people and what happens when we take the time to encounter someone beyond the labels we have placed upon them.AUDIENCE: The work is particularly effective with young audiences 16–30years, although it can engage a much broader age range. It does not require any previous knowledge of dance, contemporary performance or migration-related issues, making it accessible to audiences with different levels of experience and confidence. Young audiences in particular have responded strongly to the use of phones and augmented reality because it connects immediately with the way they already encounter other people through screens and social media. We use this familiar behaviour as a way into more complex questions: how much information do we need before we form an opinion about someone, how do narratives influence what we think we know, and what happens when we are presented with conflicting versions of the same person? The work does not tell audiences what to think but gives them an experience through which they can question their own assumptions. The final invitation to dance also makes the work highly participatory and accessible, offering audiences a physical way to connect rather than requiring them to engage only through discussion or observation.Sensory experience is central to this journey. Audiences initially experience Juan through their phones, creating a mediated and slightly distanced way of looking at another person. They see the live performer alongside the augmented reality layer and experience the tension between the physical person in front of them and the information they are receiving through their device. This gradually changes as they are asked to put their phones away and encounter Juan more directly, through his culture, music and movement. The final Cumbia creates a very different atmosphere: the audience moves from watching and analysing to participating, dancing together and celebrating. There is a sense of exhilaration and collective connection at the end, while also creating an opportunity to experience another culture physically and joyfully. The facilitated conversation then gives audiences time to reflect on the journey and on whether their perception of Juan changed.EXPERIENCE: We have delivered the work ten times in a range of contexts, including indoor and outdoor venues, migrant and outdoor festivals and secondary schools. These performances have allowed us to develop the work with audiences of different ages, backgrounds and experiences. The conversations following the performances have been particularly valuable, generating thoughtful and sometimes unexpected discussions about migration, belonging, assumptions and the ways in which we perceive other people. We are interested in bringing the work to a broader pool of audiences and contexts, particularly because the questions it raises feel increasingly relevant. We have no maximum audience capacity and can adapt the presentation to different spaces and audience sizes.TECH: The performance requires very little technical equipment. Audiences use their own phones to access the augmented reality element, so the main requirement is internet access, either through audience members’ mobile data or venue Wi-Fi. We bring the technology required for the AR experience. We do not require blackout, screens or projectors. We require a basic sound system/PA suitable for the space, as sound and music are an important part of the performance, particularly the final Cumbia. We can discuss the specific sound requirements with the venue in advance and adapt to the equipment available.RUNNING TIME: 20 minutes performance. 5 minutes interval. 30 minutes facilitated conversation. 15 minutes "write your own story" workshop.GET IN 30 minutes GET OUT 10 minutes.ACCESS: No verbal language used in performance, Relaxed Event (neuro-divergent and autism friendly). Hearing Loop.New International Encounter -Once Upon a Time in Fenland (Theatre) Families 6+yrs / All Ages
Join us to travel back in time… Once Upon a time in Fenland is a show created from stories written by school children across Cambridgeshire. Our ensemble of actor musicians will transport you back through the ages to a time when Fenland was joined to Europe and survival was the order of the day – mixing fact, fiction, and bit of storytelling magic to explore the history of where we live.https://nie-theatre.comDETAIL: Once Upon a time in Fenland is a 60-minute show about the history of the Fens and wider Cambridgeshire. Featuring 3000-year-old objects and footprints from nearly a million years ago, this show features fantastical, funny and thought-provoking tales that will transport you back through the ages to a time when Fenland was joined to Europe and survival was the order of the day. The show has been co-created from stories written by over 250 children and young people from across Cambridgeshire – these stories were inspired by local history and artefacts supplied by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, and Wisbech and Fenland Museum. The show is suitable for family audiences and is performed by our ensemble of four actor/musicians, using innovative staging and props, live music, recorded voices, puppetry and real artifacts. They mix fact, fiction and folklore to tell the story of the ground beneath our feet. Audiences will be introduced to a band of archaeologists, who will share a collection of (real and replica) archaeological finds that have been uncovered locally in Cambridgeshire. Each object prompts a story – telling the tale of how it may have come to be here, who it could have belonged to and how it might have got lost all those years ago. The stories, characters and ideas have all been created by local pupils, using their imagination, creativity and curiosity to explore the possible history of each artefact.AUDIENCE: The show is aimed at family audiences age 6+, although it has been very well received by community audiences of all ages. We had the opportunity to present a version of this show at March library in May 2026, and it was very well received by the local audience: “Amazing local history, not told enough…Well done” – Anita ‘Really enjoyed the show. Beautiful songs & Fantastic stories. Very funny but also moving – thinking about our ancestors who walked these lands. Thank you” – Samantha “Brilliant! And very entertaining. Fantastic adaption with facts mixed with stories and executed very well!” - MarioQUOTE: "Excellent - Innovative, inventive and engaging show!...Simple but engrossing storytelling." — Deborah Curtis, City of Cambridge Council on 'Legends of the Fen'CAPACITY: 80 per performance.TECH: The show has been created to play in non-theatre spaces, so it is almost entirely self-contained. We would need access to 2x 13amp power sockets would ask for lights to highlight the stage if available. We may need a projector screen. RUNNING TIME: The running time is 60 Minutes, no internal. Plus a 15-minute audience Q&A, if requested. GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 90 minutesACCESS: hearing loop.Background & Experience: New International Encounter are an award-winning international theatre company creating spellbinding shows through a mix of physical theatre, live music and storytelling. We have 25 years’ experience creating engaging productions and participation projects for, and with, young people. This show is part of our on-going Tales from the Edge of Town Project which we have been running since 2019. In that time we have co-created 8 shows, working with over 1600 students, and performing in schools, community centres, and venues across the region. Nicholas Collett Productions -Waiting For Hamlet (Theatre) Adults and Young People 11+yrs
A dazzling Shakespearean comedy, written by David Visick, performed by Nicholas Collett & Tim Marriott. This ingenious prequel imagines the Old King Hamlet arriving in the afterlife… only to discover he’s been poisoned. Murder most foul. There he meets his old court jester, Yorick, and what follows is a razor-sharp battle of wits between two fools… though only one of them knows he’s a fool. If you love Hamlet, you’ll adore this hilarious reimagining. WINNER – Kenneth Branagh Award for New Writing. WINNER – Best Actor Awards, Edinburgh Festival. “Outstanding” ***** — Get Your Coats Onnicholascollettt.comContent: Waiting for Hamlet tells the backstory to Hamlet – a prequel to Shakespeare’s play that imagines the Old King arriving in the afterlife where he meets his old court jester, Yorick. But the King is not happy. He’s been poisoned. Murder most foul. He needs to go back and exact revenge. Now only Yorick can stop dead King Hamlet destroying everything and everyone he loves. So what follows is a battle of wits between two fools – and only one of them knows he’s a fool. It’s not a question of whether to be or not to be. It’s about how not to be. It’s about love, and loss, and legacy, and letting go. And hats. Hats are important. Waiting For Hamlet is a comedy about a tragedy, and a love letter to the greatest play ever written.AWARDS: WINNER Kenneth Branagh Award for New Writing. WINNER Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor – Edinburgh Festival Dark Chat Awards. QUOTES: ‘Outstanding – funny, insightful, and really rather exciting’ ★★★★★ Get Your Coats On ‘A theatrical joy from beginning to end’ ★★★★★Reviews Hub. ‘Fantastic performances… a masterclass’ ★★★★★ Upstaged. ‘A joy to see these masters of their craft work their magic’ ★★★★ Broadway Baby. AUDIENCE: Audience: 11+ - theatregoers, Shakespeare enthusiasts, comedy loversSensory experience: The dialogue crackles and examines not only the relationship of the Old King and Yorick, kingship and authority, but also the nature of faith. There's a lot of laughter, but some poignant moments too.Capacity: No maximumExperience: Nicholas has been touring rurally since 1989. He has presented with Air in G, Applause, Arts Alive, Arts Out West, Artsreach, Black Country Touring, Borders Live, The Library Presents, CRTA, Creative Arts East, Highlights, Hog The Limelight, Live and Local, NEAT, Night Out, Rural Arts ON TOUR, Spot On and the Touring Network. Tim has also toured with Live and Local, Creative Arts East and ON TOUR.TECH: We will bring all necessary equipmentRUNNING TIME: 65 minutes + Interval. Act 1: 35 minutes. Interval. Act 2: 30 minutesGET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 45 minutes.ACCESS: Hearing loop.NosThree - Blooming Out (Theatre) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
“‘Blooming Out’ was at its core beautiful and unapologetic…It was excellent, weapon’s grade buffoonery. You sometimes need to see something done very well to appreciate that your palette has been spoiled by inferior articles. It was with me long after I left the theatre.” – The Swindonian A clown show using only non-verbal language, interpreted by two Brazilian actresses, exploring the most intriguing moments of the feminine universe: beauty; body’s development; period; maternity; love; demands and social taboos; and growing old.https://www.facebook.com/NOSThreeContent: Blooming Out is a non-verbal clowning performance created and performed by Bianca Bertalot and Maria de Jesus Rocha. The central theme of the show is an exploration and celebration of the feminine universe, capturing the endless transformations, great discoveries, and shared realities that define every woman’s life. Rather than following a traditional linear plot, the narrative unfolds through a series of interconnected physical and non-verbal vignettes that track the female experience. The two performers act as a delightfully violent, squabbling double act who use expert comedic precision, expressive physical theatre, and clever prop work to guide the audience through a range of life stages and emotional landscapes. Throughout the performance, the show covers diverse and deeply impactful themes surrounding womanhood, including: - Physical and Biological Transformations: Navigating youth, puberty, periods, beauty standards, and growing old. - Societal Expectations and Motherhood: Exploring oppression, maternity, and societal roles. - Relationships and Intimacy: Experiencing love, connection, and conflict. - Taboos & Confessions: A particularly powerful section titled "Taboo" directly confronts the hidden truths society prefers women not to speak aloud. In a striking dramatic moment, both clowns remove their iconic red noses and display "idiot boards" written with raw, personal confessions. As flat-handed strikes fly and make-up is scraped away, the stage is left littered with physical revelations. While the core narrative is an unapologetic, beautiful, and haunting celebration of womanhood, its themes intersect naturally with broader social discussions: - LGBTQIA+ Connections: By breaking down rigid gender conventions and addressing societal taboos surrounding body image, physical transformation, and expectations of femininity, the show creates an open, inclusive dialogue around gender identity and lived expression. - Social Equity & Empowerment: The production directly tackles systemic oppression, bodily autonomy, and silenced experiences, aligning with themes of social justice and systemic change. Overall, Blooming Out balances light, comic, and poetic storytelling with moments of profound dramatic depth, offering a seamless blend of energetic clowning, music, and emotional resonance.AUDIENCE: - Target Audience & Age Suitability: Blooming Out is designed for general theatre audiences, fringe festival goers, adults, and young adults (suitable for ages 12+ due to mature themes of bodily transformation, societal oppression, and taboos).- Interests: The show appeals to lovers of physical theatre, non-verbal performance, comedy, clowning, and feminist or woman-centred storytelling. Crucially, as highlighted by festival reviews, the production bridges the gap for non-traditional audiences and those who do not typically enjoy traditional clowning - elevating the craft through weapon's-grade buffoonery and deeply heartfelt storytelling.ACCESS: No verbal language. Hearing loop. Because the performance relies entirely on non-verbal language, physical expression, and visual storytelling, it is universally accessible across language barriers, making it an engaging and welcoming experience regardless of the audience's background or familiarity with theatre.Sensory Experience: Audiences attending Blooming Out will experience a vibrant, multi-layered visual and auditory journey that seamlessly transitions between high-energy comedy and haunting intimacy: - See: Fast-paced, expert clowning and physical buffoonery; dynamic prop usage; expressive facial and bodily transformation; a dramatic visual shift during serious moments. - Hear: A rich tapestry of music and sound paired with live physical audio effects, rhythmic movement, comedic stage slapstick, and silence that highlights the show's non-verbal storytelling. - Feel: The audience will experience a full emotional spectrum - moving from laughing out loud at energetic, squabbling comedy to feeling deeply moved, empathetic, and reflective during poetic and vulnerable dramatic revelations. As one reviewer noted, the show takes viewers on a "relatable trip down memory lane" while offering an insightful, beautiful, and unforgettable window into the female world.CAPACITY: Blooming Out is versatile and can adapt to a variety of space configurations. However, due to the subtle emotional nuances, facial expressions, and physical details inherent in non-verbal clowning and prop play, the ideal venue capacity is 50 to 200 seats (intimate to mid-sized studio spaces or fringe festival venues) to ensure an optimal sightline and immersive experience for all audience members. Saying that the show has been performed at a 1000 seats theatre and it had an impactful effect with standing ovation mid show.EXPERIENCE: The company brings decades of professional international performance, coaching, and multidisciplinary expertise: - Bianca Bertalot: An actress specialized in clowning since 2005. Her extensive experience spans performing, delivering specialised workshops, and collaborating on community-focused arts projects. In 2016, she was awarded funding by the Arts Council to develop her acclaimed solo show Cinco Coisas. - Maria de Jesus Rocha: An actress, acting coach, and contemporary dancer who has been active in the professional performing arts across Brazil and Portugal since 1992. Her primary fields of practice and research are Pre-Expressive techniques and Clowning. - Blooming Out has been successfully delivered across multiple prominent UK fringe circuits - including the Swindon Fringe Festival (April 2017), Bath Fringe Festival at the Rondo Theatre (May 2017), and Theatre Fest Barnstaple Fringe (June/July 2017) - earning rave critical reviews for its seamless flow of comedy, drama, and powerful storytelling. The show has been to theatre venues across UL, such as Wardrobe Theatre; and University of Weymouth Theatre with a workshop for their students afterwards. The show has even travelled abroad to Switzerland!TECH: Equipment Provided by Company: The company provides all specialist stage props, costuming and performance-specific accessories. Venue Technical Requirements: - Lighting: The show can be performed with minimal lighting, and the company can bring a spot light if required. - The ideal set up: The show benefits from basic stage lighting with simple state changes to transition between energetic comedic scenes and intimate, dramatic moments. A blackout capability is ideal for specific scene transitions and dramatic timing. - Audio / PA Equipment: A basic PA system with a 3.5mm jack/Bluetooth/XLR connection is required to play the show’s musical score and sound effects. The Company can provide that should it be required. - Screens / Projectors: The production does not require screens or projectors.RUNNING TIME: 50 to 65 minutes, no intervals - a post show talk can be deliveredGET IN 45 minutes GET OUT 30 minutesOpen Sky - The Home (Theatre) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
THE HOME follows Uma, a rowdy seven-year-old sent from her working-class 1950s London family to a children's convalescence home for an indeterminate stay. Will she and her trusty bear Bess find their way home? Will it be the same when they do? Performer Genevieve Sabherwal plays ten characters in this virtuoso solo show, blending physical theatre, shadow puppetry, object manipulation and live song. Written by Gill Parsons and based on her own life story. Open Sky have toured nationally to critical acclaim (★★★★ The Times, ★★★★★ Broadway Baby). 70 minutes. Age guidance 12+.openskyahead.co.ukCONTENT: Uma Taylor is a healthy, curious and rowdy seven-year-old living in 1950s London with her working-class parents Ronnie and Shaheen, and brothers Raj and Eric. When an examination at a local child welfare clinic sees Uma sent to a children's convalescence home in the country for an indeterminate period, she is promised fresh air, good food and exercise. Instead she encounters the formidable Matron, racist staff and peers, and crushing indifference to her loneliness. Uma -with her defiant wit and boundless energy -tries to stand up to everything and everyone she encounters. Will Uma, and her trusty bear Bess, ever find their way home? Performed solo by Genevieve Sabherwal - playing ten characters - THE HOME blends physical theatre, shadow puppetry and music. One rural Welsh venue called it "a mesmerising production... a sell-out success that moved the audience to linger long after the curtain" (Night Out rural touring venue, Wales). Open Sky's work has been described as "brilliantly evoked" ★★★★ (The Times) and "such a moving piece of work – outstanding" ★★★★★ (Broadway Baby) (previous show). The show is themed around institutional oppression, class prejudice and racism, and is based on writer Gill Parsons' own childhood in a working-class, multi-ethnicity family in 1950s London and her involuntary stay in a children's convalescence home. Given its treatment of racism within a mid-century British institution, it connects naturally with Black History programming. It does include infrequent use of racial slurs appropriate to the period, handled within a story about resilience and family separation rather than gratuitously. Signposting to support organisations for anyone affected by the themes will be available at all performances.AUDIENCE: Age guidance is 12+. THE HOME appeals to audiences interested in new writing and physical/visual theatre, South Asian diaspora communities, people with experience of institutional care or family separation, and anyone who has felt lost and alone. It has been enjoyed by young and older people so it will appeal to multigenerational family audiences. “All of the students really loved the play, but it was especially important for our students from the global majority, who came out very emotional as they really connected with the play… they felt seen and heard through it.” — Hereford College of Arts feedbackSensory Experience : A one-woman show combining physical theatre, shadow puppetry, object manipulation, and an interactive set. Lighting comes from a self-contained, floor- and stand-mounted rig. Sound design includes both live and recorded elements, including songs sung live and an original recording of the writer's father singing in a working-class pub in the 1950s. CAPACITY: This is determined by the space and sightlines. We will bring some raised seating but where there is no raised stage 4 lines of audience is probably as many as can comfortably watch. EXPERIENCE: Open Sky is an award winning Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation based in Herefordshire, executive produced by Turtle Key Arts and supported by The Elmley Foundation. Our theatre work has toured nationally to critical acclaim and our digital work reaches millions world wide. Claire Coaché, Co-Director & Co-Deviser- Claire is an actor, director, writer and producer who, alongside co-founder Lisle Turner, leads the creation of all Open Sky work. Claire trained as an actor and director at the prestigious École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris. She co-founded female clown ensemble Jammy Voo before going on to become Co-Artistic Director at the award-winning Redcape Theatre from 2006 to 2012. She has created eleven plays to critical acclaim with Open Sky and led the company's transition into digital theatre work. Lisle Turner, Co-Director -Lisle is a writer, director and producer. Lisle’s artistic career began in earnest in 2005 at Amnesty International, where he created over fifty short films, documentaries and ads for the charity. In 2008 he founded Wrapt Films, where he wrote, directed and produced feature films and prime-time television. Alongside his screen work Lisle has written 9 critically acclaimed plays (The Idiot Colony, Scorched) before joining Open Sky as Creative Director in 2021. Genevieve Sabherwal- Performer and Co-Deviser - Completed East 15's BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre course and prior to this The Made In Bristol Programme at The Bristol Old Vic. Theatre credits include: ASHES BY CONVOY, Radika (Soho Theatre), THE WINTERS TALE, Perdita/Emilia (Tobacco Factory, Bristol) THE LITTLE PRINCESS, Sara Crewe, (Theatre By The Lake) AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, Aouda, (York Theatre Royal/ UK No.1 tour) MY GRANDMAS A WALRUS, Naira, (Southwark Playhouse), POLLY THE HEARTBREAK OPERA, Polly, (The Pleasance), SPEED DIAL, Flora (The Pleasance, Queen Dome), SPOOKY SHIP, (Bristol Old Vic), LEGO BEACH (Bristol Old Vic). Gill Parsons, Writer - Gill is a retired magistrate and university lecturer. In addition to her academic publications she has written a variety of stage plays (Home Sweet Home - Melville Theatre, Abergavenny), Echoes - Courtyard Hereford and audio plays (Giving, Everyone In). Gill’s childhood in a working class, multi-ethnicity family in 1950s London and her involuntary stay in a children’s convalescence home form the foundation of this new work. The Home is Gill’s first collaboration with Open Sky and the first time her work has toured nationally. Tic Ashfield- Sound design - Tic is a BAFTA Cymru Award Winning Composer and Sound Designer based in Cardiff, Wales. Tic creates bespoke music and sound for theatre & dance as well as bespoke music for TV & film. Theatre work includes sound design work on the Sherman Theatre production of ‘Hot Chicks’, music arrangement and sound design work on the Sherman Theatre | Hijinx Theatre production of ‘Housemates’, as well as co-composition and sound design on the Wales Millennium Centre | National Theatre production of ‘The Boy With Two Hearts’. Recent TV work includes scoring the S4C series STAD, music for the BBC4 program ‘The Read: Wuthering Heights’ starring Vinette Robinson.TECH: THE HOME is a fully self-sufficient touring production, travelling with its own PA system, self-contained lighting rig and floor cloth, and requiring no in-house technical equipment or operator. The ability to darken the room or cover windows during Get-in is important.RUNNING TIME: The piece is approximately 70 mins long. We can offer pre or post show activities and will work with promoters to find the best offer for their community. This could include Q&A’s with artists and creative team or local experts, theatre and devising workshops or provision of educational packs. We want to make our visit enriching and meaningful for the communities we visit in the ways that best suit them and in line with the resources we have available. GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 120 minutes.ACCESS: captions. Audio description. hearing loop.Paprika band - Paprika: The Balkan and East European Band (Music) All Ages
Experience the vibrant energy of Paprika, the UK’s leading Balkan band, in an unforgettable musical journey. With a line-up consisting of accordions, violin, guitar, bass guitar and percussion, Paprika fuses Eastern European, Balkan, Gypsy, and Classical music into electrifying performances full of fiery melodies, foot-tapping rhythms, and heartfelt laments. Suitable for all ages, their shows captivate diverse audiences, from rural village halls to sold-out venues in London and major festivals like WOMAD. “A must see!” – Cerys Matthews, BBChttps://www.paprikamusic.comDETAIL: Paprika is the UK's leading Balkan band, known for its dynamic and captivating performances. The band comprises musicians playing the accordion, violin, guitar, and percussion, and together, they create a spellbinding fusion of Eastern European, Balkan, Gypsy, and Classical music. Their electrifying shows are a whirlwind of frenzied virtuosity, where fiery melodies and foot-tapping rhythms are seamlessly intertwined with heart-rending laments, all delivered with an infectious high-energy spirit. The audience will experience a captivating and immersive musical adventure, as we transport them to the heart of the Balkans, bringing to life the vibrant traditions and stories that have shaped this enchanting region. Whether you're tapping your feet to infectious rhythms or swaying to soulful melodies, Paprika promises an unforgettable, multifaceted journey through Balkan music that will leave you mesmerized and yearning for more. Our show is structured into two sets, each lasting 45 minutes, with a 20-minute break in between to give the audience a chance to catch their breath and mingle. Throughout the performance, we take the audience on a musical journey through various regions of the Balkans, highlighting the diversity of styles and rhythms that characterize this rich cultural tapestry. Our repertoire includes invigorating tunes perfect for dancing, and we encourage the audience to join in and let loose. We also offer more slow-paced and gentle pieces that evoke deep emotions and create moments of reflection.AUDIENCE: Our performances are suitable for all ages. We regularly do rural tours in sold-out venues across villages in the south of England where most of our audiences are older people. However, we performed at big festivals such as Womad where we had a wide range of audiences. In London, we often perform in sold-out venues where our audiences tend to be younger people.RUNNING TIME: 2 sets of 45min with a 20min intervalTECH: We bring our own PA, but would appreciate if you could provide basic lighting.GET IN 120 minutes GET OUT 60 minutesACCESS: hearing loopPaul Higgs - Cult TV Jazz (Music) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Paul Higgs presents an evening of cult TV jazz themes, including Batman, Star Trek, Pink Panther and Doctor Who. Some of the world’s best jazz composers were commissioned to write these memorable and much loved themes: Neal Hefti, Henry Mancini, Johnny Dankworth, Alexander Courage, and Ron Grainer. Paul and his band will be playing these all-time cult classics, with some narrative background from Paul.www.paulhiggs.comCONTENT: Cult TV Jazz. Paul Higgs presents an evening of well loved cult TV jazz themes, including Tomorrows World, Thunderbirds, Star Trek, Pink Panther and Doctor Who. Some of the world’s best jazz composers were commissioned to write these memorable and much loved themes: Neal Hefti, Henry Mancini, Johnny Dankworth, Alexander Courage, and Ron Grainer. Paul and his band will be playing these all-time cult classics, with some light-hearted narrative background from Paul. It is presented and played by Paul Higgs on trumpet accompanied by a jazz trio of piano, double bass and drums. AUDIENCE: As the golden age of the TV theme is from the 1960s to 1990s our usual audience is mature but there is no reason anybody interested in music can't attend.Sensory experience : The audience will be entertained with music from each period of jazz and either a short 1 minute explanation of how the themes came to be composed or a funny story connected with the tune. The audience will be informed by the history or can just sit back and enjoy the music if they prefer.CAPACITY: The more the better. The capacity is determined by the safe available space in the library.EXPERIENCE: I have presented 2 other show shows (A Brief History of Jazz and Shades of Miles) for The library Presents in previous years. I’m also a working professional musician having worked at prestigious venues at home and abroad.TECH: We are largely self contained and will bring a PA and instruments needed. The only additional requirement is lights if they are available. It’s not a problem if they are not. RUNNING TIME: The show consists of 2 x’s 45 minute sets with a 15-20min interval.GET IN 80 minutes GET OUT 40 minutesACCESS: Hearing Loop.Perfectly serviceable -Empty Orchestra (Dance Comedy Music) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Empty Orchestra is a playful collision of contemporary dance, karaoke and comedy. Three performers take us somewhere between a dance show, a karaoke night and an increasingly strange social gathering. Moving between recognisable songs, choreography, spoken word and unexpected improvisation, the performers explore the pressures of being ourselves in front of other people. Funny, energetic and occasionally absurd, Empty Orchestra is a show for anyone who has ever sung along to a song, whether or not they have ever been to a dance performance.www.perfectlyserviceable.co.ukRUNNING TIME: We propose a performance of approximately 60 minutes, with no interval. We would be happy to discuss a short post-show Q&A or informal audience conversation where this would be useful for a particular library or community. Also we would love to run a karaoke event for the audience after the show where it is desired. GET IN 90 minutes GET OUT 45 minutes.ACCESS: British Sign Language. Hearing Loop.CONTENT: Empty Orchestra is a playful collision of contemporary dance, karaoke and comedy. For The Library Presents, we would present a pared-back touring version of the work specifically suited to library and community spaces. The adaptation retains the central relationship between karaoke, dance, comedy and performance while reducing the technical and production requirements of the original presentation. Three performers create a strange social world somewhere between a dance performance, a karaoke night and a night out with friends. Familiar songs provide a starting point for choreography, singing and interaction, but the performers continually disrupt expectations about what a karaoke performance or a dance performance should look like. The work explores the social pressures involved in performing ourselves in front of other people. Karaoke is a particularly useful framework for this: it is simultaneously ordinary and theatrical, private and public, embarrassing and empowering. The performers move between moments of confidence, vulnerability, competition, humour and collective play. Rather than presenting contemporary dance as something that requires specialist knowledge, Empty Orchestra uses recognisable cultural forms as a way into physical and choreographic ideas. The performers dance, sing, speak and improvise, allowing the audience to move between watching a performance and recognising something familiar from their own experience. The work is humorous and energetic, but beneath this playfulness it asks questions about how we present ourselves to others, what happens when we take up space, and how social expectations affect the way we behave.TECH: The work does not require blackout, complex staging or a dedicated technical operator. The Library Presents version is designed to have minimal technical requirements. We would bring any specialist equipment required for the performance. We do not require blackout. We would require: A performance space of approximately 5m × 6m. Basic PA/sound system. Playback capability. Basic lighting, if available. Access to standard power. We understand that The Library Presents can provide basic LED lighting and PA equipment, with artists responsible for setting up equipment. The three performers will be responsible for the get-in, set-up and get-out. No dedicated stage manager or technician is required.AUDIENCE: The work is aimed primarily at adults and young adults, and is particularly suitable for people who may not regularly attend contemporary dance. Karaoke provides an immediate point of recognition, while the humour, music and directness of the performers make the work accessible without requiring previous knowledge of dance. We are particularly interested in reaching audiences aged 16–30 and over 60, both of whom The Library Presents identifies as priority audiences for developing new audiences. The performance is suitable for people with no previous experience of dance, as well as audiences who already engage with contemporary performance. This approach is supported by our previous touring experience with Empty Orchestra, where approximately half of audiences reported having little or no previous experience of dance.Sensory experience: The audience will experience a lively combination of music, movement, singing, spoken language and comedy. The performance moves between recognisable popular music and live performance. The performers use their voices as well as their bodies, creating a constantly shifting relationship between choreography, song, speech and social interaction. Visually, the work is deliberately immediate rather than dependent on elaborate theatrical design. The performers and their actions remain central, allowing the work to adapt to different architectural environments. The audience may laugh, recognise songs, feel moments of awkwardness or familiarity, and experience the pleasure of watching three people take risks in front of them.CAPACITY: There is no fixed capacity requirement from the performance itself. The work can adapt to the capacity and configuration of the individual library or community venue. The majority of Library Presents spaces are approximately 5m × 6m, and we would design the small-scale version to work within this footprint.EXPERIENCE: Empty Orchestra has been developed and performed by experienced professional dance artists working across contemporary dance, improvisation, theatre, comedy and live performance. The work has toured beyond conventional dance venues and has been presented in contexts where audiences may not identify themselves as contemporary dance audiences. The performers bring substantial experience of working with improvisation and audience interaction, as well as professional experience performing, making and teaching contemporary dance. Our wider practice is centred on making experimental performance welcoming and legible to people who may not regularly encounter contemporary dance.Rachel Hill - Live Vocal Loop Station Concert (Music) Adults and Young People 12+yrs
Have you ever heard a choir made by just one person? Spend an unforgettable evening with local loop-station artist and singer-songwriter Rachel Hill, as she transforms a single voice into a rich, mesmerising choir — live before your eyes. Blending her signature folk-inspired storytelling with the creative possibilities of modern technology, Rachel layers harmonies, rhythms and melodies to create something truly unique. Expect heartfelt songs that make you laugh and cry. Come curious, leave inspired. https://www.rachelhillmusic.comCONTENT: I have taken my one-woman show on the road in the form of house concerts and church concerts for many years now, both in the UK and abroad. I perform with guitar, piano, stomp pedal and vocal loop station and I think the loop station in particular will really lend itself to The Library Presents series. The RC-30 Loop Station was made popular by artists such as Ed Sheeran, but people rarely get to see them used up close, especially for vocal looping (guitar looping is much more common). I love demonstrating how the technology works and the loop station itself forms the backbone of my 90 minute set. The set is broken up into 2 x 45-minute sets, roughly 8 songs per half. To provide variation in the music I use a mixture of instrumentation, tempos and lyrical themes. There are also opportunities for audience participation in some of the songs, and I like to teach various harmonies live to the audience. My songs themselves are all respectful of your content limitations and are mostly based around the theme ‘Songs for my Loved Ones’ which is an ongoing series of CDs I am releasing. Before each song I give the background of the storytelling and I enjoy weaving in comedy into these sections. I also have a couple of comedy songs to provide variation in the set. The audience will experience the layering of voices live in real time, none of it is pre-recorded. This is a mostly auditory experience. WRAP-AROUND: I can include an explanation of the technology in the concert itself but I would additionally love to provide a wraparound session prior to the gig which explains how to use the loop station and gives audience members a chance to try it out themselves or contribute to a live-composed song. This type of workshop would be new to me, but I can imagine it taking 45-60 minutes. The workshop would begin by dissecting a couple of different loop station arrangements I have made of popular covers. We would listen to a snippet of the original together and then I would recreate the instrumental vocally to demonstrate the concept. Then the audience would be invited to assist me in composing a brand new song: suggesting lyrics, choosing the harmonic key, and improvising melodic ideas over the harmonic progression decided upon. In turn, audience members could try to use the loop station themselves with my guidance and we could gradually build up several different song textures. With your permission the end results could then be uploaded to my social media pages and to the library’s website. CAPACITY: There is no maximum capacity for this event. RUNNING TIME: Show: 2 x 45 minutes. Wrap around event prior to the show: 45-60 minutes.GET IN 60 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed event. This is an autism and neurodivergent friendly event. Despite amplification being used, the sound levels are always determined with sound sensitivity in mind. Hearing Loop.TECH: I can provide all of my own amplification, but I would appreciate some basic lighting to give the stage some atmosphere if possible. For the purpose of the loop station it’s also helpful if background noises are kept to a minimum during each song (for example any high-pitched intermittent beeps etc can feed back into the recording). Rosie Wilby - Conversations We Should’ve Had (Spoken Word / Comedy) Adults and Young People 14+yrs
Award-winning comedian, globally published author and Radio 4 regular Rosie Wilby presents a brand new show combining standup and spoken word to explore the responsibilities of writing fiction inspired by real life - a process she is currently undergoing while writing a debut novel about her experiences as a queer woman in the comedy industry. Described by Sara Pascoe as ‘funny, clever and honest’, Rosie’s work focuses on integrity, inclusion, compassion and curiosity. www.rosiewilby.comCONTENT: I will weave a standup set about the process of writing a novel around lyrical and poignant fragments of the novel itself, which describes how a secret relationship between two female comedians, and their conversations about the ethics of discussing identity in a comedy setting, ended up being a painful, but ultimately positive, catalyst for them both. Are we undermining important aspects of our lives and histories if we repurpose them for comedy content? Or is humour a way in to deeper reflections on these aspects of ourselves? I will follow the performance with a discussion / Q&A. AUDIENCE: This content is suitable for adults and teenagers. It may be of particular interest to those interested in a career in standup comedy or creative writing. NB - trailer includes a swear word as this was an adult performance in a theatre / comedy setting. Obviously I would modify and tailor content to the audience and setting and cut any swearing. Sensory - the audience will follow a story about friendship, feminism and creativity accompanied by fragments of sound and music. No max capacity. I am an experienced professional performer who has toured shows nationally and internationally. TECH: Please provide basic lighting, PA equipment. RUNNING TIME: Show : 50 minutes. Discussion : 40 minutes GET IN 30 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loop.Sabotage Theatre Company - The Púca (Theatre Puppetry) Families 10+yrs
That little voice inside your head, telling you you're not good enough? Imagine you could see who's speaking. Meet The Púca - your impish, shape-shifting internal voice. For anyone who's ever battled this mischief maker, join The Master and Number Two on an interactive, surprising journey to befriend your inner critic, told through puppetry, mask and plenty of laughs. www.sabotagetheatre.org.ukCONTENT: The Púca is a unique participatory theatre performance and workshop for children, using puppetry, masks and physical theatre to teach techniques on how to manage our inner voice more effectively. The show provides a creative and practical guide to becoming less emotionally reactive and finding a safe place inside ourselves. In Irish folklore ‘Púca’ is a mischievous shape-shifting spirit. In the show, we depict the Púca as the negative chatter inside our heads through puppetry. Puppets can provide a useful distancing tool; by externalising the inner critic as a puppet, we can learn and practice techniques and ways to be a better friend to ourselves through more compassionate self-talk.AUDIENCE: The Púca is particularly suitable for children aged 10+ and their families.The audience will see two unusually dressed performers who will greet them and tell them they will deliver a workshop which will allow them to have complete control over their mind. There is the smell of incense. There is atmospheric music. The mood is mystical and occult. The characters are a comedy duo called the Master and Number 2. They use different types of puppets to talk to the different ‘voices’ inside themselves, and also to help demonstrate techniques of mental health resilience. There will be opportunities to come on stage and be part of these demonstrations. There are also several imagination exercises. Throughout the performance and workshop the audience will discover the frailties of the Master, and find opportunities to reflect on the vulnerabilities we all have and how we might help ourselves. The mood is varied throughout the piece. Previous participants have reported that they have felt, calmed, empowered, excited, they have laughed and also they have found it scary (but in a good way). CAPACITY: Maximum capacity is 90.EXPERIENCE: We have delivered this to children and families in schools, youth group settings and community halls. We have also delivered other Sabotage shows in libraries and theatres, including on the rural touring circuit. Our show ‘After the Rain’ was selected by The Library Presents a couple of years ago.TECH: Sabotage Theatre will provide a portable sound and lighting system. We will need an electric power socket. RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes, not including interval. GET IN 45 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: Relaxed event.Sam Bain - Team Viking (Storytelling) Adults and Young People 14+yrs
VIDEO TRAILER: InstagramFifteen years ago, James’ best friend Tom was diagnosed with heart cancer and given three months to live. His last wish was to have a full Viking burial. So James gave him one. Team Viking tells the remarkable, hilarious and heart-lifting story of how James actually managed to give his best mate the send-off he wanted. Blending storytelling, music, comedy and even a genuine Viking helmet, it’s a comic ode to death, friendship and the beautiful absurdity of life. “Equal parts sad, funny and ridiculous… a show of real courage” (ThreeWeeks)https://jamesrowlandtouring.com/Team Viking blends storytelling, live looped music, comedy and a genuine Viking helmet into what's been called a comic ode to death, friendship and the beautiful absurdity of life. Its core themes are grief, male friendship, mortality, and how humour and ritual help us process loss. Audiences see a bare stage with just our storyteller, a live-loop pedal setup, and one Viking helmet. Emotionally, the show moves between big laughs and sudden tonal shifts into raw grief. It's staged simply enough to feel intimate rather than spectacular. No maximum capacity as such, it's a solo, low-tech storytelling piece that scales from tiny fringe rooms to mid-scale theatres.AUDIENCE: Age guidance is 14+ due to adult themes and language. It suits adult and older-teen audiences who enjoy solo storytelling, spoken word/gig-theatre hybrids, and dark comedy.RUNNING TIME:70 minutes, no intervalGET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 30 minutes.ACCESS: hearing loop.EXPERIENCE: James Rowland is a celebrated storyteller whose work blends comedy, music and the oral tradition of theatre. His debut trilogy, Songs of Friendship (Team Viking, A Hundred Different Words for Love, Revelations), was performed over 400 times in more than 200 venues across the UK and at international festivals in Amsterdam and Brisbane. The trilogy was published by Oberon and is also available as audio recordings. In 2017, James toured the internationally acclaimed Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, performing more than 180 dates across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland. In 2021 he began a second trilogy, Songs of the Heart (Learning to Fly, Piece of Work, James Rowland Dies at the End of the Show), directed by Jonathan Humphreys. Performed over 200 times already in the UK and abroad, the shows form a virtuosic chamber series exploring art, friendship, mortality and the wonder of being human. James’s work is rooted in the oral tradition - vast in scope yet simple in staging - with music, comedy and imagination at its core. His belief is simple: art should be everywhere, because it is for everyone. ★★★★★ The Guardian (Learning to Fly) “A riveting, remarkable hour of theatre” ★★★★ Sunday Times (Revelations) “Captivating… A generous, deepening hymn to friendship” ★★★★★ The Scotsman (Songs of Friendship trilogy) “Masterful… One mighty, passionate epic” Team Viking Touring History: World premiere: Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2016. A sold out, breakthrough hit. Toured extensively across UK venues and festivals for a decade, from village halls to major festival stages, performed hundreds of times across the world. Australian premiere at Brisbane Festival, 2019. 10th Anniversary edition currently touring internationally. AWARDS: Best of Theatre & Physical Theatre, Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award (2026)TECH: Lighting: Warm general wash. Optional back cold blue wash. Sound: Provided by artist (live music with touring amp & mic). Operator: Not required (single cue operated by performer), unless venue rules stipulate.Sanskruti Dance - Tree of Life (Dance) Families / All Ages
Aranyani, Goddess of forests and the wild, is dying. To recover, and for the plants and animals that she supports to thrive, she needs nourishment and balance in the world. It is down to a spiritual Sage and a Scientist, and you, the audience, to discover how to save her.https://sanskrutidance.co.uk/CONTENT: Tree of Life is a dance theatre production for audiences of all ages, exploring the relationship between science, spirituality and the natural world through trees and dance. The production combines South Asian Bharatanatyam, contemporary Western dance, an original music score, spoken word and interactive technology. It draws inspiration from two stories connected to trees: Buddha attaining enlightenment beneath a Bodhi (fig) tree in India, and Isaac Newton’s discovery of gravity, traditionally associated with an apple tree in the UK. These stories provide a framework for exploring how humans seek to understand the world around us through both spiritual enquiry and scientific discovery. The tree becomes a metaphor for knowledge, connection, growth and our relationship with nature. The performance features an interactive tree incorporating Micro:bit technology, enabling children to participate directly in the work, as well as a Forest Goddess represented through dance.The environmental theme is central to the production. While Tree of Life is not specifically a climate-change production, it encourages children to think about trees, nature, interconnectedness and our relationship with the natural world.THEMES: Its themes of identity, connection, belonging, ancestry and different cultural perspectives can support wider conversations around diversity and inclusion. The work particularly celebrates South Asian cultural heritage through Bharatanatyam and the story of Buddha.AUDIENCE: The production is suitable for families and wider, more general audiences. It is suitable for schools, libraries, museums, theatres, community centres, hospitals, festivals and outdoor settings. Our current tour has shown that Tree of Life touches adults, the elderly, even cancer patients and survivors. No previous knowledge of Bharatanatyam, Indian culture, science or dance is required. The work is designed to be accessible to audiences with different levels of experience. It is particularly relevant to audiences interested in: Dance and performance, Science and nature, South Asian culture, Interactive technology.RUNNING TIME: 1 hour. The show is 40 minutes, plus a stay on workshop for 20 minutes occurs at the end, allowing the audience to explore the Micro:bit technology used in the performance.ACCESS: 'No verbal language used in performance, Relaxed Event (neuro-divergent and autism friendly) - with guides and supporting materials, Audio Description. Hearing loop.Sensory Experience :Audiences experience a combination of dance, music, spoken word, lighting, visual theatrical elements and interactive technology. They will see Bharatanatyam and western contemporary dance, costumes and the interactive Tree of Life. They will hear an original music score, rhythmic and musical elements, and spoken and interpreted storytelling. Lighting can also be adapted to include changes in intensity and atmosphere.CAPACITY: The production can accommodate different audience sizes depending on the venue, available space, seating configuration, sightlines and venue safety requirements. The venue's maximum audience capacity would therefore be agreed according to the space and its normal safety capacity.EXPERIENCE: Sanskruti Dance is a UK-based Bharatanatyam dance company whose mission is to inspire, educate and engage people in South Asian art forms, culture and heritage. Sanskruti Dance has experience delivering performances, children's and family programmes, school workshops, community engagement, participatory dance, hospitals, festivals and educational activities.Equality and Diversity: Sanskruti Dance is a South Asian-led organisation specialising in Bharatanatyam and South Asian dance forms. Our work brings South Asian cultural heritage into dialogue with contemporary Western dance, music, storytelling and technology. We aim to make our work welcoming and accessible to people from different cultural, social and educational backgrounds. Tree of Life is designed for diverse, multigenerational audiences and can be presented in theatres as well as community, educational, healthcare and outdoor settings.TECH: The minimum performance area is: 3.5-4m/5m/5m(H/W/D); Ideally 3.5-4m/6m/6m. At least four standard electrical sockets are required, we would appreciate access to TLP lighting and sound PA system. GET IN Minimum 150 minutes GET OUT maximum 60 minutesSarah McQuaid - Sarah McQuaid In Concert (Music) Adults
Sarah McQuaid’s lush, velvety voice combines with her engaging personality and “brilliant musicianship” (fRoots) on acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards and (occasionally) drum to create a truly immersive experience. Her live performances are full of warmth, wit, and intimacy, and have earned her loyal followings on both sides of the Atlantic. From contemplative ballads to playful blues to atmospheric instrumentals, Sarah’s music invites reflection, connection, and a deep appreciation of the quiet power of a well-crafted song.https://sarahmcquaid.comEXPERIENCE: I have been a full time touring artist for over 17 years and have worked extensively both with rural touring schemes (including Night Out, Artsreach Dorset, Cheshire Rural Touring Arts, Applause, Live & Local, Arts Alive, Beaford Arts, AIR in G, Villages In Action, Carn To Cove, Highlights, LiveLincs and Essex On Tour) and in libraries, both in the UK and abroad. In January 2026 I did my fourth concert for Warwickshire Libraries, having performed in previous years in both Nuneaton and Rugby Libraries; I also perform frequently in libraries in the USA. I have dual Irish and US citizenship and am based in Penzance.AUDIENCE: My show is aimed at an adult audience but is suitable for all ages, and has a broad appeal — with a special interest for 60-plus concerts goers as I’m 60 years old myself!CONTENT: I present a varied, eclectic program (usually 2 x 45-minute sets with interval), singing and playing electric and acoustic guitars, keyboard and floor tom drum. My repertoire consists mostly of my own original songs, but also includes folk/traditional material and a few covers. In the words of one audience member: “Sarah is a truly impressive artist who takes you on a journey through storytelling, blending a variety of musical genres and instruments with ease and creativity. Her lyrics are down-to-earth yet incredibly captivating. Attending her concert feels like diving into a book of short stories — some resonate deeply, some spark your imagination, others make you pause and reflect, and a few bring tears or spontaneous laughter. Sarah’s connection with the audience is both gentle and profound. You don’t just watch a performance — you become part of it, part of the story she’s telling. … To anyone considering seeing her live: go. It’s worth every second. You’ll leave with your heart full and your soul touched — guaranteed.”TECH: I tour with my own sound engineer, PA and stage lighting. I have public liability insurance, and all equipment is PAT tested. Space required is 2m x 2m x 2m, and no blackout is required. I perform standing and do not require a stage. There is no maximum venue capacity; I can tailor my setup to suit the setting.GET IN 150 minutes and GET OUT time is 60 minutes. RUNNING TIME: Usually 2 x 45-minute sets plus interval, but other formats are available on request.ACCESS: hearing loop.Marketing support provided includes posters, flyers, easy-to-navigate website and social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube etc.). I also send out press releases to my own media list and am happy to provide draft press releases on request.Testimonials: “Sarah McQuaid has evolved into a mature artist with important thoughts to ponder then sing about …. One of music’s most reliable and empathetic songwriters …. warm, introspective, and stunningly gorgeous songs, many-faceted gems of love and hope, heartfelt and beautifully crafted.” – AmericanaUK “She’s not beholden to one genre, but rather gives the songs what they need, be it country, folk, blues, Americana or any combination …. It was a cracking night out …. Sarah McQuaid knows how to put a show together, this was top drawer entertainment.” – Fatea Magazine “Sarah doesn’t compose songs that are cliché-filled – there’s a purpose, a tale & an assortment that has continuity & appeal. … Sarah McQuaid plays with confidence, virtuosity, charm & exceptional skill.” – Americana Highways “Beautiful voice … warm and welcoming persona … the most interactive performer I have ever met.” – Lazonby Village Hall (Highlights) “WOW … what an evening. … Never had so much praise from an audience. A woman of endless talent, Sarah jumped between piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and drums whilst enthralling us with her unique and mesmerising voice.” – Melford Arts (Applause Touring) “Sarah is a brilliant performer who really knows how to connect to an audience.” – Buckland in the Moor Community Hall (Villages In Action)“Stunning vocals, excellent live sound quality, engaging narrative with the audience – an all round musical treat.” – Claire Ayres, Beaford Arts “A truly wonderful night of top notch, professional entertainment in our local village hall. It doesn't get better than this!” – Skelton Toppin Memorial Hall “Sarah McQuaid … gave us a warm and wonderful performance, assisted by her equally talented technician, Martin. Sarah charmed her audience and the glowing reports are coming in. Delightful people to work with and will surely be back!” — Chettle Village Hall “We had Sarah at Millis Library in October 2016 and she was terrific! The audience – around 50 people on a Tuesday night – absolutely loved her vocals and guitar. Martin was a big hit with the sound board too. We’d have them both back in a heartbeat.” – Alex Lent, Millis Public Library, Millis, MA, USA “Sarah played a fantastic set at Warwick Public Library in Rhode Island. She pleased us all in profound ways, and I will happily book her again. Sarah and her road manager Martin are easy to work with and absolute delights. Don’t hesitate to bring Sarah in for a show. Your experience will be meaningful and worthwhile.” – Wil Gregersen, Warwick Public Library, Warwick, RI, USAScarlet Oak Theatre - The Zoo That Comes To You (Theatre Puppetry) Families 5+yrs
Two wildlife enthusiasts who provide respite and care for animals in need, now have a sanctuary full of animals, but no visitors! So everybody - animals and humans alike - have decided it is time to get out, see the world, and bring the zoo to you! Featuring puppetry, live music and unforgettable characters, this joyful production inspires and empowers the next generations to take action and invites the whole family to join the conversation about animal conservation. www.scarletoaktheatre.comRUNNING TIME: Show: 60mins, no interval. Plus 15min (aprox) post show Meet & Greet with an animal puppet from the show.GET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 90 minutes.ACCESS: relaxed event. hearing loop.Scarlet Oak Theatre creates high quality, conversation sparking, engaging theatre for young audiences to enjoy with their families.THEMES: Environment, conservation, science, animals, empowerment of young people. A joyful and informative show that invites everyone to join the conversation about animal conservationAUDIENCE: Designed for ages 5-11 and their grown ups (younger audiences also very welcome)TECH: Tours with own speaker. Requires only normal well lit space, no blackouts or specials. Performance pace requirements: 6m W X 6m D x 2.5m HCapacity: no max capacity, venue’s choice.CONTENT: - Featuring: 5 x beautiful and realistic animal puppets- Kea parrot, blue iguana, orangutan, green turtle, white rhino. The Zoo That Comes To You follows the efforts of two wildlife enthusiasts who provide respite, care or a temporary home to animals in need. They now have a sanctuary full of animals, however, no-one has come to visit their zoo. So everybody - animals and humans alike - have decided it is time to get out, see the world, and bring the zoo, to you! The Zoo That Comes To You uses puppetry, music and unforgettable characters to explore big topics such as animal adaptations, wildlife conservation and habitat destruction in a fun and accessible way. The show is designed for ages 5+ however younger and older audiences are very welcome too. Come and meet this eclectic group of charming yet cheeky animals, as they discuss their life experiences and the challenges they face. These chatty animals have a lot of stories to tell and want to inspire people of all ages to take action, because they know small actions can make a big difference in the world.“A perfect balance of entertainment, education and beautiful design, the performance pulls you in and helps bring to life the issue of wildlife conservation. ” Director of The Exeter Fringe 2021Scarlet Oak Theatre - Along Came A Magpie (Theatre Puppetry) Families 2+yrs
In the intimate setting of a potting shed, we meet our Gardener. She loves the smell of the flowers and watching her plants bloom. But along came a magpie who turns her potting shed upside down! Join our gardener and magpie on this playful and heart warming journey as they navigate the intricacies of their new friendship. Featuring puppetry, plants and lots of pots, this forty minute adventure is designed to delight ages 2-6 and their grownups.www.scarletoaktheatre.comCONTENT: A heartwarming tale about the value of connecting with others and building new friendships, even when the path isn't always smooth. Emphasis on physical / non verbal storytelling. Themes: Environment, nature, animals, friendship, growth, expressing feelingsRUNNING TIME: 40 minute theatre production, no interval. Meet & Greet can be scheduled for after performances, audience can take photo with apuppet, appox 15minsGET IN 150 minutes GET OUT 90 minutes.ACCESS: 'No verbal language used in performance, Relaxed Event (no additional supporting materials), Captions / Subtitling. Hearing loop.AUDIENCE: Designed for ages 2-6 (younger and older audiences also very welcome)TECH: Tours with own speaker. Requires only normal well lit space, no blackouts or specials. Performance space requirements: 6m W X 6m D x 2.5m HCapacity: no max capacity, venue’s choice.Featuring: Natural looking potting shed set and beautiful Magpie puppet. Our Gardener loves the smell of the flowers, the feel of the earth and watching her plants bloom. But along comes a magpie who turns her potting shed upside down! Making new friends is lots of fun, but can sometimes be tricky. Join our gardener and magpie on this playful and heart warming journey as they navigate the intricacies of friendship. Featuring puppetry, plants and lots of pots, this show is designed to delight ages 2-6 and their grown ups. “Scarlet Oak Theatre are making playful and engaging work for young people and their families to enjoy together. They have an infectious sense of fun and have left our audiences smiling with every performance.” - Adam Fuller, Co-Creative Director @ Front Room Theatre, Weston-super-mare“A heartwarming story about friendship, compromise and the joy of sharing a cup of tea” - Audience memberScarlet Oak Theatre - The Zoo Keepers Pop-Up Performances (Puppetry) Families 5+yrs
Entertaining and informative shows that bring the wonders of the animal kingdom to life. Don’t miss the chance to feed a rhino, build an orangutan’s nest, laugh with an outrageous iguana or help a cheeky Kea with a magic trick! Previous programming includes: The Eden Project; Bristol Zoo Project; Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm; The Great British Bake Off final; Sky Studios Osterley; Hogshaw Farm and Wildlife Park. Experience the magic of these charming yet cheeky animal puppets.www.scarletoaktheatre.comScarlet Oak Theatre creates high quality, conversation sparking, engaging theatre for young audiences to enjoy with their families. Scarlet Oak theatre presents “The Zoo Keepers” 4 x 15min pop-up performances: entertaining and informative shows that bring the wonders of the animal kingdom to life. Experience the magic of these charming yet cheeky animal puppets.Themes: Environment, conservation, science, animals, empowerment of young peopleRUNNING TIME: 4 x 15min pop-up production. Wraparound activities: “Meet and Greets” after each performance.AUDIENCES: Designed for ages 5+ and their grown ups (younger audiences also very welcome)TECH: Performance space: flexible, approx 3m x 3m space, must be indoors or under cover such as a marque. Lighting: This production does not require specialist lighting. Sounds: At large busy events venue may need to provide 2 x head mics + speaker. Capacity: no max capacity, venue’s choice.CONTENT: each performances showcases a different beautiful and realistic animal puppet- Kea parrot, blue iguana, orangutan, white rhino. In each show, our lovable zoo keepers will introduce a different extraordinary animal puppet - don’t miss the chance to feed a rhino, build an orangutan’s nest, laugh with an outrageous iguana or help a cheeky Kea with a magic trick! After each performance, you can meet the puppets up close, snap photos, and create lasting memories with these extraordinary creatures. These shows work wonderfully at zoo’s, family attraction sites and festivals and are sure to delight and inspire people of all ages. Previous programming includes: The Eden Project; Bristol Zoo Project; Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm; The Great British Bake Off final; Sky Studios Osterley; Hogshaw Farm and Wildlife Park as well as a range of festivals and private events. “Splendidly synchronised… Jasmine Orchard and Lucia d’Inverno infuse the room with joyful music, silliness and fabulous puppetry.” Everything Theatre ★★★★ “Scarlet Oak Theatre are making playful and engaging work for young people and their families to enjoy together. They have an infectious sense of fun and have left our audiences smiling with every performance.” - Adam Fuller, Co-Creative Director @ Front Room Theatre, Weston-super-mare. “A perfect balance of entertainment, education and beautiful design, the performance pulls you in and helps bring to life the issue of wildlife conservation.” - Director of The Exeter Fringe 2021Scoop Magic - Comedy Magic Show - Real Life Magic (Magic) All Ages
An amazing and hilarious comedy magic show which asks the question - what would you do if you had the skills of a magician? Can magicians use their skills to make everyday real life better? In this hilarious and mind-blowing show free drinks will appear, minds will be manipulated, the lottery will even be predicted, all with plenty of laughs along the way. Don't miss out on your chance to experience Real Life Magic!https://www.scoopmagic.co.uk/Real Life Magic is an amazing and hilarious comedy magic show which asks the question, "can magicians use their skills to make everyday real life better?". It is a light-hearted apolitical show so there are no connections with Black History, LGBTQIA+ or environmental issues.RUNNING TIME: The show is 2 x 45 mins with a 15 min interval.GET IN 60 minutes GET OUT 60 minutes.ACCESS: relaxed event, hearing loop.AUDIENCE: My content is aimed at adults and families, I usually tour the show round holiday parks and tourist attractions but it has also featured in comedy clubs, theatres and adult venues. The show is for anyone who wants to experience the joy of laughter and wonder and it doesn't take anything too seriously but does have a point to make about the importance of being able to have light-hearted fun.The audience will see the impossible happening before their eyes, birds will appear and disappear, paper models will become real in a flash of fire, objects will be destroyed then reformed right before their eyes and the future will be predicted with flawless accuracy. If that wasn't enough they will also experience the thrill of death-defying stunts, amazement at having their minds controlled and laughter at rib-tickling high-jinks!The maximum capacity is 100 people.EXPERIENCE: I started performing magic shows when I was just eight years old and have been performing as a full-time professional for 24 years including TV appearances for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. I have also performed for celebrities and sports stars including members of the England men's football squad, the cast of Hollyoaks and Coronation Street and many many others. I have also worked alongside fellow magician Dynamo as well as entertainers such as Rob Brydon, Jason Manford and Ella Henderson. Variations of this specific show have been performed at holiday parks, venues, comedy clubs and theatres all over the UK over the past three years.TECH: I will bring my own mic and PA system, the only technical equipment I will need is lighting. This can just be normal room lighting but any additional theatrical lighting would be great. I don't require a blackout or any screens or projectors.