Stage: Snigel & Friends
It’s good to see that Brighton Festival offer something for all ages. Co-creators Caroline Bowditch and Laura Hook talk about a new work for
children.
“Snigel and Friends is an interactive sensory world for babies and their adults to explore. Snigel is an inquisitive snail who plays, dances, sings and makes music with insect friends. Babies and adults join the cast in the undergrowth, under a magical leafy canopy.
“Very few shows are made specifically for babies this young. We worked to make sure we created the best possible environment for little ones to engage in the colours and live music while interacting with characters and props.
“Visibly disabled performers in performance work for young audiences is incredibly rare. Caroline has been working with Imaginate on the Weren’t You Expecting Me Project, taking a closer look at the impact, if any, that this may have on disabled and non-disabled children, particularly looking at the effect on aspirations, self-esteem and overall perceptions of disability. Snigel and Friends was created to address the lack of this kind of work for young people.
A positive theatre experience for parents and their wee ones
“Laura has created a set that is built in proportion to Caroline, which also means all the action happens at perfect baby height. The leafy canopy creates a magical world that allows the audience to relax in the undergrowth.
“The overall experience is an exercise in mindfulness and diversity that allows a positive theatre experience for parents and their wee ones.
“Babies who like bright colours, soothing sounds and making friends with slippery snails, singing cicadas, buzzing bees and beautiful butterflies will love this show. And not only are babies welcome in the show, but they are free to wriggle around, make noise, be fed and interact with each other and the performers. At the end of the performance everyone is invited to come on stage to meet the characters and play with the props”.
Fri 25 – Sun 27 May, 11am, 1pm & 3.15pm, Brighton Dome Founders Room, £15 (1 adult, 1 baby)/8
