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The Borrowers – heart-warming celebration of family this Christmas |
Sherman Theatre & Theatr Iolo reunited in high quality theatre for U7s with The Emperor’s New Clothes 
Two family classics are brought to life at Sherman Theatre this Christmas with a heart- warming Main House adaptation of Mary Norton’s children’s novel The Borrowers (25 Nov – 31 Dec), and another enchanting Sherman / Theatr Iolo co-production of The Emperor’s New Clothes / Dillad Newydd Yr Ymerawdwr (5-31 Dec) in the Studio. 
Directed by Amy Leach, The Borrowers is a spirited and funny production that combines delightful script with playful use of set, design and music to tell the tale of the pocket-sized Clock Family’s epic adventure journeying from their world underneath the floorboards into the vast wide open. 
Parents and children alike can relate to this coming-of-age story about striving for independence, understanding the need to let go, and celebrating the importance of family. Bringing together heartfelt sentiment with magical adventure and imaginative visual treats, this promises to be a very special family experience for Christmas. 
Talking about what’s in store, Director Amy Leach said, “This is a timeless tale of young people coming of age, making mistakes and learning to be the best human being (or Borrower) they can be. It's the story of a family fleeing from their home, of grown-ups learning to embrace change, of making do and being grateful for what we have, and of standing up to bullies no matter how small we are. It feels as important a story to tell now as it must have done to Mary Norton when she first dreamt it up in the years following the Second World War.” 
An exceptional group of multi-talented performers make up an ensemble cast - many home grown from around South Wales. Arrietty is played by Kesrena James, currently appearing on screen as Ruth in Ordinary Lies (BBC1). Born and brought up in Cardiff, Kesrena began her career in acting performing as a member of Sherman Theatre’s longstanding Youth Theatre. Popular welsh actor Keiron Self (Arabian Nights & The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Sherman Theatre), My Family (BBC1), returns to the Sherman for his third year running to play protective father Pod, while Cait Davies (Frantic Assembly, The Twits (Royal Court) plays opposite him as the homely matriarch Homily. Talking about his character Keiron Self said “Playing Pod, the father of a girl on the verge of adulthood is very identifiable for me as I have children around the same age. What the production deals with so accessibly is how parents have to relinquish control over their kids and allow them to grow up. It's really difficult, heart-breaking and also joyous to see your babies becoming adults. Pod finds it initially hard to fathom this....as I still do!” Harvey Virdi plays the villainous Mrs Driver, while Joseph Tweedale performs dual roles, Crampfurl and the intrepid Borrower, Spiller. Originally from Penarth, Joe returns to the Sherman, having played Peter in last year’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The cast join composer and musician Dom Coyote (Kneehigh Theatre; Songs for The End of the World - Origins Award for outstanding achievement, Vault Festival) in performing a beautiful cinematic score, rooted in piano and brass to create a recognisably Christmassy sound that’s accessible, familiar and wholly original. Hayley Grindle’s design (Iphigenia in Splott, Arabian Nights, The Ugly Duckling – Sherman Theatre) combines beautiful set, theatrical tricks and video projection to play with sense of scale and perspective, putting the performers through their physical paces as they navigate the oversized world around them. Audiences in turn are transported into the world that the Borrower’s inhabit. The Borrowers runs from 25 November – 31 December at Sherman Theatre. Sherman Theatre and Theatr Iolo bring high quality family entertainment to South Wales (9 November – 1 December) and the Sherman Theatre (5 – 31 December) this Christmas, with their new seasonal production for Under 7s; a re-telling of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes / Dillad Newydd Yr Ymerawdwr. Featuring a talented cast of Welsh speaking actors, hailing from south and west Wales, this classic fairy tale is given a fun new twist by Writer Alun Saunders and Director Kevin Lewis; telling and performing the story through the eyes of its young audiences in order to create the engaging and magical experience that the Sherman and Iolo’s co-productions have become known for. Saunders’ production tells the story of an Emperor who has lost his ‘silly’, and instead cares only about image and clothes. A pair of wily Weavers concoct a cunning plan, to land the Emperor and his subjects in an embarrassing situation. But in doing so they rekindle the Emperor’s lost childhood joy and reunite him with his all-important silliness. This simple tale is told through playful storytelling, live music and song, and is a perfect pre-Christmas treat for young audiences. Talking about what this production offers parents and young audiences, Director Kevin Lewis said, “This production wants to invite our young audiences into the world of the Emperor, and inspire their imaginations. Our story provides moments of play, joy, tantrums, mischief, and embarrassment – all new and intriguing emotions that children can explore in a playful, warm, magical theatre environment.” Sherman Theatre and Theatr Iolo have developed a unique partnership in recent years, in the creation of the Sherman’s annual Christmas production for Under 7s. This new production also reunites the design (Charlotte Neville) and composer (Dan Lawrence) team behind their 2015 production of The Princess & The Pea / Y Dywysoges a’r Bysen Fechan Fach which delighted young audiences across South Wales and reached record audiences since the Sherman’s reopening in 2012. “The Sherman Theatre has a tradition of creating special Christmas shows which I have enjoyed watching over the years with my own children when they were growing up. I am thrilled that Theatr Iolo and Sherman Theatre are working together again to bring you this new adaptation by Alun Saunders of one of Han’s Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tales.“ Kevin Lewis, Director The production tours throughout South Wales from 9 November to 1 December, performed in both English and Welsh. A full list of tour venues can be found at http://www.shermantheatre.co.uk/performance/children/the-emperors-new-clothes-tour/. The productions runs at Sherman Theatre from 5 – 31 December. |
| Sherman Theatre web site: www.shermantheatre.co.uk |
| Lewis Gwyther e-mail: Lewis.Gwyther@shermantheatre.co.uk |
Monday, November 14, 2016 |
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