Theatre Royal Plymouth reopens for Local Artists Pop Up Performances
The doors to Theatre Royal Plymouth have sadly been closed to the public for over six months, the first time in its 37-year history, but preparations are now underway to welcome back audiences for five socially distanced small-scale pop-up performances. TRP are announcing these limited special performances as they highlight their Community Celebration Week which shines a spotlight on their Engagement and Learning projects, a big part of which focuses developing talent from community and local theatre makers.
The five pop up shows, all created and performed by South West based artists, will be socially distanced live and digital performances at TRP. The programme will include a sensory igloo experience from Above Bounds for family groups and an End of the Pier Show from Jonny Fluffypunk!
Ben Lyon-Ross, Talent Development Producer at Theatre Royal Plymouth said: “This feels like such an important opportunity for TRP to keep on supporting local artists throughout this tough time. I’m really pleased that we’re able to welcome some brilliant South West based artists back into the building and I can’t wait for them to share their wonderful shows with our audiences! Talent development is core to what we do here at the theatre and this programme offers some of the most vibrant and innovative work around.”
TRP have been working hard to make the building safe to welcome audiences back to enjoy the magic of theatre. A number of changes and new safety measures have been put in place for the protection of performers, staff and audience members. These include digital e-tickets, temperature checks on arrival, social distancing and plenty of hand sanitising stations. The full Covid-Safe Environment measures at the Theatre can be found on their website.
Tickets for these exciting new performances, which will also see audiences welcomed back to TRP, are on sale now via the Theatre’s website.
The House Never Wins – Kill the Cat
Thursday 05 November. Live stream performance
Plummeting insect numbers. A sixth mass extinction. Thinning of ice sheets. Sea level rise.
We could all do with a distraction. Take a seat at the table, get ready to play. The House is on fire.
An interactive game theatre piece that you can play from the comfort of your own home. Exploring the climate crisis, self-isolation and gambling with the planet’s future.
Pint Sized Conversation – Kill the Cat
Saturday 07 November. The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth
“She comes to my door and tells me she’s been diagnosed with depression and I think- not this again”
My friend. My sister. My step-dad.
A piece about mental health and offering support. About not getting it right all of the time. But trying.
Wednesday 18 – Saturday 21 November. Projection show on Theatre Royal Plymouth Flytower.
An iconic building transformed by a socially distanced show with storytelling, music and epic projections.
Two people are making the same journey to the sea, 668 years apart. They are bound together by the shock of creating a new life. They are running from the sudden fear that comes with love.
During the show, members of the audience watch spectacular visual images projected on to the side of the theatre. On headphones, an original score and tender storytelling reveal a timely story that mixes intimate emotions with the backdrop of a world in flux.
“When my first child was born I felt as if a giant had arrived in the room totally separate from her. It was a giant creature of new responsibility that was going to stay with me from that day onwards. Three years later I broke my neck and nearly drowned. Under the water, in the darkness, with my partner and children standing on the edge, I felt like something of this creature saved me. These two events lie at the heart of This Crossing.”
The End of the Pier Show - Jonny Fluffypunk
Saturday 14 November. The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth
At the end of a soon-to-be-closed-down pier in a forgotten seaside town, Pierre the pier handyman spends the last weeks as he always does: catching fish for his old bedridden mother and making strange and wonderful things from the rubbish he finds on the beach.
Then who should wash into his life but a homeless mermaid with a spiky attitude and a story to tell! And things aren’t going to be the same again… Can kindness lead to great things? Can a bit less litter make a difference? Can the world’s first human/mermaid rock ‘n’ roll band make big waves?
Renowned stand-up poet and lo-fi theatre maker Jonny Fluffypunk presents a brand spanking new little show for families, with poetry, puppetry, story, song and a healthy dose of ramshackle anarchy.
The Igloo Experience – Above Bounds
Wednesday 02 – Saturday 05 December. Theatre Royal Plymouth
The Story of The Golden Penguin
Step inside our igloo to be transported to a world covered in ice, from the rooftops, to the roads, to the sky. Here we’ll join Lola and Kai for an icy adventure, as they set off through blizzards and fog in search of a mythical creature- a golden penguin! Will they be successful on their quest? I think they might need your help along the way! So, wrap up warm, bring your family and prepare for an adventure you’ll never forget!
The Igloo Experience is perfect for families to enjoy together this Winter, and a magical grotto alternative. Set inside a pop-up igloo, family groups will listen to a sensory audio story with a magical twist, involving some rather large puppets!
This experience is to be enjoyed in family bubbles and has been created as a Covid-safe activity for individual family groups.
