10:00am Friday 5th March 2010
By Ruth Meech
STUFF & Nonsense Theatre Company, the Bridport-based theatre troupe, is bringing its exquisite children’s show Across the Deep Blue Sea to Dorset this weekend.
Across the Deep Blue Sea is the story of a little man who wakes up to find himself bobbing around in a makeshift boat somewhere in the middle of a vast ocean.
For most of us that might be disastrous but for him, it’s a breeze.
There are plenty of fish to keep him company, he doesn’t have to make phone calls or answer a million e-mails every day and he can sail around to his heart’s content.
But then a storm arrives and his whole life changes.
Inspired by the works of internationally-renowned mime Nola Rae, French physical comedian Jacques Tati and under-sea explorer Jacques Cousteau, Across The Deep Blue Sea is comic, touching, slightly surreal and full of inventive mechanical staging, featuring puppetry, physical comedy and just the odd squirt of water.
The play was created and is directed by Bridport-based Niki McCretton and performed by Marc Parrett, a world-famous puppeteer who has also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and who also works with Aardman Animations, famous for Wallace and Gromit.
Niki said: “Across The Deep Blue Sea has been very popular and toured across the region so it is lovely to bring it back to Dorset.
“You would think that in a time of recession people would not come to the theatre but we’ve found that they are going to shows instead of buying stuff. I suppose it’s because a show gives you a memory you can keep.”
Across The Deep Blue Sea is staged with just Marc in a little boat. As he sails further out to sea, and is accosted by friendly creatures and fiendish pirates, he shrinks in size and the performance becomes puppet-based.
Niki said: “It is absolutely enchanting. It’s not ‘hi kids’ wacky, just a lovely piece of work that anyone can see.
“We like to think of it as a real family show. When you get dads coming up and saying how much they have loved the show, you know you are doing something right.”
Across The Deep Blue Sea is at Morden Village Hall on Sunday, March 7, at 3.30pm (call 01929 459431), Ashmore Village Hall on Saturday, March 20, at 3.30pm (call 01747 811364) and Winterborne Whitechurch Village Hall on Sunday, March 21, at 2.30pm (call 01258 881165).
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