TakeOff Festival Brochure 2019

21–26 Oct 2019 DURHAM, ENGLAND

A celebration of theatre for children and young people.

Welcome to TakeOff Festival 2019.

England’s leading children’s theatre festival.

TakeOff Festival returns to Durham 21-26 October, with a week long festival of theatre for children, young people and their families.

Join us for Hide-and-Seek for ages 2-5 and watch as two performers bring to life the fear and joy of playing this well-loved children’s game. For children aged 5+, Fly takes us on a journey in a circus universe with strange characters, big emotions and captivating puppet imagery.

Older children aged 8+ will be taken on a thousandyear journey from fact to fiction and back again in a one-man, one-hour show, Is this a Dagger? The story of Macbeth.

Our Family Day draws the week to a close on Saturday 26 October with a jam-packed day filled with shows, arts and crafts, street performers and much more.

Visit takeofffestival.org.uk for more details.

takeofffestival.org.uk @TakeOffFestival TakeOff Festival #TOF19 #Durham19

We hope to see you at TakeOff Festival 2019!

Theatre Hullabaloo x 02

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

How to book To book, take a look through this brochure, decide what you would like to see and book your tickets at takeofffestival.org.uk or give our Box Office a call on 01325 405 405, it’s really simple!

Ticket prices: Adults £10 / Children £7 (Adult ticket when purchased with a child ticket will be reduced to £7) Family ticket £24 (4 people, must include min of 1 adult)

School bookings: Other performances are available for schools to book.

For school bookings or larger group bookings, please call our office on 01325 405 680 and we will book you in.

Access information: TakeOff Festival has a strong commitment to welcoming all children and to making the festival as accessible as possible for everyone.

Children with additional support needs can attend any of our performances but some shows may be more suitable than others for those with complex needs.

If you would like some advice, please contact us.

For access information for the festival venues, please visit our website. If you have any specific requirements that you would like to discuss, please contact us on 01325 405 680.

Delegates at TakeOff Festival: You may see people at the festival wearing brightly coloured lanyards. These are our wonderful industry delegates who come and spend some time at the festival to see shows, discuss work and take part in sector specific activity.

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Show information

04-14

Family Day

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Festival timetable

16-17

Venue information 18 03

Duration: 50 mins Age: 0-5 years Manasamitra

Lullaby Sonic Cradle

Performances: Alington House, Durham Sat 26 October 11:00 • 13:00 01325 405 405

England

Lullaby – Sonic Cradle is a contemporary musical exploration of night time sounds interspersed with lullabies from India.

Inspired by the songs Indian women sing to their babies whilst working in the fields, Lullaby – Sonic Cradle is a semi-improvised, unique performance that combines live music, vocal and instruments with a technologically-driven soundscape linked to a visual display that ‘dances’ to the changing rhythms, pitches and volume of the performance.

A restful, tranquil and immersive musical experience with interactive visual effects that will delight 0-5 year olds and their grown-ups.

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TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Age: 2-4 years

Performances: The Witham, Barnard Castle Tue 22 October 11:00 • 13:00 Teater Minsk

01325 405 405

Sky

Gala, Durham Wed 23 October 11:00 • 12:30

Denmark

Lie down and look at the sky through your toes!

Can you see the world from upside down?

Can you hear the stars?

Jump onto a soft cloud and feel the wind whirling and whispering as two dancers make the space around you twist and turn. Everything is changing. Look up or move a little closer, you may catch a glimpse of a shape, a figure or someone in the sky.

Everything is in motion in this lyrical piece of dance theatre for the very young.

“It awakes joy.

Heavenly joy.”

Anne Middelboe, Teateravisen

*please note that this is an additional performance outside of TakeOff Festival and as such the prices are set by the venue.

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Thu 24 October 11:00 • 12:30 Fri 25 October 9:30 • 13:00 Sat 26 October 10:00 • 13:00 • 14:30 01325 405 405 Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham Mon 28 October 11:00* • 14:00* 01434 652477 The Hullabaloo, Darlington Tue 29 October 11:00* • 13:00* Wed 30 October 11:00* • 13:00* 01325 405 405 05

Image © Søren Meisner

Duration: 35 mins

Age: 2-5 years Théâtre de la Guimbarde

Hide-and-Seek Belgium

Two siblings have been put to bed for the night, but these children have more exciting plans in mind!

Become part of their simple game as they reinvent new ways to play hide-and-seek. In a rediscovery of the pleasure of hiding oneself in order to discover oneself, Hide-and-Seek invites audiences to experience the acrobatic adventures that ensue past these children’s bedtime.

Performances: Pelton Community Centre, Pelton Tue 22 October 13:30 01325 405 405 Gala, Durham Wed 23 October 11:00 • 13:00 Thu 24 October 09:30 • 11:30 01325 405 405

Performed in French and English, Hide-and-Seek (or Cache-Cache) brings to life the excitement, fear, pleasure, surprise and joy of playing this well loved childrens game.

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TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Image © Rootsandshoot

Duration: 40 mins

Image © Mark Savage Photography

Duration: 45 mins Age: 3-6 years WinterWalker & Theatre Hullabaloo

FIVE ENGLAND

Eyes see, fingers touch, Noses breathe in deep, Tongues taste, ears hear, Bodies ready - LEAP! What’s this? What does it look like? How does it feel?

Does it smell nasty, or taste nice? Does it make a noise?

Join two dancers and a live musician as they use their eyes and ears, noses and mouths, fingers and feet to discover a world of play that makes the ordinary extraordinary.

FIVE is a playful exploration of our five human senses through dance, movement and live music.

This warm, funny and inclusive show is a perfect introduction to live performance for children aged 3 to 6.

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Performances: The Hullabaloo, Darlington Wed 23 October 09:45 • 11:00 • 13:15 Thu 24 October 09:45 • 11:00 • 13:30 Fri 25 October 09:45 • 11:00 • 13:30 Sat 26 October 11:00 • 13:30 01325 405 405

“Magic… simple but executed perfectly.”

The Northern Echo

FIVE is presented in partnership with Derby Theatre 07

Age: 4-7 years Theatergroep Kwatta

Jabberbabble The Netherlands

Performances: Durham Town Hall, Durham Sat 26 October 10:00 • 12:00

Jabberbabble is a show about four birds and one nest.

Nobody understands their jibber jabber lingo. What if we don’t speak the same language, but still manage to understand each other? Maybe, before long, we won’t be strangers anymore.

A delightful show for the whole family that is entirely sung, as it should be with birds.

01325 405 405

“In my twelve years as a reviewer I seldom saw a performance more relevant to this target group.”

Leeuwarder Courant

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TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Image © Laura Luca

Duration: 60 mins

Image © Søren Meisner

Duration: 40 mins Age: 5+ Teater Patrasket

Fly

Denmark

Fly is a poetic journey into a circus universe with strange characters, big emotions and captivating puppet imagery.

Arthur and Marta are two very old puppeteers, who have been together for life. The poor orphan boy Max, is being bullied – and is always longing to fly, even when he starts travelling with a circus. But one day he meets the giraffe woman Lily, and the great love that might give him wings.

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Performances: Blackhall Community Centre, Blackhall Colliery Fri 25 October 13:00 01325 405 405 Durham Town Hall, Durham Sat 26 October 16:00 01325 405 405

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Age: 7+ Barrowland Ballet

Tiger Tale Scotland

Something wild is prowling. She can hear it through her bedroom walls, but her mum and dad seem stuck in the dull routines of their everyday lives. Until one day the wild breaks in and everything changes.

A troubled family’s world turns upside down when a tiger invades. It’s chaotic, it’s dangerous but brilliantly funny as the tiger reignites the family’s love for one another. With captivating dancers, enjoy the thrill of sitting right up close to the action and the chance to explore the set at the end.

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Performances: Gala, Durham Sat 26 October 11:30 | 16:00 01325 405 405

“Enthralling and enchanting…

One word describes the experience.

Joyous.”

Dublin Examiner

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Image © Brian Hartley

Duration: 55 mins

Image © Jassy Earl

Duration: 45 mins Age: for children aged 7+ with profound autism Barrowland Ballet

Playful Tiger Scotland

Playful Tiger is a highly physical, interactive dance performance, specially created for children and young people who are profoundly autistic and mainly non-verbal.

Performances: Gala, Durham Fri 25 October 14:00 01325 405 405

Capacity: 8 young people and their carers

A troubled family’s world turns upside down when a mischievous tiger visits. It’s chaotic, wild and brilliantly fun.

Interacting directly with the audience Playful Tiger tells the story through the eyes of the child, with a focus on sensory engagement.

Playfulness creates space for a two-way response between audience and performers.

A visual story and venue information pack will be provided before your visit.

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

11

“Absorbing, affecting but also robustly unsentimental”

Duration: 40 mins, + exhibition viewing time

Age: 8+ Terra Incognita

My Friend Selma Scotland

A tale of loss, friendship, courage and conkers as one girl makes an incredible journey to escape war in Bosnia.

This is the story of a conker that never fell, an interrupted stethoscope, prayer beads, water splashing in a face, a cat with no home, a car, a mask, a party hat, a pair of swimming pants, a flying pool ball, a letter, and a photograph. Mostly it’s the story of a girl called Selma.

My Friend Selma is the remarkable real-life story of one girl’s journey from war in Bosnia to safety in the UK. It is the tale of an incredible journey, a world turned upside down, loss, friendship, courage and conkers.

Performances: Greenfield Community College, Shildon Tue 22 October 18:00 01325 405 405 Gala, Durham Thu 24 October 18:00 01325 405 405 Additional information: 30 minute post-show exhibition

The show tours with a small exhibition about the real-life story that inspired the show that you can visit straight after the show.

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TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Image © Jassy Earl

The Herald

The Stage

Image © Sandy Butler

“Compelling telling of Macbeth that opens the story right out.”

Duration: 60 mins Age: 8+ Andy Cannon and Red Bridge Arts

Is this a Dagger?

The story of Macbeth SCOTLAND

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes...

Andy Cannon, one of Scotland’s finest storytellers, takes audiences on a thousand-year journey from fact to fiction and back again, in his telling of Shakespeare’s classic tale.

A tale of foul and fortune, murder and deceit, Macbeth is a gory, bloody and darkly wonderful tale of one man and his pursuit of power. In Is This a Dagger? The Story of Macbeth, Andy Cannon distils the essence of this epic play into a one-man, one-hour version, making it appealing for audiences young and old.

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Performances: Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham Mon 21 October 11:30* • 13:30* 01434 652477 Gala, Durham Sat 26 October 10:30 • 14:00 01325 405 405

*please note that this is an additional performance outside of TakeOff Festival and as such the prices are set by the venue.

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Age: 13+ Hestnes / Popovic

There is a Noise Denmark / Norway

From the diary of a 16-year-old grandmother in 1945 to the narrative of escaping war as a child, this piece investigates memory.

Performances: The Hullabaloo, Darlington Wed 23 October 18:00 01325 405 405

The audience is invited to sit around a table while stories unfold around them in the midst of frying waffle ooze. We look at the blurry line between facts, memories and emotions of experiencing war as a child and question how to retell. The piece dives in to the confusion and unease of carrying such a story with you and the difficulty of sharing it.

What can we share with others and how can we relate to something that we do not understand?

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TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

Image Š Freya Sif Hestnes

Duration: 50 mins

Family Day Saturday 26 October Durham city

• Performances • Storytelling • Creative play • Arts & crafts • Facepainting • Workshops • Street theatre • FREE Family Day Trail and more!

Full line up of events to be announced.

“Thank you for such a great experience”

FREE activities throughout the day!

Audience member

For more details visit

“Had a brilliant time with my little one… absolutely brilliant experience.

Thank you very much!”

Audience member

takeofffestival.org.uk TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 405

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Timetable Monday 21 October

Show

Age

Time

Venue

Is this a Dagger?

8+ years

11:30* | 13:30*

Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham

.......................................................................................................................................................

Tuesday 22 October Sky

2-4 years

11:00 | 13:00

The Witham, Barnard Castle

Hide-and-Seek

2-5 years

13:30

Pelton Community Centre, Pelton

My Friend Selma

8+ years

18:00

Greenfield Community College, Shildon

....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................

Wednesday 23 October Sky

2-4 years

11:00 | 12:30

Gala, Durham

Hide-and-Seek

2-5 years

11:00 | 13:00

Gala, Durham

FIVE

3-6 years

9:45 | 11:00 | 13:15

The Hullabaloo, Darlington

There is a Noise

13+ years

18:00

The Hullabaloo, Darlington

....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................

CREATIVE PLAY at The Hullabaloo Specially commissioned play installations are a core part of The Hullabaloo ethos and are a part of the free activities for families to enjoy.

No ne to boo ed k, ju turn u st p!

Enchanted Forest

Come inside and explore a forest of interactive trees, ponds and lily pads that light up, make noise and tell stories, for ages 0-10 years.

Until Saturday 2 November

Deep Sea Adventures Theatre Hullabaloo’s newest creative play installation is an interactive exploration of the magical creatures and their homes found in the deepest part of the seabed.

From Wednesday 13 November

The Hullabaloo

theatrehullabaloo.org.uk Borough Road

/TheatreHullabaloo /TheHullabalooVenue

16

Darlington

DL 1 1 S G

@HullabalooTweet @HullabalooHome

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 680

Thursday 24 October Show

Age

Time

Venue

Sky

2-4 years

11:00 | 12:30

Gala, Durham

Hide-and-Seek

2-5 years

9:30 | 11:30

Gala, Durham

FIVE

3-6 years

9:45 | 11:00 | 13:30

The Hullabaloo, Darlington

My Friend Selma

8+ years

18:00

Gala, Durham

....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................

Friday 25 October Sky

2-4 years

9:30 | 13:00

Gala, Durham

FIVE

3-6 years

9:45 | 11:00 | 13:30

The Hullabaloo, Darlington

Fly

5+ years

13:00

Blackhall Community Centre, Blackhall Colliery

....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................

Playful Tiger

7+ years

14:00

Gala, Durham

11:00 | 13:00

Alington House, Durham

.......................................................................................................................................................

Saturday 26 October Lullaby Sonic Cradle

0-5 years

Sky

2-4 years

10:00 | 13:00 | 14:30

Gala, Durham

FIVE

3-6 years

11:00 | 13:30

The Hullabaloo, Darlington

Jabberbabble

4-7 years

10:00 | 12:00

Durham Town Hall, Durham

Fly

5+ years

16:00

Durham Town Hall, Durham

Tiger Tale

7+ years

11:30 | 16:00

Gala, Durham

Is this a Dagger?

8+ years

10:30 | 14:00

Gala, Durham

11:00* | 14:00*

Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham

11:00* | 13:00*

The Hullabaloo, Darlington

11:00* | 13:00*

The Hullabaloo, Darlington

....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................

Monday 28 October Sky

2-4 years

.......................................................................................................................................................

Tuesday 29 October Sky

2-4 years

.......................................................................................................................................................

Wednesday 30 October Sky

2-4 years

....................................................................................................................................................... * these are additional performances outside of TakeOff Festival and as such the prices are set by the venues Information is correct at time of going to print.

For up to date information and terms and conditions please visit takeofffestival.org.uk

TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 680

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Venue information Below are a list of venues taking part in TakeOff Festival 2019.

Schools should contact us on 01325 405 680 to book tickets for school performances.

Alington House 4 North Bailey Durham DH1 3ET 01325 405 680

Greenfield Community College Jubilee Road Shildon DL4 2EP

TakeOff Festival Venue Partners

01325 405 680

Blackhall Community Centre Blackhall Colliery Hesleden Road Hartlepool TS27 4LG 01325 405 680

Pelton Community Centre Front Street Chester le Street DH2 1DE 01325 405 680

Durham Town Hall

The Hullabaloo

Market Place Durham DH1 3NJ

Borough Road Darlington DL1 1SG

01325 405 680

01325 405 405

Gala

The Witham

I Millennium Place Durham DH1 1WA

3 Horse Market Barnard Castle DL12 8LY

0300 026 6600

01833 631 107

Greenfield Community College

Queen’s Hall Arts Centre

Greenfield Way Newton Aycliffe DL5 7LF

Beaumont Street Hexham Northumberland NE46 3LS

01325 405 680

TakeOff Festival Print Sponsor

01434 652477

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TO BOOK: takeofffestival.org.uk • BOX OFFICE: 01325 405 680

Photograph © Rich Kenworthy

Support us

Theatre Hullabaloo is a charity.

We reach more than 20,000 children and young people every year with high quality theatre that inspire imaginations and challenge learning.

Donate today and help us bring quality creative experiences to all children.

Visit our ‘we couldn’t do it without you’ page on our website for more information. theatrehullabaloo.org.uk

“Children loved it, it was a pleasure to watch their faces”

Registered Charity 279690

Tiger Tale, Barrowland Ballet • Image © Brian Hartley

takeofffestival.org.uk Book tickets on: 01325 405 405

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