John Brolly - Out Of The Box

Out of the Box is a celebration of storytelling.

John Brolly will tell an eclectic mix of traditional and original stories in his own inimitable style to the accompaniment of an improvised string player.

Beware the Owl Witch from the Kwakiutl tribe of Canada. Share an argument with two grumpy wizards from Porthgwara in West Cornwall. You may take a trip charting Tom Rakewell‘s rise and fall in old London with the hero of Hogarth’s Rakes Progress and eventually explore the seven worlds of gypsy folk lore on an epic journey with Kalo Dant.

All accompanied by the unforgettable sound of Liz Cowdrey’s violin.

‘Enchanting and enlightening’, Mullion School

The Latin Quarter - Kabasa

An integrated programme of Latin American music and dance, featuring 'Kabasa',  an 8-piece Salsa Band based in Penzance and Latin music DJs.  

As an alternative, more appropriate for our smaller venues, there will be a live trio 'Rhumba Diabla'.

Where there is demand, there will be an additional workshop or taster session for those wishing to try out or improve their Salsa dancing led by salsa dance teachers.  This will be prior to the main live and recorded music session

Esteban Antonio

In Concert with the HaShem

Acclaimed as one of the 'greatest guitarists of our century' by the Observer, Estaban Antonio brings a remarkable new instrument created in Cornwall as a vital conclusion to the evolution of the guitar.

This 17-string guitar encapsulates 4 instruments - harp, violin, cello and guitar into one, taking the listener on a voyage from Dreams & Legends into a realm of the spirit which transcends culture and brings about a new landmark in composition, harmony and sounds never heard before.

The Hitchcock Rules

A two band evening performance.

Original band The Hitchcock Rules will be performing their fifth studio record 'Tell the Truth and Run' in full along with a selection of songs from their previous releases.

Instead of the usual route of venues around the country, the band will be showcasing the new record first throughout their home of Cornwall in all the places they have not played before.

They will be joined throughout the shows by Cosmic Stones, fronted by Cosmic, who quite frankly ‘out Jaggers’ Jagger and gives 'one-off' performances every time !

Squashbox Theatre - Skillywidden

Legend has it that are 5 types of faery in Cornwall; the Small Folk, the Piskies, the Knockers, the Brownies and - most mischievous of all - the Spriggans.

Come on a journey through the Cornish landscape as we search for these elusive creatures in ancient stone circles, old mine workings, fields, farmland, hedgerows and moors.

 Meet Skillywidden, the mischievous Pisky, and all of his faery friends! Watch the dance of the 'beautiful' Faery Queen! Marvel at the incredible Book of Nature as it literally comes alive before your eyes.

 Skillywidden is a celebration of the wildlife and faery myths of Cornwall, using Squashbox Theatre's distinctive mix of puppets, songs, storytelling and cabaret, with a strong environmental message.

Hoover The Dog

Welsh Borders trio, Hoover the Dog, are purveyors of inventive, intelligent music, featuring the virtuoso combination of John Hymas' (Little Rumba) strings, the athletic accordion of Paul Hutchinson (BBC 2 Folk Awards Best Duo nominated Belshazzar's Feast) and guitar/bouzouki man Tony Harris' light fluid fingerings.

Exhibiting bags of technical brilliance and the gift of making music clever and funny at the same time, the music ranges from stylish and understated to gutsy and gleeful.

'If you like quirky music full of flair, inventiveness and fun, you'll love them' BBC Radio 2.

The Selfish Giant

By Oscar Wilde

The Selfish Giant built a high wall all around his lovely garden to keep the children out.

But it also kept Spring away, so that it was always Winter in the garden, and the North Wind and the Frost and the Snow danced about the trees.

One morning the Giant looked out and saw the most wonderful sight . . . . . . . . .

This much loved fairy tale is brought to life using beautiful puppets and music.

The story is adapted to broaden its appeal, while keeping the charm of Oscar Wilde's story

Squashbox Theatre : Universarama!

Let Squashbox Theatre take you on a trip through the universe, from Cornwall to the edges of space and time! Along the way we will explore the solar system, learn about the stars and constellations, visit distant galaxies, and hear the fascinating story of John Couch Adams, the Cornishman who discovered Neptune.

"Universarama!" is a marvellous blend of spectacle, storytelling and cabaret, using puppets, props, music and comedy to convey the awe and wonder of the cosmos, all within an accessible and unique family show. 

The show is the creation of Craig Johnson - actor, musician, puppeteer, science fan, and long-standing member of Cornwall's renowned Kneehigh Theatre. 

EXTRA!!!
Audiences are invited to take part in practical star-gazing sessions after the show!
These will be light-hearted, fun and inclusive, and suitable for complete beginners.
The star-gazing sessions are, of course, subject to weather conditions!

Ian Keable - Nothing Up My Sleeve

In his new show, Ian Keable, a recent recipient of the prestigious Magic Circle Comedy Award, explains some of the techniques he uses to mystify his audience.

Is the hand really quicker than the eye, is it all done with mirrors or does everything disappear up the sleeve?

Throughout the show there are a multitude of different tricks demonstrating these techniques; ranging from sleight of hand, to reading minds, to Ian's trademark 'laugh out loud' comedy magic.

Duchy Opera - The Merry Widow

A unique new version of a much-loved operetta, set amidst the celebrations in Maxim’s, a run-down cabaret bar in Berlin on November 9th,1989 - the night the despised Berlin Wall finally comes down. Two long-separated lovers are re-united amidst an exuberant gathering of die-hard Bohemian writers artists and poets, who join together to celebrate love, art, freedom and a new hope for the future of Germany.

The Merry Widow has all the familiar tunes which have enchanted audiences across several generations, brought vividly to life in this refreshing update, adapted & directed by Keith Sparrow and arranged & conducted by Paul Drayton, with choreography by Helen Tiplady (cscape dance company).

The Duchy Opera Company are committed to producing exciting, innovative opera which will challenge and engage people of all ages and from all walks of life. This outstanding production of a fun and uplifting story is a perfect place for newcomers to start, as well as a fantastic new way for experienced opera-goers to enjoy an enduring favourite!

Concessions for Under18s

BishBashBosh - A Mere Interlude

 Set in the restrictive world of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly society of the 1860s, the passionate and progressive young teacher Baptista Trewethen suddenly finds herself the victim of a carefully-orchestrated marriage.

Baptista has dreams of a happy and fulfilling future in the modern world. Instead, she must marry a dialect-spouting grotesque Scillonian fisherman. Thus, in a moment of mazed madness, she finds herself making an unexpected decision which will change her life forever.

The interlude she creates leads her first to steamy passion and then to having all hope lost. Along the way, she encounters God’s Wonderful Railway, leaking luggers, sharp-clawed lobsters, and a risky world in which play is no longer a game.

 Presented with BishBashBosh’s usual flair and physicality, Celticity and history, this moving new drama takes us on a rollercoaster journey, fraught with challenge, crime and heart-felt passion. As ever, Kent’s script is filled with delightful decadence, stunning narrative and fantastic Cornu-English, welded together to make a tale that will lift you as high as St Michael’s Mount, and as low as Davy Jones’ deepest locker…

 It is something we have all done: a moment of madness, a play for passion, a mere interlude. 

 If you enjoyed The Tin Violin and Surfing Tommies, then this new drama will delight your senses some more. This is Cornish National Theatre at its very best.

             BishBashBosh Productions: Nailing theatrical excellence every time.

'A Mere Interlude'   Directed by John Hoggarth

Shanty Theatre - A Rat's Tale

A show for adults and children who aren't afraid of the dark!

The village graveyard is heaving with excited fans. The people of Woodston jostle to see the final showdown between their wrestling heroes, Man Mountain and The Plough.  At the same moment, an inconspicuous ship slips into Weymouth harbour carrying a lethal cargo.

Set in the South West, A Rat's Tale tells the story of The Black Death.

There is plenty of music, bold characterisation, comedy and storytelling of the spread of Black Death in medieval England.

Dalla

A real treat of beautiful songs and furious tunes from the mastery of Dalla, celebrating Cornish culture in an upbeat and infectious voice.

Dalla are Neil Davey (bouzouki, fiddle, mandolin), Hilary Coleman (clarinets & vocals), and Bec Applebee (percussion & vocals).

Trifle Gathering - Charity Shop Cabaret

As all our belts tighten and the economy frightens us into cutting back and scrimping, Trifle Gathering hit the road with their exhilarating Charity Shop Cabaret.

The South West’s leading exponents of delirious wit present a hilarious tour through Elspeth Garter’s charity shop - a welcoming world of romance, rummage, jumble and joy.

Not having seen a customer for eight months Elspeth and her volunteers have been forced to take their charity shop on tour.  They fill their days with pin-board news, dance routines, tea ceremonies, frugal tips for frugal times, and the saucy delights of Mills and Boon… all set to the classic sounds of their vintage vinyl resident DJ… while an extraordinary love story unravels that will leave the audience gasping.

Trifle Gathering have teamed up with True West’s Nick Whitby (writer on C4’s ‘Smack The Pony’ whose plays have been produced on Broadway and the Donmar Warehouse) to bring you a new and expanded version of this boisterous pot-pourri of pure entertainment.  Using film, physical theatre and a mesmerising musical score, you will enter a unique and loveable world of Bingo and the Bizarre.

“Fantastically funny and surreally absurd from start to finish.  Go see, and prepare to fall in love”  - (Western Morning News)

“Thanks for making me laugh today” - (Retired Charity Shop Manager)

“You owe me a pair of dry pants!”
“No slacks in this show only treats and bargains galore!”
“Delightful, warm hearted humour, human, touching and hilarious.”
 “You utter, utter Wrong’uns!!”
(Audience Members)

Audiences are encouraged to bring along an item for the charity shop.  No object too odd !
All outdoor venues covered if wet.       The show is suitable for ages 8 and over. 

Access for Disabled may vary at each Tour Venue. Please contact the Venue to check access conditions.

When the Shops Shut

When the shops are shut for good, what happens to communities then?

C-scape's new show uses the company's unique style of physical storytelling to tell the tales of villages.

C-scape bring the characters found in these communities to life in a vivid blend of dance, theatre, film, poetry and music.

Is That a Bolt in Your Neck?

Presented by Gonzo Moose Theatre

Gonzo Moose Theatre present "Is That a Bolt in Your Neck?"

A physical comedy inspired by gothic horror movie classics of the 1930's that is a fast-paced, rollicking ride mixing spooky paranoia, surreal nightmare and frantic farce.

With comedy and thrills galore you'll gasp, laugh and be amazed at the horrific experiments, the mind-boggling love, and the sensational death-defying finale.

The show has toured nationally to a variety of arts centres, studio theatres, schools, colleges and village halls, astounding audiences all over the country.

Gonzo Moose appeals to a wide range of audiences and the shows have been big hits with family audiences and teenagers.

Film - Bombs at Teatime

BFI Mediatheque on Tour

Take a trip back in time to the 1940s.

As if fighting World War II wasn't hard enough, British people had to put up with years of rationing, baths taken in a couple of inches of water and frequent outbreaks of head lice.

Bombs at Teatime is a portrait of domestic life in Britain throughout one of the most extraordinary decades of our history.

At times wry, affectionate and surprising, these rarely seen films from the BFI National Archive document a time of great austerity as Britain sought to retain its sanity in the shadow of war.

Mamane Barka - The Lone Master of the Biram

Mamane Barka was born into a family of Nigerian Toubou nomads and grew up to become a teacher and then a celebrated musician with desert blues at his heart.

A decade ago, Mamane heard the beautiful sound of the Biram; an enormous boat shaped 5 stringed harp. Mamane studied with a master to learn the instrument, its rituals and ancient mythical songs.

On the death of the master, Mamane was bequeathed the Biram and charged with bringing it to the attention of the world.

Now Mamane maintains this tradition single-handedly touring the world with his lifelong friend, percussionist Numerous Adamou, whose trance-inducing percussion is the bedrock of this extraordinarily powerful desert blues.

Claudia Caolin y Campania

Noche Flamenca

This show creates an event dedicated to traditional Flamenco art (originating in the rich culture of Andalusia) with live authentic Flamenco music, song and dance.

The dances draw from and depict the full range of human emotions, from dark pits of despair to pure elation and celebration of life itself.

The instantly recognisable and alluring qualities of the flamenco guitar, a vocal style steeped in the Andalusian tradition of Eastern scales and vibrant enticing percussion spur the dancer on to cathartic climaxes of footwork and fierce emotive expression.

These musicians also supply 4 enchanting purely instrumental pieces.

Film : Brit Chic

BFI Mediatheque on Tour

Celebrate the nation's knack for cutting-edge couture with this kaleidoscopic film and TV survey of post-war British fashion from the BFI National Archive.

From utility to utopia, high end to high street, Brit Chic salutes the trends and trendsetters who heightened our sartorial senses and inspired today's trailblazing British designers.

The course of fashion history changed forever as Britain sought to escape austerity in the wake of WWII.

Meet a Royal Navy Wren who dreams of ditching her 40s utility-wear to model sumptuous gowns by Norman Hartnell which anticipate Dior's New Look.

Learn how the latest trends became increasingly accessible thanks to British industry in the 50s, and TV put fashion at the forefront of a blossoming consumer culture.

Join the cool kids on the Kings Road as the 60s start to swing, go behind the scenes at iconic emporium Biba, and hear Ossie Clark and Mary Quant discuss their craft.

Hang out with the punks to witness 70s D.I.Y. fashion in all its counter-cultural glory, discover Peter Greenaway's innovative portrait of style maverick Zandra Rhodes, and glimpse rare footage of Vivienne Westwood's iconoclastic designs.

Welcome to the front row!

Miracle - Beauty & The Beast from Mars

Miracle Theatre present Beauty and the Beast From Mars by Bill Scott

Miracle Theatre’s next winter show is a space-inspired homage to the swinging sixties and science fiction B movies of the era.

Beauty and the Beast from Mars retains all the elements of a traditional family pantomime with out-of-this-world extras, from rock and roll tunes to ruthless space aliens.

When super star heartthrob Bobby Beauty finds himself hotly pursued by a gorgeous alien from Mars, he’s sure his luck is in. Little does he know that he has actually been implanted with the secret rocket defence code she needs to secure her domination of planet Earth!

As Bobby falls for the alien’s charms, can his number one fan, Nurse Bumper, a nobody from Neasden, save the human race – or at least fulfil her wildest dream of singing Bobby’s backing vocals?

With original sixties inspired tunes from a 4-piece band, live video animation, technical wizardry and huge laughs from Cornwall’s foremost ‘masters of comedy’, Beauty and the Beast from Mars promises to be great all-round family entertainment.

What will make YOU scream the loudest…?
…worrying about the future of the human race!
…travelling to the furthest reaches of the Universe!
…or watching Bobby Beauty and his band sing live on stage!

 (If the early Dr Who did panto…this would be it!)

Multi Story Theatre - Sealskin

A brother and sister sift through their memories of a childhood story which gradually reveals to them the secrets of their parents' relationship.

A version of the traditional Sealskin story is interwoven with personal biography and family secrets as siblings re-visit events that both bind and separate them.

Their story unfolds through a mix of naturalistic, song, story-telling and gesture.

'A dream-like tale of blue-moon nights and underwater adventure contrasts with the problems of 21st century communication.

The juxtaposition is intricately balanced - a highly captivating experience'.

TG Collective

"A glorious combination of gypsy hotclub, flamenco, jazz and contemporary classical influences underpin this superb ensemble, built around a core of two guitarists. An exciting, sensuous sound described rightly by The Times as stylish, very stylish'" Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2009.

The group is centred on the two acoustic guitars of Jamie and Sam, set alongside a core of Percy Pursglove on double bass, cajon and trumpet; Holly Jones on flute and alto flute, Louis Robinson on violin, and world percussionist/cajon player Tom Chapman.

TG Collective also feature eminent flamenco dancer and choreographer Ana Garcia, with interchanging shapes and sizes of ensemble within a performance.

Miracle - Beauty & The Beast from Mars

Michael Lunts - The Last Ballade

Chopin's music provides the background to a riveting drama about the composer's tempestuous affair with novelist and 'femme fatale' George Sand. The Last Ballade' offers audiences a dramatic insight, through the eyes of Chopin himself, into this extraordinary woman who has been variously described as both his muse and his 'vampire'. Many of the pieces that Sand inspired, including the beautiful Berceuse, the famous 'Minute' Waltz and the F minor Ballade, are played live as part of the action as Michael Lunts portrays both Chopin the man and Chopin the musician in this unique fusion of drama and live music.

“Michael Lunts delivers a performance, both as an actor and a pianist that can’t be bettered. A masterpiece.” Three Weeks – Edinburgh Festival five star review.