NEW SHOW ANNOUNCED Gorilla Gardening

This post is a look to our future into a new piece called Gorilla Gardening.  It is a three-handed family show aimed at 3+ year olds. Adapted from Emma Howell’s poem of the same name. The show is composed with a rich abundance of colour, texture and a touch of horticultural anarchy!

The play encourages young people to engage with the outdoors through the imagining of Gorillas as horticulturalists. As a piece, it’s mission is to engage children with the outdoors, get them active and aware of how things grow and where their food comes from. Under the cover of darkness Gorillas raise sunflowers, raspberries, beans and lavender to keep pollution at bay and prepare the soil for many of the things we take for granted.

Gorilla Gardening is supported by Bristol Old Vic Outreach, Ernest Cook foundation and is also endorsed by one of Britain's most loved wildlife presenters Steve Backshall.

'Kids need to be a part of the natural world in ways we cannot even quantify, but in ways I see every day…The temptations and addictions of the modern world are so powerful, the rewards of nature desperately important.' Steve Backshall on Gorilla Gardening

This has been bubbling away for sometime and it is a real delight to have the resources available to share some images and the trailer of our Research and Development days taken early last month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXNF4GyLt5E&feature=youtu.be

So now is the time for planning and fundraising, scheduling schools and tightening budgets.

We are currently looking to secure a series of venues and festivals for Friday/Saturday/Sunday shows throughout June and July. Whilst during the week it will tour to schools in Bath, Bristol, South Gloucestershire and The Forest of Dean. 

If you are a interested in booking us do get in contact with me heidi_vaughan@hotmail.com

Match Rehearsal Day 6 by Heidi Vaughan

Day 6 

the 'street'

Here we are a week into our remount. Rehearsals have inevitably stepped up and we continue to throw new ideas into the mix in order to challenge the specifics of the show.

As director, I feel a little like our character of Granny, an explorer,  preparing to start on a journey. Questioning what we should take with us and what we leave behind.

What is overwhelmingly clear is that Dot and Ethel has really developed over the last year and our recent conclusion of a years reflective practice with our Leverhulme Arts Scholarship at the egg, has flooded, hyper textually, across all our projects and made us really think about the specificity of our work.

How does Match now it sit amongst the sector?
What do we both artistically and as a company want to move forward with and what are we happy to loose?
What makes this piece a show for now?

So as we leap onward I am determined to keep the spirit of the explorer alive.

Dot and Ethel Presents 'The Little Match Girl' Christmas 2013 at the Wardrobe Theatre

We are thrilled to announce our first production under the Dot and Ethel name! 

The Little Match Girl is a simple yet moving tale. It is full of Hans Christian Anderson’s usual diversity of colour, depth and texture. As a story, it doesn’t patronise, instead it is incredibly uplifting and raw. It is a allows a seasonal feast for the senses; as it twists and turns in a way which felt rather perfect for our first Dot and Ethel Christmas show. As theatre makers it is a brilliantly playful as well as tender tale.

The show itself has a real sense of event around it, we love the liveness of theatre and the fact that the dynamic of our audience allows every show to be different and exciting. It is an open piece, not cutting our audience off but very much bringing them with us on our journey.

We have chosen to modernise the tale, whilst echoing the tones and images of the original. The Match Girl lives with her sisters in what is now a parentless home and is driven outside the attic to search for their Mum. The ignorance of the seasonal shoppers, all ready for their next bargain leaves her lost, alone and frightened until she has a brilliant idea of striking a match. Each match is like going into another world, which resonates with her life in the attic, a through the wardrobe experience or into the world of Oz! There are some really joyful experiences and her simple pleasures are wholesome and smile raising. As is the end of the show when the little girl delights in achieving her quest as a New Year begins.

To reserve tickets email: tickets@thewardrobetheatre.com

Welcome!

Dot and Ethel is the brainchild of Director Heidi Vaughan and Designer Harriet de Winton; born from a real desire to create work that was driven by audiences rather than ego. To make theatre which is imaginative, affordable, open and responsive.  

We hope to see you soon, either at a workshop or a performance!

Dot and Ethel x

(Heidi and Harriet)