Half Moon Spring Brochure 2018 by Half Moon Theatre

What’s On Jan – May 2018 Celebrating world class theatre for young audiences 020 7709 8900 | halfmoon.org.uk All Tickets £7

Season diary DATE

Sat 6 Jan

Sat 13 Jan

Fri 19 Jan

Sat 20 Jan

Thu 25 Jan

Sat 27 Jan

Thu 1 Feb

Fri 2 Feb

Sat 3 Feb

Fri 9 Feb

Sat 10 Feb

Thu 15 Feb

Fri 16 Feb

Sat 17 Feb

Thu 22 Feb

Fri 23 Feb

Sat 24 Feb

Thu 1 Mar

Fri 2 Mar

Sat 3 Mar

Sat 10 Mar

Sat 17 Mar

Tue 20 Mar

Wed 21 Mar

Sat 24 Mar

Fri 13 Apr

Thu 17 May

Fri 18 May

Sat 19 May

Mon 21 May

Tue 22 May

TIME

11am & 2pm

10.30am & 1.30pm

11am & 2pm

10.30am & 1.30pm

11am, 1pm & 3pm

1.30pm

10.30am & 1.30pm

11am & 2pm

10.30am & 1.30pm

11am & 2pm

11am

11am & 2pm

10am, 11.30am & 2.30pm

11am, 1pm & 3pm

10.30am & 1.30pm

11am & 2pm

5.30pm

8pm

5.30pm

8pm

10.30am

11.45am

1.15pm

3pm

11am & 2pm

1.30pm

10.30am, 1.30 & 4.30pm

11am & 2pm

10.30am & 1.30pm

Support us As a registered charity, each year we need to raise more than half of our turnover to support our various activities and keep our prices affordable. Support Half Moon today and help us to deliver our vital programme of work. 2

PRODUCTION

Ugly Duckling

Where’s My Igloo Gone?

Young Herbert’s Horrors

Grannylocks/ The Monstrous Duckling

Leaf

John Hegley: All Hail the Snail (and other creatures)

Little Mochi Man

Bear and Butterfly

John Hegley: All Hail the Snail (and other creatures)

Glisten

Penguins

A Tiger’s Tale

Better Together: the Family Clown Show

Eclipse Youth Theatre Sharing

Lunar Sharing Youth Theatre Sharing

Equinox Youth Theatre Sharing

Solar Youth Theatre Sharing

Comets Youth Theatre Sharing

Sunbeam Youth Theatre Sharing

Moonbeam Youth Theatre Sharing

Zoom!

Kaleidoscope

The Owl and the Pussycat

AGE

PAGE

3 – 7

0 – 3

4 – 7

3 – 7 4 – 7

0 – 18 months

All

3 – 8 All

All

6 – 18 months

3 – 7 4+

The Owl and the Pussycat

Ways to make a difference

Online: Donate securely via our website: halfmoon.org.uk You can also make a donation when you book tickets By standing order: Pick up a form from our foyer, download from our website or call 020 7709 8900

Easyfundraising: A free way to raise much needed funds for Half Moon, just by shopping online! Fundraising challenge: Take part in a sponsored event and run, walk or cycle for Half Moon

Welcome to our spring season A very warm welcome to Half Moon’s new season of theatre for young audiences. This spring we are featuring a thrilling collection of work from 15 inspiring and creative companies, which I know will delight your senses with their exciting mix of swashbuckling verse, beautiful storytelling, puppetry, circus, dance, live music and song. We’re delighted to be working with John Hegley on a humorous new show, All Hail the Snail (and other creatures). Plus, Justin Coe’s new show for children, Young Herbert’s Horrors, opens at Half Moon before touring the UK, and we’re thrilled to announce a residency for babies with Glisten, by Daniel Naddafy. Don’t forget there’s free parking at weekends and we are just a two minute walk from Limehouse mainline and DLR station. I look forward to welcoming you to Half Moon. Chris Elwell, Director

Gallery @ Half Moon For all our exhibitions, we provide a gallery trail for children. School and community groups can visit free of charge and use the exhibition to support Arts Awards Discover and Explore. Contact Androulla on 020 7709 8908 or androulla@halfmoon.org.uk Gallery @ Half Moon schools workshop programme generously supported by The Finnis Scott Foundation.

Lines, Shapes and Places

Halfway Home

By Jane Smith | 5 Jan – 16 Apr

By Georgie Fay | 19 Apr – 9 Jul

A striking collection of sketchbooks, linocuts and stylised graphics, informed by the work of architecture, advertising and everyday street scenes, inspired by the surroundings of the artist.

An evocative collection of photographs and prints exploring the notion of home and the everyday journeys we make, which are often taken for granted. These observations of place and space have been made in response to the current migrant crisis.

Get involved! Why not join one of Half Moon’s Youth Theatres? It’s a brilliant way to explore drama, create performances and make lots of new friends at the same time. We have seven groups that run during term time.

Half Moon’s Youth Theatres School Years 1 – 3

Comets: Saturday 10am –11am Sunbeam: Saturday 11.15am –12.15pm Moonbeam: Saturday 12.45pm –1.45pm

School Years 4 – 6

Eclipse: Tuesday 4pm – 6pm Equinox: Wednesday 4pm – 6pm

School Years 7 – 12

Lunar: Tuesday 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Teenagers with disabilities (specialist group)

Solar: Wednesday 6.30pm – 8.30pm Spring term begins on Tuesday 9 January, Wednesday 10 January and Saturday 13 January. Please note there are currently waiting lists for all groups. Youth Theatre Sharings will take place between 20 and 24 March, check the season diary for more information. For more information about our Youth Theatres visit halfmoon.org.uk/yt or contact us on 020 7709 8900.

Inclusive All of our Youth Theatres are open to young people with disabilities and our venue is fully accessible.

5 reasons to join »» Great value! Just £6 per session (£3 concession) »» Run by friendly and experienced tutors »» No auditions »» See shows at Half Moon and visit other London theatres »» Performances each term for friends and family

Arts Award We are able to support our Youth Theatre members to gain a Discover, Explore, Bronze and Silver Arts Award. The Arts Award is a nationally recognised qualification that has been developed by Arts Council England and Trinity Guildhall and aims to inspire young people to develop their arts and leadership talents.

Schools & teachers can also participate Last year, Half Moon worked with 29,500 young people in over 1,100 Creative Learning sessions across 74 centres. We work with nurseries, children’s centres, schools, colleges and community and youth organisations on a range of engaging projects, including Artsmark and Arts Award. This includes curriculum-focused workshops, after-school activities and initiatives to encourage young people to get into theatre, as well as professional development opportunities for teachers and other school staff, in partnership with Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service (THAMES).

Projects include

Early Years Dance and Drama: Sessions

for children to explore their physicality and imaginations and to feel confident with dance and creative movement

Speech Bubbles: A year-long programme

working with KS1 children to develop their communication skills through drama

Careers in Theatre: A hands-on, projectmanagement style experience for 11–17 year olds of all aspects of professional theatre

DramaWorks: Bespoke experiential

residencies in non-mainstream settings for young people with additional needs or life limiting conditions

using drama and storytelling to engage children in KS2 maths

Gallery @ Half Moon: A chance for schools to experience the art in our gallery, meet the artist and use the pictures as stimulus for literacy and other curriculum work

Transitions: A programme using drama to support Year 6 students with their transition to secondary school

CPD for Teachers: A series of practical training sessions for primary and secondary school staff

Dramatic Maths: An innovative project

For more information visit halfmoon.org.uk/learning and subscribe to our e-newsletter. To discuss any of the projects or suggest other ways you would like to work with us at Half Moon, contact Androulla on 020 7709 8908 or email androulla@halfmoon.org.uk

Sat 6 Jan 11am & 2pm Ages 3+ 60 mins

Sat 13 Jan 11am & 2pm Ages 5+ 60 mins

TUTTI FRUTTI PRODUCTIONS AND YORK THEATRE ROYAL PRESENT

Ugly Duckling

In a nest at the edge of a pond a flock of baby ducklings find an enormous egg which hatches into the most unusual duckling the pond has ever seen – Ugly Duckling! Tormented by the other ducklings and feeling different to them, Ugly goes on an adventure in search of a place to fit in. The lost, rejected duckling hides beside an ice-covered lake and stares skyward at the migrating swans, yearning to belong and marvelling at their beauty. Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale is brought to life through inventive physicality and live music. This charming production plays with ideas of identity, self-worth and the journey to discover inner beauty. #UglyDuckling

BONE ENSEMBLE PRESENTS

Where’s My Igloo Gone? Oolik is an ordinary girl who goes on an extraordinary journey. Sitting in her igloo, a drop of water falls on her head. Then another! Is her home melting? Join Oolik as she sets out on a journey to find help. On her way she meets some exciting friends – including YOU! Journey into a dazzling, icy world of soaring snow geese, pet husky dogs, starry nights and the kind of cold that makes your skin tingle. With enchanting live music, Where’s My Igloo Gone? is a fun, magical experience for all the family, showing that when we work together – anything can happen. #WheresMyIglooGone

Fri 19 Jan 10.30am & 1.30pm Sat 20 Jan 11am & 2pm

Ages 3 – 7 45 mins

Thu 25 Jan 10.30am & 1.30pm Ages 3+ 45 mins

HALF MOON PRESENTS

Young Herbert’s Horrors a Justin Coe production

Young Herbert is a little horror. Living on a boat should be the ideal life for a wannabe pirate, but the boat’s grounded until Herbert can learn to tidy his cabin, eat his greens and be more polite. A big storm brews when Herbert is sent home from school and Mum calls on Great Uncle Albatross, navy captain and scourge of all pirates, to warn him of the dangers of rebellion. Featuring swashbuckling verse, jaunty music, gallows humour and the obligatory parrot, Young Herbert’s Horrors is Justin Coe’s brand new spoken word show for children, following the highly popular Big Wow, Small Wonder. Also on tour nationally as part of Half

Moon presents. Visit halfmoon.org.uk/ halfmoonpresents for more details.

#YoungHerbert

HALF MOON PRESENTS

Fairytales Gone Bad: Grannylocks / The Monstrous Duckling a Joseph Coelho production

Did you know that the ugly duckling was never ugly? He was truly monstrous! Or that Goldilocks was never a tale about a little girl. It was always a tale about a granny – a mean, thieving granny who has plans for something quite nasty. Join award-winning performance poet Joseph Coelho as he unravels familiar fairytales to create fresh contemporary classics. Also on tour nationally as part of Half

Moon presents. Visit halfmoon.org.uk/ halfmoonpresents for more details.

#FairytalesGoneBad 7

Sat 27 Jan 11am, 1pm & 3pm Ages 0 – 3 25 mins HALF MOON PRESENTS

Leaf

Thu 1 Feb 1.30pm Fri 2 Feb 10.30am & 1.30pm Thu 15 Feb 11am & 2pm Fri 16 Feb 11am Sat 17 Feb 11am & 2pm

Ages 7+ 60 mins

a Tam Tam Theatre production Join us as we tell the life story of a very special leaf in this warm, intimate and playful piece for under 3s inspired by nature and the seasons. Framed within an evocative soundscape, this is the perfect introduction to theatre for the very young. At the end of the performance, children are invited onto the stage to play among the leaves and explore a landscape created by the changing seasons. Also on tour nationally as part of Half

Moon presents. Visit halfmoon.org.uk/ halfmoonpresents for more details.

#TamTamLeaf

HALF MOON PRESENTS

John Hegley: All Hail the Snail (and other creatures) Poet John Hegley takes us on a humorous journey through his living library of poems, songs, stories and animal drawings. Enjoy the rhyme and rhythm of this mandolinplaying muse and his hilarious struggle with words, as they threaten to twist and turn out of his grasp. The bespectacled poet, one of the UK’s most innovative comic artists, will delight audiences with his chaotic comedy, bewitching poems, plus the extra bonus of a special guest musician. All Hail the Snail was created to celebrate the 35th birthday of Apples and Snakes, England’s leading organisation for performance poetry and spoken word. Also on tour nationally as part of Half

Moon presents. Visit halfmoon.org.uk/ halfmoonpresents for more details.

#AllHailSnail 8

Sat 3 Feb 11am & 2pm Ages 3 – 7 50 mins

Fri 9 Feb 10.30am & 1.30pm Sat 10 Feb 11am & 2pm

Ages 4 – 7 50 mins

A THOUSAND CRANES IN ASSOCIATION WITH ARTSDEPOT PRESENT

Little Mochi Man

It’s almost New Year and little Mochi Man, tired of being picked on because of his small size, decides to run away. Join him on his adventures as he travels from the snowy mountains of Hokkaido, to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, meeting many wondrous creatures and characters along the way, including the Gingerbread Man and a very fast bullet train! What dangers lurk around the corner? Will he make friends, and will he make it back home in time for the celebrations? With origami puppets, animation and specially composed music, Little Mochi Man is the perfect introduction to Japan for young children. #LittleMochiMan THEATRE HULLABALOO PRESENTS

Bear and Butterfly Bear’s life changes forever when, deep in the branches of the tree, he hears the munching and a crunching of a bright green Caterpillar. Bear and Caterpillar soon become the best of friends, Caterpillar munching happily through tales of Bear’s younger life catching fish, raising cubs and being big, strong and fierce. But one day Caterpillar stops munching and looks sick. Bear fears he will lose his friend but then, as if by magic, Caterpillar grows and stretches and from the leaves emerges a beautiful butterfly. Puppetry, live music and beautiful storytelling combine in this charming tale about love, loss and friendship. #BearAndButterfly

Thu 22 Feb 10am, 11.30am & 2.30pm Fri 23 Feb 10am, 11.30am & 2.30pm Sat 24 Feb 11am, 1pm & 3pm

Ages 0 – 18 months 20 mins

Thu 1 Mar 10.30am & 1.30pm Fri 2 Mar 10.30am & 1.30pm Sat 3 Mar 11am & 2pm Ages 3+ 50 mins

HALF MOON PRESENTS

Glisten

a Daniel Naddafy production Glisten is an interactive performance for babies aged 0 – 18 months and their grown-ups. The audience are taken on a gentle and immersive journey exploring the world of reflective materials. Watch as the empty space of the theatre fills with colour, sounds and surprises, creating a sensory landscape ready to explore after the performance is over. Early booking is advised as Glisten is performed to a very small audience, creating an intimate theatrical experience. Also on tour nationally as part of Half

Moon presents. Visit halfmoon.org.uk/ halfmoonpresents for more details.

#GlistenOnTour

BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE, PRIME THEATRE AND CAHOOTS NI PRESENT

Penguins

When being different brings the most wonderful of surprises. Roy and Silo are just like the other penguin pairs at Central Park Zoo – they walk, play, swim and dance together. Roy and Silo are two happy boys, but when the zookeeper finds them trying to hatch a rock, he has a clever idea that could mean Roy and Silo raising a chick for real. Penguins is an engaging show for children about friendship, fun, identity and the ever-changing meaning of family. #PenguinsTour

Sat 10 Mar 11am & 2pm Ages 4+ 60 mins

Sat 17 Mar 11am & 2pm Ages 3 – 8 55 mins

M6 THEATRE PRESENTS

A Tiger’s Tale From a circus train in South Africa, to a steamboat on the Atlantic Ocean and onward to West Yorkshire, a ramshackle travelling troupe tell us the unbelievable true story of a family of acrobats and their adopted tiger cub. Join Titch, Ma and Pa on their riotous adventure into a world where all the best stories end with a surprise. A Tiger’s Tale is a fantastical new production by the award winning playwright Mike Kenny, based on the extraordinary story of Fenella, the Holmfirth Tiger, featuring a high spirited balancing act of circus, puppetry, live music and song. #TigersTale ACÁ THEATRE PRESENTS

Better Together: the Family Clown Show Join the three delightful clowns who make waiting at a bus stop a tragically complicated affair. They don’t know it yet, but Tropizo, Doa and Squiggle are on a journey to become best friends! But how do you make real friends in a modern world? Through loneliness, tumbles and laughter, they learn to cast aside the everyday distractions that stand in the way of what matters most. With slapstick, acrobatics and physical comedy, Better Together is an artful, intelligent and hilarious piece full of visual comedy and nonsensical language. Come along and learn how three red noses are better than one! #ClownsOnTour 11

Sat 24 Mar 3pm

Ages 3 – 7 50 mins

Fri 13 Apr 11am & 2pm Ages 6 – 18 months 25 mins

INVISIBLE FLASH PRESENTS

Zoom!

Lauretta’s down in the dumps. Her wheelchair is rusty, old and slow. She wants new wheels that are slick, shiny and fast. Zoom! follows Lauretta through her chaotic journey, where near disaster wheels around to speedy heroics. Invisible Flash is a theatre company with inclusion at the heart of its work. At a time when screens and devices dominate daily lives, the company creates interactive performances in a safe environment, where young people can play and imagine in a multisensory way. As the performance ends, the children are able to take part in a free linked workshop. #Zoom FILSKIT THEATRE PRESENTS

Kaleidoscope Blink. Blink again. What do you see? Day by day your world is filling up with colour. Reds and blues, yellows and greens. Twinkling lights that glisten and gleam. Inspired by research into how a baby’s sense of sight develops and how they instinctively begin to categorise colour, watch as your baby enters the multi-coloured world of Kaleidoscope. At the end of the performance there is an interactive play session. #Kaleidoscope

Thu 17 May 1.30pm Fri 18 May 10.30am, 1.30pm & 4.30pm Sat 19 May 11am & 2pm Mon 21 May 10.30am & 1.30pm Tue 22 May 10.30am & 1.30pm Ages 4+ 60 mins

FULL HOUSE THEATRE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LUTON CULTURE PRESENT

The Owl and the Pussycat

Join Owly-cat and fellow family members, Jumblie and Quangle Wangle Quee, in a story inspired by the nonsense world of Edward Lear. The spongetaneous trio travel to the dolomphious land where the bong tree grows, learning all about the creatures who live there and their curious habits. Will this meloobious family return together, will they always be a three? A fizzgiggious show all about where, what and who our family really are. #OwlyCat

Party packages Celebrate your child’s special day at Half Moon. Book tickets for your group to see the afternoon show on the Saturday of your choice and hire our Upper Studio space (max. 25 children) for a post-show 90 minute party, for an additional £100. For more information, or to book, please call 020 7709 8900 or email us: admin@halfmoon.org.uk

Bookshop @ Half Moon We are delighted to offer a pop-up bookshop in partnership with the well-loved Brick Lane Bookshop. There’s a rolling selection of popular children’s books for all ages on offer, from classic favourites to some of the hottest new titles. The bookshop also stocks contemporary greeting cards, so Half Moon is the perfect place to buy that special gift or new bedtime story. bricklanebookshop.org 13

Stages of Half Moon Celebrating the rich heritage of Half Moon Theatre since 1972 Explore the full history of Half Moon Theatre online at stagesofhalfmoon.org.uk through photographs, programmes, news stories, documents, videos and filmed interviews with over 100 people. There’s more than 500 pages of information on productions, projects, people and buildings, so lots to discover!

The Stages of Half Moon exhibition is now on permanent display in the upper corridor. It’s overflowing with pictures and original posters, so do take a look and learn more about our long history. stagesofhalfmoon.org.uk #HalfMoonHistory

Half Moon Presents As well as presenting shows for young audiences in our Limehouse home, Half Moon also tours work around the country under our producing arm, Half Moon Presents, a portfolio of professional work for young audiences from a range of our associate artists and companies. For current productions and tour dates, visit halfmoon.org.uk/halfmoonpresents Half Moon Presents is part of our Exchange for Change programme, which supports artists developing diverse work for young audiences by nurturing, mentoring and providing space to develop work. 14

About Half Moon

we include, we inform, we inspire Half Moon is a local organisation with a national remit, committed to supporting artists and young people at every stage of their creative development. Our activity includes a season of professional plays for young audiences, new writing and artform development, national touring productions and an extensive Creative Learning programme, including seven Youth Theatres.

A snapshot of last year’s achievements: »» 53,000 people engaged »» 33,000 workshop participants »» 20,000 audience members »» 1,172 volunteer hours »» 226 work experience sessions »» 164 members of our 7 Youth Theatre groups »» 66 schools worked with in Tower Hamlets »» 10 shows toured to 97 venues

Hire a space Do you need a space for a meeting, seminar or book launch? Or perhaps a studio theatre for rehearsing, filming or a photo shoot? Half Moon has several fully accessible spaces available to hire. With very competitive rates and excellent transport links, we’re a great choice for hosting your event. Technical assistance available. Please contact us with your requirements: admin@halfmoon.org.uk

We couldn’t do it without: Action for Bow Apples and Pears Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust Backstage Trust BBC Children in Need The Buzzacott Stuart Defries Memorial Fund Charity Bank Chesterhill Charitable Trust Co-op Local Community Fund easyfundraising The Finnis Scott Foundation The Fitton Trust Garfield Weston Foundation The Goldsmiths’ Company Charity The Henry Smith Charity Jack Petchey Foundation JSF Pollitzer Charitable Settlement The Lynn Foundation The Merchant Taylors’ Company Charity The Noël Coward Foundation Postcode Local Trust Rhododendron Trust Sainsbury’s Local Charity of the Year Schroder Charity Trust The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust Souter Charitable Trust The Space/BBC The Sterry Family Foundation Tower Hill Trust Unity Theatre Trust Also a big thanks to our many individual donors. 15

Book tickets

By phone: 020 7709 8900

Get in touch Half Moon, 43 White Horse Rd, London E1 0ND

Online: halfmoon.org.uk

admin@halfmoon.org.uk

In person: Mon – Fri 10am – 6pm Sat 10am – 4pm

All tickets £7. No booking fees. Group discounts available. Free tickets for babies under 12 months, unless the show is specifically for their age range. See our website for booking conditions.

Getting to us

halfmoon_theatre Follow us halfmoontheatre halfmoontheatre @halfmoontheatre halfmoontheatre Download the Half Moon Theatre App

By train/tube: Just 2 minutes’ walk from Limehouse

5 Bus 2

mainline and DLR station (2 stops from Bank and Tower

ite Wh se Hor

Gateway). Follow signs for Bekesbourne Street when

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exiting station. 15 minutes’ walk from Stepney Green tube.

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reen

By bus: Buses stop 1 minute away on Commercial Road junction with White Horse Road. Numbers 115, 135

s on R d Ben John

& D3. Other buses stop by Stepney Green tube (25) and

elg

White Horse R oad

Half Moon

5.30pm on weekdays. Meter parking is available at all

Commer cial Rd

just 2 minutes’ walk away on Flamborough Street (at the

Buses 15, 115, 135, D 3 Cable St

junction with Yorkshire Road and Commercial Road). Visit tfl.gov.uk to check latest accessibility details and to

Butche r Row

By bike: There is a Santander Cycles docking station

l Tunne rhithe Rothe

Access

BSL

Commercial Rd

Limehouse

y ighwa The H

plan your journey.

Our blind and visually impaired audiences can pre-book touch tours prior to all performances. Some shows have British Sign Language for Deaf and hearing impaired audiences. Half Moon is a fully accessible building. We have baby changing facilities and space for buggies.

339

ee t

By car: Street parking is free at weekends and from all times. We are not within the congestion zone.

rav eS

9, Buses 30

Ben Jonson Road (309, 339).

other times. Street parking is free to disabled patrons at

Rd End Mile

Stepney Green

TOUCH TOUR

Half Moon Young People’s Theatre Ltd is a registered company in England & Wales (2479179). Registered office: 43 White Horse Road, London E1 0ND. Registered Charity: 1010192. This brochure is printed using the environmentally friendly waterless printing process and is Forest Stewardship Council certified (FSC).