Families First at the Eastgate

The family magic begins on 6 April with a performance of The Seven Ravens – an extraordinary adventure from the creative minds of Tragic Carpet Theatre, inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

A mix of live puppetry, digital imaging, projection, needle felting and specially composed music and song, it tells the story of a young girl who is unhappy at school. She is visited by a raven and thrust into an extraordinary dream world of quests, feathers, a glass mountain and a secret about her past.

On 11 April, Quentin Blake’s magnificent story of Mister Magnolia is brought to life on stage by Folksy Theatre. It’s a wonderfully inventive drama full of exciting characters, puppetry, live music and audience interaction.

Then, on 8 June, four classically trained singers accompanied by musicians playing viola , bassoon and percussion perform Borka: The Goose with no Feathers – a 45-minute children’s opera that weaves live music, drama, singing, puppetry and animation to tell the charming tale of a goose that is very different to the rest of her family.

There is hands-on creativity on offer too with Art Space (3 to 7 April), a brand-new, week-long art class for children aged 8 to 12, run by artist Hannah Davies. From drawing, painting and use of mixed media to mono-printing and 3-d modelling, each morning class will teach a new skill, with participants creating a piece of work to take home at the end of each session.

For those who like to express themselves rather more loudly, Mat Clements returns with a new three-day Big Drum Adventure (11 to 13 April) – a musical jamboree of drumming, games and activities.

The family-friendly programming is completed by screenings of a range of films including Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Mummies, Super Mario Brothers and The Little Mermaid.

“This spring and beyond, we’re really broadening our programme to allow younger audiences to engage with a wide variety of art forms in a range of fun and exciting ways,” commented Erin Hogan Thompson, the Eastgate’s Assistant Venue Manager.

Further details and tickets available from Box Office on 01721 725777 or online at eastgatearts.com