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York Theatre Royal is delighted to be joining forces with two of the country’s leading theatre companies who work with actors with learning disabilities - Full Body and the Voice and The Shysters - for a new version of the classic children’s story Pinocchio. The production will run in the main house from 19-27 October before visiting Huddersfield and Coventry.
Running wild in the streets, playing truant from school, upsetting the neighbours. Old Joe is terrified about where his blockhead of a son will end up. Why can't Pinocchio behave like a normal boy?
And when Pinocchio finally disappears into an underworld of con-men, low-lifes and sharks, what Old Joe doesn’t know is just how wild and strange his son’s epic journey is turning out to be.
Anarchically exuberant and savagely funny, Full Body and the Voice, The Shysters and York Theatre Royal bring a dark and refreshing twist to the classic tale of Pinocchio to life by a brilliant ensemble company of actors with – and without – learning disabilities.
In 2005 actors from Full Body and the Voice, The Shysters and York Theatre Royal worked together in a series of Stage Exchange workshops. The companies explored the potential of creating a new and exciting theatre aesthetic influenced by actors with learning disabilities. The workshops were so successful that the three partners decided to create a production for the general public - Pinocchio.
The production will be directed by Jon Palmer and Richard Hayhow with York Theatre Royal’s Artistic Director, Damian Cruden, in the producer role. The piece will be devised, with the help of a writer, and play on the strengths of the seven cast members (two from Full Body and the Voice, two from The Shysters and three from York Theatre Royal). The excellent cast includes Jon Tipton and Lisa Carney from The Shysters; Ben Langford and Peter Wandtke from Full Body and The Voice; Laura Sanchez (Walking The Tightrope, York Theatre Royal), Robin Hudson (Pygmalion, York Theatre Royal) and finally Vicki Hackett (Nineteen Seventy Seven, York Theatre Royal),
Director Jon Palmer from Full Body and The Voice said “Pinocchio was picked because it is a well known story which will appeal to a broad family audience. It is also a story that explores many themes we are interested in: what is normal behaviour? When are we free to follow our desires? Who is responsible for their actions? Can other people control what we think and feel?”
Richard Hayhow from The Shysters added, “'What I love about Pinocchio is that it's such a favourite story for so many people, yet there is so much more to the original story than we all may realise. So we've got the best of both worlds - all the familiar and hugely entertaining bits together with some wierd and wonderful additions - it's really exciting to be working on it and with an amazing company of actors!'
Full Body and the Voice is a theatre company with an ensemble of learning disabled actors at its heart. The company create spectacular physical theatre to inspire, surprise and make connections with their audiences. Previous productions at York Theatre Royal have included Knock Knock and In the Footsteps of Mr Butler.
The Shysters have worked together since 1997, developing ways of making theatre that reflects their unique characteristics, which they call Shysterness and which has its roots in learning disability. The company create their deep imagery through challenging themselves with a wide range of physical performance techniques to draw out their experiences and perceptions and transform them into the stuff of theatre. The company was last at York Theatre Royal in 2004 with the critically acclaimed Tango Apocalypso.
Pinocchio is suitable for ages 8 and up.
Tickets for this must-see production are priced between £9.00-£16.00 (Family ticket available for £24.00), with tickets for Under 25s and Students at £5.00 and can be purchased at the York Theatre Royal Box Office or by calling 01904 623568 or visiting www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
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