James Haddrell speaks on supporting small theatre companies

Although the last few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of in-house productions staged here at Greenwich Theatre, we still occupy an important position in the national theatre ecology in our support for smaller theatre companies.

Venues of our scale are crucial for theatre-makers who want to expand their scale and develop beyond the fringe – if they jump straight to large scale venues they run the risk of losing huge amounts of money, but on the mid-scale they can try out new ideas, protect themselves against significant risk, and even make some money if their show goes well.

One of the most rewarding things for me, therefore, is to see companies or artists that we’ve worked with, supported or programmed, going on to new opportunities – so the recent announcement of the Little Angel Theatre’s first ever children’s puppet festival, taking place this August, was particularly exciting to see.

Among the line-up of companies from around the world, Half A String will present Breathe – the show that they brought to our children’s theatre festival earlier this year.

We first came across Half A String when they were shortlisted for the Les Enfants Terribles Greenwich Award and showcased their work here.

I have followed their progress ever since – their festive production of Under The Frozen Moon at the Gulbenkian Theatre was a particular highlight for me last December so it’s fantastic to see them back.

Garlic Theatre and Roustabout Theatre are also among the companies transferring from our festival to the new Little Angel programme, with Garlic Theatre presenting their take on a classic in Oldilocks and the 3 Bears, and Roustabout unveiling a new improvised interactive show – The Great Big Story Mix-Up.

Other familiar names include Folded Feather, bringing back their Suitcase Circus, and Kitchen Zoo who will arrive in Islington with The Tortoise and the Hare.

One final company that I’m delighted to see included is Smoking Apples with their acclaimed show Kinder.

The show follows one small Czech-Jewish girl as she embarks on a mighty adventure, escaping on a Kindertransport train.

Crossing between the past and present, she travels across Europe – from bon-bons in Germany to the smell of the sea in Margate, she discovers how tiny acts of kindness can change the course of a person’s life.

Joyful, moving and poignant, and presented to the audience inside an immersive set with the story unfolding all around them, Kinder features beautiful table top puppetry and cinematic shadow play.

We have supported the company for years, following their growth right up to this year’s well deserved Offies awards win for the show.

Needless to say, there can be travel in both directions – so I’m sure I’ll be discovering a host of new exciting companies at the new festival to bring south to Greenwich too.

I look forward to an exciting puppet-filled summer.

 

Kinder by Smoking Apples Picture: The Other Richard