Starboard Festival showcases the magic of Brighton Open Air Theatre for children

Brighton Open Air Theatre is an exciting, newish venue that you might like to visit over the summer, and Starboard Festival would be a great place to start. Local theatre maker Naomi Alexander came up with the idea of a new festival of theatre made with, by, and for children and young people after enjoying a performance at BOAT herself. Alexander explains that “I wanted to do something that would enable children and young people in the city to discover this magic for themselves and for BOAT to become part of their psycho-geography of the city.”

Brighton Dome presents the closing event: an intriguing play by Kilter Theatre called The Illuminating Times of the Darkling Society. The audience is encouraged to stay up late, pack a torch, and join a band of musicians and outsiders for an unusual expedition. Lina & Hersch (two siblings) try to find solace in the darkness of a strange, unwelcoming land while running away from mysterious creatures the Darklings.
Inspired by 18th century astronomers William & Caroline Herschel, Kilter’s performance style includes live music, pedal organ, cycle generators, moth-lures and bat-detectors.

Kilter’s previous production The Last Post was praised as “utterly charming, tender, funny & wistful” in a five star review by Exeunt magazine – and they are known for creating low carbon productions in unusual locations – so it will be great to see what they come up in the unique surroundings of BOAT this Saturday.

The Illuminating Times of the Darkling Society, BOAT, Sat 16 July, Picnic from 7.30pm, £7, www.brightondome.org