supported by St Albans City & District Council
Welcome to our Feb to June 2012 brochure! 2012 sees Trestle Theatre Company entering a new era, and we are delighted to announce that St Albans City and District Council are supporting this programme of professional work here at Trestle Arts Base throughout the year. During the first weekend of each month from February we will be bringing you some of the country’s finest new and exciting performances. The Saturday shows are aimed at an audience of 14+ and our Sunday shows are suitable families. We have also introduced a new ‘group ticket’ for our Saturday events the ‘bring your friends’ ticket will allow 4 people to attend a performance for the flat price of £40, (not to mention the free parking) for seeing innovative and inspirational theatre! In the spring we will be launching our new website and extending our opening hours – if you are interested in working with Trestle or hiring the Arts Base, for your class or event please do get in touch. Trestle are genuinely excited to be able to offer new, vibrant theatre and performance in the district and we look forward to seeing you at our new season and welcoming you to Trestle Arts Base.
Smallpetitklein presents
Falling Man
Saturday 4 Feb, 7.30pm
Fresh from five star reviews and sell out shows in New York City and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, critically acclaimed Smallpetitklein, led by award-winning choreographer Thomas Small, present this hauntingly beautiful new programme of dance. Falling Man is inspired by Richard Drew’s series of photographs that capture a man falling from the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks. The work combines text and subtle storytelling to deliver an inherently emotive piece of dance theatre and has something for everything. ‘so beautiful I had tears pouring down my face’
★ ★ ★ ★ - The Scotsman ‘...highlight of the week was a performance by Smallpetitklein...the dancing was beguiling’ - Evening Standard
Suitable for ages 14+ Runtime 1hr 40mins (including Interval) Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Bring Your Friends (4 tickets) www.smallpetitklein.com
Emily Gray Artistic Director Trestle Theatre Company
Backhand Theatre presents
The Paper Birds present
Sunday 5 Feb, 2.30pm
Saturday 3 Mar, 7.30pm
The Velveteen Rabbit is an inquisitive toy, he has bright button eyes and soft and velvety fur, and he doesn’t have any cogs or gears or clock work. He is just a rabbit with big dreams.
Multi award winning company The Paper Birds present their critically acclaimed, sell-out show Thirsty.
The Velveteen Rabbit
He loves his boy very much and asks his friend the skin horse what it means to be real. The skin horse tells him that to be truly real you have to be loved to the point where you have no fur because it has all been hugged away. A heart-warming classic that shows everyone what it means to be loved. This beautiful story is brought to life using stunning and realistic puppetry that encourages children to believe in the magic of the tale. The Velveteen Rabbit is young children’s theatre at its best: a delightfully staged piece, which has you believing in the power of childhood love to achieve anything. ‘Not to be missed’
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Fresh Air ‘Truly dazzling’
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Broadway Baby Suitable for ages 4+ Runtime approx 50mins (no interval) Tickets: £10 Adults / £8 Concessions / £32 Family (max 2 adults) www.backhandtheatre.com
Thirsty
Based on our nations love affair with alcohol, Thirsty weaves together real stories, memories and booze-based confessions, collected from a ‘drunken hotline’ and an online questionnaire. Fusing live music, verbatim text and stunning physical theatre, The Paper Birds explore the stories and social repercussions of lost memories and gained traumas, bruised knees, uncontrollable laughter, urine stained beds and sore heads. A dynamic theatrical exploration delving beyond statistics, facts and figures ‘Thirsty’ looks to the faces and the voices of everyone who likes a drink and asks why, as a Nation, are we so thirsty? ‘Terrifically sharp, vibrantly choreographed and sensitively paced, poignant without getting preachy’
- The Independent on Sundays ‘Top 5 Theatre Recommendations of The Edinburgh Fringe’
‘An energetic rollercoaster ride through the reasons that make so many of us reach for the bottle…, exuberantly performed’ - The Telegraph
Suitable for ages 12+ Runtime approx 70mins (no interval) Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Bring Your Friends (4 tickets) www.thepaperbirds.com
Gomito Productions presents
Idle Motion presents
Sunday 4 Mar, 2.30pm A curious romance
Saturday 31 Mar, 7.30pm
The Alchemystorium
The Alchemystorium Cafe dispenses coffee in a highly unusual fashion, more unusual still is the supernatural service offered as an accompaniment to your cappuccino. Using silent physical comedy, striking visuals and puppetry Gomito present a new comic romance. Enter a curious world of absurd magic as the inhabitants of The Alchemystorium get their first taste of love. ‘a wonder to behold’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - The Scotsman ‘an utter gem’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - British Theatre Guide ‘truly extraordinary’ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Broadway Baby Suitable for ages 12+ (contains some moderate comic sex scenes) Suitable for non-English speakers Runtime approx 60mins (no interval) Tickets: £10 Adults / £8 Concessions / £32 Family (max 2 adults) www.gomito.co.uk Gomito is an Associate Company of Greenwich Theatre
The Vanishing Horizon Total Theatre Award-nominated Idle Motion return with their Sell-Out show The Vanishing Horizon which was selected for the British Council Showcase 2011. This stunning piece of devised physical theatre uses charming and inventive staging created from battered suitcases, puppets, maps and paper airplanes to captivate its audience. In it they give wings to the female pioneers of aviation and the journeys they took, exploring the freedom they found in flight. Interwoven with this is the moving modern-day account of a young woman’s travels to discover the story of her estranged grandmother - who had fled the constraints of her life in post-war Britain to settle in South Africa. ‘A master class in staging, narrative and theatrical imagination.’
★★★★★-
What’s On Stage
‘The sheer innovation and inventiveness of the company had me split between complete admiration and a terrible sense of jealousy.’
★★★★-
Broadway Baby
Suitable for ages 10+ / Runtime approx 60mins (no interval) Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Bring Your Friends (4 tickets) www.idlemotion.co.uk
Lyngo Theatre presents
Delirium Theatre presents
Sunday 1 April, 2.30pm
Saturday 5 May, 7.30pm
Starring Patrick Lynch from Cbeebies and Carlo Rossi from Italian TV!
ATTEN-SHUN! St Albans better stand to attention as emerging company Delirium makes its debut with the blistering new play Go to your God like a Soldier.
Snow Play
Go to your God like a Soldier
When Mr Green comes back from his Christmas holidays he finds that Mr White has moved into his house and covered everything in snow. All Mr White wants to do is sleep and have fun but Mr Green can’t stand the snow. Who gets to stay, and who has to go away? Make a giant snowman, have a super snowball fight and help us to bring back the Sun in this highly interactive smash-hit London production. ‘Carlo Rossi has a remarkable gift…a delight.’ - The Stage
‘A fantastic, utterly enchanting show…children (and adults) will be captivated.’
- Evening Standard
Suitable for ages 3+ Runtime approx 70mins (no interval) Tickets: £10 Adults / £8 Concessions / £32 Family (max 2 adults) www.lyngo.co.uk
Set in Afghanistan, Go to your God like a Soldier tells the tale of four soldiers who barricade themselves inside a room for protection. While monitoring insurgent activities outside, pressure to make a decision rises. The complex bond between soldiers on the front line is contrasted with flashes of life back home – and when the unexpected happens, how do these ordinary people deal with an extraordinary situation? This show is for all those who are looking for a charged performance that will leave you breathless. As relentless as the war itself, there’s no time to get comfortable in your seats, so sit up and pay attention. ‘innovative, stimulating…theatrical risk-takers’ - Kevin Spacey CBE, Artistic Director of the Old Vic Theatre
Suitable for ages 14+ Runtime approx 55mins (no interval) Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Bring Your Friends (4 tickets) www.deliriumtheatre.co.uk
Cube Essential Theatre presents
New Art Club presents
Sunday 6 May, 2.30pm A new adaptation by Ben Oldfield
Saturday 2 Jun, 7.30pm
Pinocchio
The classic story of one puppet’s quest to become a real boy. Along the way he falls in with an assortment of colourful characters, who all try to lead him astray – but in the end, courage and love will see him through. Cube’s enchanting new adaptation delights children and adults alike. Pinocchio is a captivating tale, featuring spellbinding puppetry, original music, and a bundle of laughs! Meet the puppets after the show.
Big Bag of Boom Back with their latest piece of genre-defining stand-up dance, Roden and Shenton, together one of the truly original forces in comedy, bring together the most explosive moments from a decade of award-winning shows. All the clever tricks, hilarious set pieces and brilliant dances that make up New Art Club’s unique universe are mashed-up into a combustible new show. Relive classic moments including: country dancing to Heaven 17, a wonderfully twisted game of peekaboo, and the hilarious Various Monsters.
‘This is physical theatre at its entertaining best… the audience step outside with their hearts aglow’ - West Briton
Or, if you’ve never seen New Art Club before, be introduced to their sublimely elegant stupidity.
Suitable for ages 5 + Runtime approx 70mins (no interval)
Winner of Edinburgh Spotlight ‘Best Comedy Award’ 2010
Tickets: £10 Adults / £8 Concessions / £32 Family (max 2 adults)
‘Expert timing and tongue-in-cheek wit’
- The Times
‘Back-achingly, stomachcreasingly funny and brilliantly constructed comedy’ - Sunday Herald
‘Think Morecambe and Wise at Sadler’s Wells.’ - Bruce Dessau, The Evening Standard & Chortle Suitable for ages 14+ Runtime approx 60mins (no interval)
www.cube-theatre.co.uk
Tickets: £12 Adults / £10 Concessions / £40 Bring Your Friends (4 tickets)
www.newartclub.org
Peut-être Theatre presents
Taking Part
Sunday 3 Jun, 2.30pm
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.
This Is A That
In an apartment in Paris where nothing is quite as it seems, join Josette and her Papa as they dance with their ears, eat a piece of the moon, and meet a toy soldier called Jacqueline. A magnificent, magical, physical, musical journey about a father and daughter who let their imagination run away with them. The show is a unique fusion of dance and theatre for children and their grown-ups. Inspired by the stories that French Absurdist playwright Eugène Ionesco wrote for his young daughter, international theatre collective Peut-être Theatre present an intriguing and innovative play that will capture the imaginations of everyone. ‘The stories are rendered with a childish joy and exuberance by Peut-être Theatre.’
- Slough Observer
Suitable for ages 4+ Runtime approx 50mins (no interval) Tickets: £10 Adults / £8 Concessions / £32 Family (max 2 adults)
In 2011 Trestle joined forces with professional storyteller Kathryn Holt and local professional theatre company Tip of the Iceberg in order to continue providing our Storytent and Youth Theatre programmes. Lead by professional, friendly tutors and visiting specialists we are able to provide sessions that bring together, storytelling, craft, theatre and performance skills in a fun and nurturing environment. Available to all children and young people of any ability. Please visit www.trestle.org/takingpart or email takingpart@trestle.org.uk for more information and class times. www.kathrynholt.com www.tipoftheiceberg.biz
Classes and Workshops As well as offering a fantastic programme 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
www.peutetretheatre.co.uk
Exhibitions at the Gallery Café
Getting Here
The Gallery Café is open for submissions in the New Year, if you are interested in exhibiting please email gallery@trestle.org.uk for more information.
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. 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 Foot Trestle Arts Base is a 25 minute walk from St Albans City Centre, along the Alban Way.
The Gallery Café is open during Trestle Arts Base’s normal working hours.
Hire Trestle Arts Base 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 experienced staff can help you plan and deliver the perfect event.
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How to Book: t: 01727 850950 / w: www.trestle.org.uk Opening Hours Trestle Arts Base and the Box Office are open: Mon 9.45am - 11:30am & 3:45pm - 6.30pm Tues 9:30am - 3pm Wed 9:30am - 5pm Thurs 3:45pm - 6:45pm Sat 9am - 3pm The Box Office is also open one hour prior to performances. Outside of these opening hours Box Office enquiries will be dealt with through the Trestle Arts Base Office. 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. Parking Free car parking is available directly outside the venue, accessed from Sovereign Park.
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Please enquire at the Box Office or see www.trestle.org.uk for full details and all terms and conditions.
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
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www.facebook.com/TrestleTheatre www.trestletheatre.blogspot.com Trestle Arts Base, Russet Drive, St Albans, AL4 0JQ
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