Theatre Re – Bluebelle
Long ago and far away, a king and queen are placed under a spell that affects their fertility. Summoning the Bluebell Fairy, they hope to become parents, but magic comes at a cost. Theatre Re’s folktale-inspired production Bluebelle, developed in collaboration with deaf and Visual Vernacular artists, comes to The Lowry this February. This atmospheric and visually striking show tells a brand-new folk story and explores being a parent, new life and how to protect it. Bluebelle is an atmospheric and visually striking show tells a brand-new folk story, weaving together plots from tales by Angela Carter, Italo Calvino, the Brothers Grimm, and Charles Perrault.
As well as drawing from old folktales, Theatre Re gathered interviews with parents and carers to form this moving journey into the wilderness of parenthood. The non-verbal production features live music and sound to reinforce the atmosphere and emotional journey of the characters. All sounds are created on stage by the performers using sound effects and non-lyrical singing voices. Theatre Re have worked with Visual Vernacular artists, who use this unique physical theatre technique incorporating poetry and mime, to challenge their practice and support their powerful visual storytelling.
The creation and concepts behind the play is also a journey, and one where Theatre Re are always keen to bring people with new and interesting techniques to see what they can add to the creative voyage of discovery as Director Guillaume Pigé told me. “Yes! This is a very exciting and key part of our creation process. The aim is first to introduce the creative team to a new technique with one leading practitioner, and then the game is to allow everyone to respond through the work.”
"So, it’s not about gaining a new skill and using it in the show, but it’s about allowing new stimuli and different approaches to have an impact on our development process in terms of form, content, atmosphere and even the dramaturgy. It is a great way to question, challenge and reflect on our own practice as well. Over three years, our journey took us from corporeal mime to clown work, from imaginative to transformation to visual vernacular, from rich musical textures to sound design, from philosophy to silliness, and from real life experiences to ancient folktales."
Director Guillaume Pigé comments further “It is said that every theatre has ghosts. It is often believed that these theatre ghosts are former actors and that ghost lights – lamps left on stage – allow these spirits to perform and dance. What do they perform? What stories are they enacting over and over, for whom and why? Or maybe it just keeps them happy, together and most importantly alive? In other words, stories and the sharing of stories breathe life into groups of people that assemble around telling and believing them.”
Now the ghosts have Bluebelle, a new tale about being a parent. It unravels our desires, our weaknesses, and ultimately our strength and ability to care for those born after us. What can the theatre ghosts breathe into this story as it comes to The Lowry on the 8th & 9th February. For full information please go to Bluebelle | What's On | The Lowry.
Images © Chris Nash (above) Henry Kenyon (below)
