Fables at the Kitchen Table

Whilst theatre productions are still missing a live audience, Cheshire Rural Arts will be presenting a new online production based on Aesop’s fables.

Cheshire Rural Touring Arts and Spot On Lancashire are presenting the live online show for children and families ages 3 to 8. 

Maria Byrne, Director Environment & Communities, Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “We would normally be announcing a full season of touring shows at this time. I’m delighted that despite the current restrictions there is still a way to present live theatre and to a young audience. 

“I’m sure it won’t be too much longer before a full season can return to the network of community venues across the borough.” 

Fables at the Kitchen Table
From Stute Theatre 
Wednesday 31 March 2021 11am and 2pm
Thursday 1 April 2021 11am and 2pm
Friday 2 April 2021 11am and 2pm 

Aesop’s famous fables, including the Hare and the Tortoise, The Lion and the Mouse and The Fable of the Raven and the Fox are getting a digital makeover, as Manchester based actor-musician Sophia Hatfield brings them to life straight from her kitchen table.  

In the show, a pair of oven gloves become a lion’s huge paws, wooden spoons and pegs become woodland creatures and children are transported on a storytelling adventure straight from the kitchen table. 

Originally written in the 6th Century BCE, Aesop's Fables are the world's best-known collection of morality tales and even during the age of COVID-19, continue to teach children the value of kindness, patience, sharing and emotions in this brand-new adaptation. 

The production is also accompanied with an Education Pack and home school worksheets, free for audiences to explore. 

The unique performance, with live music, puppets and stories, is to be delivered live via a secure webinar on Zoom to family and school audiences, perfect for children aged 3 to 8. The production guarantees to bring joy and creativity to families this Spring. 

Said performer Sophia Hatfield: “I am delighted to be bringing this collection of fables and stories together, to bring a bit of inspiration and joy to young children and families this Spring. Aesop‘s Fables are a beautiful resource and it’s been a huge privilege to be back in a rehearsal room playing, creating and bringing these stories to life for a modern audience. Who would have thought you could create a convincing tortoise from a bike helmet and two salad servers. We can’t wait to share this inventive, fun piece of live, Covid-proof theatre with young people live over Zoom.” 

Tickets https://spotonlancashire.co.uk/whats-on/fables-at-the-kitchen-table/

About Cheshire Rural Touring Arts and Spot On Lancashire

Cheshire Rural Touring Arts (CRTA) and Spot On Lancashire are a joint National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England. Spot On are an independent arts organisation and CRTA are part of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Councils.

Both work with an army of voluntary promoters who promote live high-quality professional performance events in small intimate community spaces and libraries across Cheshire and Lancashire.

The experience not only gives access to high quality performances on rural doorsteps but is a way of animating community buildings and bringing communities together. Both organisations have been unable to tour live events since March 2020 due to Covid 19 so instead have been presenting digital work and alternative cultural experiences (such as telephone theatre).

Both organisations are looking forward to being able to bring live performances to communities again as soon as it is safe to do so. 

www.cheshireruraltouringarts.co.uk and www.spotonlancashire.co.uk

About Stute Theatre

Stute Theatre is a collaborative theatre company run by performer and theatre maker Sophia Hatfield. Sophia is an experienced performer, writer and facilitator and is an Artsmark Partner. Each piece of work at Stute Theatre is shaped by freelance artists, arts organisations and communities.

Stute’s ethos is that great theatre should be for everyone. They create exciting, multidisciplinary work that pushes the limits of small-scale touring using storytelling, live music, puppetry and physical theatre. They use creative technology and build worlds out of household objects working with multi-skilled performers, directors, producers, designers and makers.

Audiences include children, families, young people and adults. They regularly tour to libraries, theatres, community spaces and schools - even a canal boat once. Stute Theatre run educational workshops and creative writing sessions, gather stories from local communities and share them with care. They also adapt existing texts for modern audiences and write new pieces of work telling stories that need to be heard.

About the Producers – Filament Projects

Filament Projects is a collaboration between theatre director and education practitioner Sarah Richardson and producer Helen Slevin. Filament was formed out a desire to create exciting and varied theatrical experiences for audiences of all ages, especially young children, and to bring live theatre experiences to those who might otherwise struggle to access them.