Tickets are now on sale for one of the National Theatre of Scotland’s largest international youth projects to date, The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival. The youth theatre festival will see ten established youth theatre companies from around the Commonwealth come together for a seven day festival created by international young theatre-makers, as part of the Festival 2014 Programme.
At the risk of sounding like the possibly apocryphal tale of a certain local Scottish newspaper reporting the sinking of the Titanic with the headline ‘Local Man Drowned’ it is a pleasure to announce Edinburgh based Youth Theatre Company, Physical Theatre Scotland, is part of this exciting project from the National Theatre of Scotland in association with Scottish Youth Theatre.
Simon Abbott, Physical Theatre Scotland director says: “The Tin Forest is an important opportunity for these emerging young theatre makers to try out their skills on a high profile stage and we are very much looking forward to being a part of this exciting project.”
The other youth theatre companies participating in The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival are: Manifesto Jamaica from Kingston, Jamaica; FanFiction Comedy from Auckland, New Zealand; Hotel Echo from Bristol, England; theatrEX Bangladesh from Dhaka, Bangladesh; Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre from Malta; YUVA EKTA:Youth Unite from New Delhi, India. The other Scottish companies are Urban Fairytale Theatre Company from Glasgow; Collision Youth Theatre from Buckhaven, Fife and APA Youth Theatre from Aberdeen.
All of the groups involved in the project will create and perform a piece in their home country before presenting it to audiences in Glasgow from Thursday 24th to Monday 28th July at the South Rotunda. They will also take part in a residential theatre course, working closely with established, professional theatre-makers, engaging in cultural exchange and building on their existing skills and knowledge.
Best -selling book, The Tin Forest by Helen Ward and illustrated by Wayne Anderson, is the inspiration for this exciting production that will breathe new life into the currently vacant South Rotunda building on the Clydeside. Built between 1890 and 1896, the South and North Rotundas gave Glasgow commuters access to three passageways under the Clyde so were a big part of Glasgow’s industrial and commercial past. The story is about a crabbit wee man who dreams of a better world and decides he’ll just have to build it himself – a terrific metaphor for Glasgow’s reinvention of itself.
From 24th July to 3rd August, within the walls of a magically transformed South Rotunda, National Theatre of Scotland Associate Director Graham McLaren will direct his own adapted version of The Tin Forest, teaming up with celebrated puppet maker Gavin Glover and Glasgow School of Art Digital Design Studio. McLaren’s production entices audience members (in gaggles of ten at a time) on a walk through the old man’s weird and wonky world. An oddball cast of lovable bampots and eccentric puppets guide brave punters through mankie wee howffs and wide windswept places alike. McLaren says: “This year the world is watching Scotland...I cannot think of a more important time to be living and working in Scotland.”
As well as The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival and The Tin Forest International Performing Company performances, there will be a range of community events held across Glasgow, in Govan, Springburn, South West and East End, which will involve local communities who have been working together for the last six months to create site-specific theatre events.
As well as the International Theatre Festival, a specially commissioned Tin Forest International Performing Company - an ensemble of 90 young theatre makers drawn from the 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth – will flood the city with site-responsive theatre, responding to the themes of The Tin Forest and a selection of iconic Glasgow locations. Directed by Scottish Youth Theatre Associate Artistic Director Fraser MacLeod, they will perform on the city’s streets, bridges and public transport, and in parks, “stalled spaces” and public places from 21st – 23rd July. The locations for these performances include Barrowland Park, the Waterbus Terminal, Tradeston footbridge, Custom House Quay, Riverside Museum with a final performance involving all 90 theatre makers the courtyard of the South Rotunda.
Performance highlights from The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival and The Tin Forest International Performing Company will be captured by TFTV (Tin Forest TV): a youth-created, youth- focussed broadcast channel/magazine programme and will provide an open access, all areas approach to filming the action behind the scenes and at the daily master classes. The TFTV crew, which will feature students from the Creative Industries course at Glasgow Clyde College, will work with a lead producer and an assistant producer who will guide them through the process of creating a 4 minute package to be filmed, created, edited and broadcast online daily throughout the international youth festival and on screens at the venue during the evening International Theatre Festival performances.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop says:
“In the year where Scotland takes centre stage… it is also a time for Scotland and the Commonwealth to reach out and share our great cultural traditions as well as our contemporary creativity.”
The Tin Forest is produced in association with Scottish Youth Theatre and supported by Glasgow Life, Creative Scotland, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Homecoming Scotland and Arts & Business Scotland.
All tickets for The Tin Forest events £5/£3 conc.
Available online at www.thetinforest.com or on 0141 552 4267
No booking fee
Exceptions are: The Tin Forest Govan and The Tin Forest International Performing Company, which are free, unticketed events.
THE TIN FOREST INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING COMPANY
Monday 21st July Tuesday 22nd July
11.30am – 12.00pm (Hub active from 11.00am)
Barrowland Park
The Forgotten &The Players 11.30am – 12.00pm (Hub active from 11.00am)
Barrowland Park
The Forgotten & The Travellers
12.30pm – 1.00pm (Hub active from 12.00pm)
Waterbus Terminal
The Workers & The Travellers 12.30pm – 1.00pm (Hub active from 12.00pm)
Waterbus Terminal
The Workers & The Forgotten
1.30pm – 2.00pm (Hub active from 1.00pm)
Tradeston Footbridge
The Dreamers & The Forgotten 1.30pm – 2.00pm (Hub active from 1.00pm)
Tradeston Footbridge
The Dreamers & The Workers
2.30pm – 3.00pm (Hub active from 2.00pm)
Custom House Quay
The Players & The Workers 2.30pm – 3.00pm (Hub active from 2.00pm)
Custom House Quay
The Players & The Dreamers
4.00pm – 4.30pm (Hub active from 3.30pm)
Riverside Museum
The Travellers & The Dreamers 4.00pm – 4.30pm (Hub active from 3.30pm)
Riverside Museum
The Travellers & The Players
Wednesday 23rd July
The South Rotunda, 2.30 – 3.15pm
THE TIN FOREST INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL
Venue: The South Rotunda
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Via doors either side of Box Office, on Govan Road side of building
Duration: Each show last approx. 45 minutes
Stage reset: The auditorium will be cleared between performances each night, to allow the stage to be reset for the next group
Date/Time: 24 – 28 July 2014
Daily, 7.30pm + 9.15pm
Seating: Seating is unreserved
Tickets: One show per evening: £5/ £3 (no booking fee)
Two shows per evening: £8/ £6 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
BSL and Captioned performances:
Age guide: Suggested age guide 16+
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)
Thursday 24th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: Physical Theatre Scotland from Edinburgh present A Bridge to Nowhere
9.15pm – 10.15pm: theatrEX Bangladesh from Dhaka, Bangladesh present Dokkhina Sundari
Friday 25th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: YUVA EKTA: Youth Unite from New Delhi, India present Shoonya se Shikar: a Journey of Transformation
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Hotel Echo from Bristol present Wild Men
Saturday 26th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: Aberdeen Performing Arts Youth Theatre from Aberdeen present Bubble Wrap
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre from Valletta, Malta present CLUB
Sunday 27th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: Collision from Buckhaven, Fife present Fragile State of Mind
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Manifesto Jamaica from Kingston, Jamaica present SomeNoWhere
Monday 28th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: FanFiction Comedy from Auckland, New Zealand present TBC
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Urban Fairytale Theatre Company from Glasgow present Hiraeth
THE TIN FOREST SHOW:
A PUPPET THEATRE EXPERIENCE
Venue: The South Rotunda
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Audience members to gather at Box Office on Govan Road side of the South Rotunda
Duration: 30 minutes approx. (no interval)
Promenade event: This is a promenade performance, requiring audience members to walk through a series of spaces and to stand; seating will be available for older/infirm audience members unable to stand throughout the performance
Date/Time: Thursday 24 July – Sunday 3 August 2014
Daily, 2.00pm – 6.00pm (except Tue 29 July)
Performances start every 10mins
Audience Groups: Audience members will walk through the performance in groups of 10;
Our front of house team will do their best to ensure that you and your accompanying friends/family members are kept together in the same group.
Tickets: £5/ £3 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
BSL performances: Saturday 26th July, Friday 1st August
Pre-recorded audio description available by request online from Wednesday 23rd July, and from the venue box office
Captioning: a booklet will be available at box office on request
Age guide: For everyone over 8 years old not afraid of enclosed spaces and puppets in close proximity
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)
THE TIN FOREST LAUNCH EVENT
Venue: The South Rotunda Courtyard
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Via box office on Govan Road side of building
Duration: 90 minutes (no interval)
Date/Time: Tuesday 22 July 2014, 7.30pm
Tickets: £5/ £3 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
BSL: some aspects of performance will be BSL interpreted
Age guide: Suitable for all
Outdoor Event: Please dress accordingly. Sturdy footwear advised for cobbled courtyard.
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)
DEAR GLASGOW
Venue: The South Rotunda
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Via doors either side of Box Office, on Govan Road side of building
Duration: 3 hours, with breaks
Audience Interaction: This is an audience interactive event – we welcome your contribution, but nobody will be compelled to contribute, nor ejected/tarred/feathered for lack of contribution
Date/Time: Thursday 31st July 2014
7.30pm – 10.30pm
Seating: Seating is unreserved
Tickets: £3 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
Age guide: Suggested age guide 12+
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)