YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK IN CULTURE
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Caro Meets Children's Show Interview
Kezia Cole and Richard Hay: Snow-Pocalypse – Friendship Never Melts
By Caro Moses | Published on Wednesday 6 December 2017
You may be aware of the work of producing company SharkLegs, given the recent high profile success of one of their shows, ‘The Inevitable Heartbreak Of Gavin Plimsole’, which took edfringe by storm in 2016.
Their latest play, a show for children and families with a lovely Christmassy theme, begins a run at Greenwich Theatre to this week. To find out more, I spoke to creators Kezia Cole and Richard Hay.
CM: Can you start by telling us about the premise of ‘Snow-Pocalypse’. Whose story does it tell, and what happens?
KC&RH: Snow-Pocalypse tells the story of Trilby and The Boot, who are the last two people in the world. On an expedition from their den into The Outside, they discover something entirely new – a book, and this book is all about something strange called ‘Christmas’….
Trilby and The Boot set about creating their very own Christmas from the plastic and metal that now covers the world; it’s probably not going to look exactly like the Christmas in the pictures but it could be even better.
CM: What are the underlying themes of the show? What style of performance can we expect?
KC&RH: The show is about seeing things with new eyes. There’s so much pressure now to make everything look picture perfect, but actually it’s about making your Christmas, whatever that looks like! Everyone’s Christmas is different and each one is important and special.
The show is non verbal, visual theatre – we make everything from the bits and pieces Trilby and The Boot have collected from the things that were left behind.
CM: How did you come up with the idea for the show? What was the inspiration for it?
KC&RH: We were staying in a house in the middle of nowhere, when all the lights went out! With no wifi (the horror, the HORROR) and only a couple of torches, we really did feel like the last people in the world, we started asking what would we do if we had to create everything from only the things we had in the house.
CM: What age-group is the show aimed at?
KC&RH: The show is for children and families from 4 up
CM: How interactive is the performance?
KC&RH: The show doesn’t focus on interactivity so don’t worry there won’t be any being pulled up on stage and asked to dance! We are asking the audience to help Trilby and The Boot make their Christmas special however, through the craft workshop before the show and just like any Christmas, we can only make it happen if everyone works together…
CM: Can you tell us a bit about the craft sessions?
KC&RH: As with the best crafting sessions there will be a lot of glue, paint and glitter! We will be making decorations which have a secret special place in the show and you get to take home after!
CM: Tell us about SharkLegs – how long has the company been going and what kind of shows do you make? How did it get the name SharkLegs?
KC&RH: We have been running for four years and it’s just us, Kezia Cole and Richard Hay. We make shows for families and for adults which are all about developing the creative audience – helping people to discover the creativity in their own world and lives, the robot in the cardboard box or the Christmas Tree in the rubbish.
The name comes from our desire to make work about the moment the world changes irrevocably – that moment when humans see for the first time that sharks have grown legs.
CM: What aims do you have for the future?
KC&RH: Our aim is just to keep making work which makes people think and smile!
KC&RH: What’s coming up next?
We have a new family show for age 6+ all about grizzly bears, coming out and being yourself, which will be touring festivals over the summer. We also have a new show for adults which tackles the challenge of living in an echo chamber… and the issues caused by having an egg for a head… ‘EggFace’ will premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018.
‘Snow-Pocalypse – Friendship Never Melts’ is on at Greenwich Theatre from 8-30 Dec. For all the details and to book click here.
LINKS: www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk | www.sharklegs.co.uk | twitter.com/SharkLegsCo
Photo: Tom Ziebell
