Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015: A Pocketful of Grimms

As part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015 Story Pocket Theatre in association with
Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre presents A Pocketful of Grimms

A Pocketful of Grimms makes its UK debut at Gilded Balloon (Dining Room) from Wednesday 5 – Monday 31 August, 12.30 (ends 13.30). The production is presented by the award winning children’s theatre company, Story Pocket Theatre. The company’s creative team presented Arabian Nights, winner of the prestigious Primary Times Children’s Choice Award at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2014.

A Pocketful of Grimms goes back to the orginal telling of stories and sees the Storyteller transporting audiences to a land of fables and wonder to explore some of the most popular fairy tales ever told. This production features well known favourites such as Hansel and Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin as well as some of the lesser known stories such as Lazy Harry, The Golden Goose, Cat and Mouse n Partnership and Fundevogel. The production presents a host of original weird, dark, funny and fantastical adventures.

The play portrays an exciting collection of stories by the Brothers Grimm featuring physical theatre, puppetry, music and clowning. The show is a balanced mix of the funny, the dramatic and romantic. It’s a little bit of scary with a large dose of the downright ridiculous!

The ethos of Story Pocket Theatre is that their productions revolve around the telling of fantastic stories; the Brothers Grimms collection features some of the best stories that have influenced storytellers for more than 200 years. To this day, the stories are adapted on stage, film, TV and in countless books. Some stories that are instantly recognised have had modern adaptations. Everyone knows Beauty and The Beast but the original Grimms version, Lily and the Lion, has an extra dimension that is rarely touched upon in the modern versions.

The award winning creative team includes Julia Black and Adam Forde as co-directors; the production was adapted by Adam Forde with set and costume design by Francine Huin-Wah. The cast comprises: Ashley Bates, Pernilla Holland, Rayyah McCaul and William Forde, who also stars in Arabian Nights.

Story Pocket Theatre was set up in 2013 from a passion to produce beautiful, wonderful and magical theatre for families. The theatre company’s Patron is master storyteller and author of War Horse, Michael Morpurgo. He says ‘It was apparent straight away that Story Pocket’s focus was on sharing stories in a bright, imaginative way. My passion for stories and writing has taken me all over the world and I am lucky enough to see my stories in print and on stage and screen. It was Story Pocket’s passion for story telling that struck me… I am delighted to be the Patron of Story Pocket Theatre Company.’

LISTINGS INFORMATION: A Pocketful of Grimms will be performed at Gilded Balloon (Dining Room) 12.30 (ends 13.30) Wednesday 5 – Monday 31 August (except Tuesday 18 & Monday 24). Suitable for ages 5+ Ticket prices £5 – £9. Box office 0131 622 6552. Gilded Balloon, Teviot Row House, 13 Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AJ http://www.gildedballoon.co.uk

Submitted by Scott Weddell