supported by St Albans City & District Council
Welcome to our Sept to Dec 2012 brochure!
Produced by Trestle Theatre, direct from touring India, Summer 2012
The Spring-Summer Season at Trestle Arts Base has been a huge success, and we’d like to thank everyone who came to the shows and the Local Council who funded the programme. During the St Albans Festival, every Trestle performance and event Sold Out and we welcomed many new audience members whom we hope to see again. We are delighted to be opening the Autumn-Winter Season with our own touring production of The Snow Queen, which will play at Trestle on 1st and 2nd September, fresh from a tour of India.
The Snow Queen was originally commissioned and produced in 2011 by Unicorn Theatre Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 September, 2.30pm daily
We then continue the pattern of a show for children and their familes on the first Sunday of each month, preceded on the Saturday night by a performance for adults and young adults. It’s exciting to be welcoming back Lost Dog, a brave and inventive dance theatre company with their new piece It Needs Horses/Home For Broken Turns, and we are all looking forward to a wonderful Christmas treat, The Reluctant Dragon; do book early for this to ensure you don’t miss out. Please keep in touch via Facebook and Twitter or by coming in to talk to us at the Arts Base; the Trestle Team will always try to accommodate your wishes, from magical performances and creative classes, to party spaces, meeting rooms and good coffee.
The Snow Queen
Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen, this telling was developed by Indian writer, Anupama Chandreshekar, who transports the tale from Scandinavia to India. After a freak snowstorm on the southern tip of India, Kumar disappears. Gowri, his best friend, discovers that he has been captured by the formidable Snow Queen, and embarks on a journey across the length and breadth of the continent to save him. From the burning heat of southern India, through lush backwaters, glitzy Bollywood and desolate bandit country, our brave heroine strives to bring the warmth of friendship to to the icy mountains of the north. ‘Rosamunde Hutt’s production is acted with flair and humour and can hold an audience of school children rapt from start to finish.’ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Financial Times ‘the movement (bold, varied and authentic) was created by Trestle Theatre’s Emily Gray’ - Ink Pellet
Look out for new events to join in, such as The Big Draw on October 7th and THE ELECTION, a new project for all ages starting in the Autumn at Trestle Arts Base; it’s all about intergenerational democracy in 21st Century St Albans - join us for the Drama Debate Decision!
Suitable for ages 6+ Runtime 2hrs (inc interval)
Thank you for continuing to support Trestle, the winner of the St Albans’ Mayor’s Pride Award for Cultural Innovation and the District’s only small scale professional theatre.
Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Family (max 2 adults)
See you there
Emily Gray Artistic Director Trestle Theatre Company
Audience comments ‘Would definitely come back and recommend to friends as well.’ ’Brilliant! Fantastic! Very fun!’
SMITH dancetheatre present
Agnes and Walter: a little love story Saturday 6 October, 7.30pm A story of secret wishes, suppressed desires and a garden shed inspired by ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’. Poignant and compelling with ‘wonderful comic moments’ (EDP), Agnes and Walter dance, sing and breathe life into their private worlds of daydream and fantasy to ensure their relationship survives. Set to a soundtrack of cinematic scores and popular songs, a company spanning three generations reveal that not far beyond the ordinary lies the extraordinary. ‘…it flies with optimism, humour and wonderfully nuanced performances in the face of modern cynicism and irony to reach our hearts‘ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Mary Brennan, The Herald ‘What a joy and a rarity it is to see a cross-generational cast of performers, ranging in age from 26 – 78 share the stage in dance theatre of this calibre’ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Broadway Baby
Suitable for ages 14+ Runtime approx 70mins (no interval)
Filskit Theatre present
Lost Dog Dance presents
Travelling Light Theatre present
Saturday 3 November, 7.30pm
by Finegan Kruckemeyer
No dwarves! No Prince! Just one extraordinary journey into the mysterious world of our deliciously scrumptious Snow White.
Lost Dog’s Place Prize winning duet It Needs Horses comes to Trestle Arts Base alongside the company’s newest work Home for Broken Turns.
Sunday 4 November, 2.30pm
Created through technology, movement, and music, Filskit Theatre invites you to follow the Henchmen as they decipher messages from the evil Queen, dabble with poisoned apples and discover if Princesses really do pick their noses.
Darkly comic and highly physical dance theatre performed by an international cast of performers from some of Europe’s most reputable dance and physical theatre companies including Hofesh Shechter Company, Fabulous Beast and Gecko.
Pobby and Dingan are Kellyanne’s best friends.
It Needs Horses tells the tale of a down at heel circus duet and their increasingly desperate attempts to entertain the crowd. The glamour has faded, the performers have forgotten their acts, but the show must go on.
Based on Ben Rice’s acclaimed novel about an outback opal-mining community, this is a funny and heartbreaking story about love and the enduring power of the imagination.
Snow White
Sunday 7 October, 2.30pm Think you know Snow White? Think again!
Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England Suitable for ages 5+ and their families Runtime approx 55mins (no interval) Tickets: £10 Adults / £8 Concessions / £32 Family (max 2 adults) www.filskittheatre.com
Trestle’s Big Draw
Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Bring your Friends (4 tickets)
Sunday 7 October, 1pm - 5pm
www.agnesandwalter.co.uk
Suitable for all ages / See page 6 for more information
Join us for Trestle’s FREE Big Draw event, with activities running throughout the afternoon.
It Needs Horses / Home For Broken Turns
Home for Broken Turns follows the characters from this disastrous double act as they leave the circus ring for the last time. The show looks at how fictional characters continue to exist even after the piece that called them into existence has finished. The Home for Broken Turns is where these characters gather, watched over by a fierce matriarch who is both protector and pimp for these lost children of the theatre. Suitable for ages 14 + Runtime approx 70mins (no interval) Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Family (max 2 adults) www.lostdogdance.co.uk
The Mysterious Vanishment of Pobby and Dingan
Adapted from POBBY AND DINGAN by Ben Rice
Her brother Ashmol hates them because they’re invisible. Then they go missing - and Kellyanne gets sick. Ashmol must find them, but where do you look for something you can’t even see?
Suitable for ages 9+ Runtime approx 60mins (no interval) Tickets: £10 Adults / £8 Concessions / £32 Family (max 2 adults) www.travellinglighttheatre.org.uk
Backhand Theatre presents
The Reluctant Dragon
Trestle’s Big Draw!
Sunday 7 October, 1pm - 5pm
Taking Part, Trestle’s creative learning and participation programme, is reaching out to more people than ever before. We run regular theatre workshops, professional training, community projects and events for all ages and abilities, both at Trestle Arts Base and across the UK.
Based on the book by Kenneth Graeme, author of Wind in the Willows Friday 21 December, 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm Saturday 22 December, 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm Sunday 23 December, 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm This Christmas at Trestle Arts Base, Backhand Theatre brings to life the classic tale of The Reluctant Dragon, the story of a boy who meets a dragon who is not your average fire-breathing monster.
Trestle in partnership with renowned storyteller Kathy Holt, runs Story Tent every Wednesday. On Monday we offer Youth Theatre sessions with partners Tip Of The Iceberg.
The terrifying reptile he expects to meet is instead a charming artistic lizard who has a love of amateur dramatics. He reads poetry, gives his best Hamlet for all to see, and certainly makes a lovely afternoon tea. The boy and the dragon have many adventures until, one day, Sir George the dragon killer comes to town. With some quick thinking from the boy, Sir George, and his dragon friend, they decide to stage the most wonderful dragon slaying ever seen!
Look out for an exciting new project called The Election: From the autumn there will be weekly sessions involving Drama, Debate, Decision as we explore intergenerational democracy in 21st Century St. Albans.
Can the dragon learn to breathe fire in time? Will the Village fall for this trick? This wonderful tale, told with beautiful hand crafted puppets and a fresh new score, is fun for all the family with comedy, puppetry and adventure. Suitable for ages 4+ Runtime approx 60mins (no interval) Tickets: £11 Adults / £9 Concessions / £36 Family (max 2 adults) www.backhandtheatre.com
Taking Part
Get your pencils at the ready to join in with Trestle’s Big Draw event!
Please visit www.trestle.org.uk/participate or email takingpart@trestle.org.uk for more information and class times.
On-going activities running throughout the afternoon with Workshops at 1:15- 2pm and 3:45- 4:30pm
www.kathrynholt.com www.tipoftheiceberg.biz
Be inspired by Trestle’s history, theatrical surroundings, and iconic masks as you let your imagination run as free as the stroke of a brush. Artist Elaine Johnson will help participants of all ages to draw; you may find yourself taking part in audience-led continual line drawing or discover fun new ways of drawing in spaces and places. The Trestle Gallery Café and Bar is open all day FREE – just turn up, you don’t need to book / All ages welcome
Classes and Workshops As well as offering a fantasticprogramme of shows and events, we also host a wide range of workshops, classes and community shows for adults and children. For more information about all our regular classes, please visit www.trestle.org.uk
Trestle Arts Base Hire
Trestle Arts Base is a 100-year-old chapel, beautifully converted into a vibrant performing arts centre. This unique venue offers outstanding facilities for hire. Whether it is a concert, workshop, wedding, business meeting or birthday party, our friendly and experienced staff can help you plan and deliver the perfect event.
Exhibitions at the Gallery Café & Bar The Gallery Café and Bar is open for submissions if you are interested in exhibiting, please email gallery@trestle.org.uk for more information. The Gallery Café and Bar is open for 1 hour before each event, Monday mornings and all day Tues, Wed, Saturday during term time.
Getting Here By Car Trestle Arts Base is a 10 minute drive from St Albans City centre, signposted from the A1081 and A1057, and 10 minutes from Junction 22, M25. Parking Free car parking is available directly outside the venue, accessed from Sovereign Park. By Train Trestle Arts Base is two miles from St Albans City Station and can be accessed by taxi, bus or a 25 minute walk. By Bus Take the S1/S2 Uno University bus service from St Albans City Centre, or Stop B at St Albans City Station, alighting at the second stop on Drakes Drive. Alternatively, take the 655 Uno university bus service between Hatfield and Borehamwood, or the S7 Uno University bus, alighting at Ashley Road or Hill End Lane By Taxi (Approximately £6 from St Albans City Station) Goldline Taxi: 01727 833333 Abbey A Star Taxi: 01727 855555
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How to Book: t: 01727 850950 / w: www.trestle.org.uk Opening Hours Box Office and General Office Hours: Monday to Friday: 10am - 5.30pm Saturday: 9am - 3pm The Box Office is also open one hour prior to performances. Ticket Discounts Concessions are available to those in full-time education, senior citizens, registered unemployed, people with disabilities and those under 16. Group discounts are available for most performances. Access Trestle Arts Base is fully accessible with ramp access, lift and adapted toilet. It has an induction loop system – please set your hearing aid to the position ‘T’. Guide and hearing dogs are welcome.
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Help Support Trestle Trestle Theatre Company is a registered charity that relies on donations and sponsorship in order to carry on our programme of events and classes. If you would like more information on donating or sponsorship opportunities please contact clare@trestle.org.uk or call 01727 738408. Simply text TRES11 £5 (or whatever you can afford) to 70070 to donate to Trestle Theatre Company Limited and make a difference today! www.justgiving.com.
+44(0) 1727 850950
www.trestle.org.uk
admin@trestle.org.uk
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