Preview: A Strange New Space, Wardrobe Theatre

Bristol theatre maker Tessa Bide presents this brand new children’s show about imagination, the universe, refugees and what it takes to become an astronaut, for ages 4-10 years and their families.

Did you know that astronauts get taller in space? That our solar system is around 4.6 billion years old? Or that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all of the beaches on Earth?

Amira knows all of these things. She is completely obsessed with space and dreams of becoming an astronaut. But one night, the bangs, whooshes and fizzes of her imagination explode right out of her dreams, becoming a deafening reality. In the darkness, Amira must leave her hometown to go on an adventure, to find a safe space. Hearing the words ‘space’ and ‘adventure’, Amira quickly packs her bag for the intergalactic trip she’s been waiting for…

A completely original one-woman show without words, A Strange New Space melds physical theatre with stunning puppetry and original music. We travel on an imagined voyage into space, paralleled with Amira’s real-life journey as a refugee across continents, forming an unforgettable introduction to theatre for audiences of four years and older.

“A very lovely show not just about the journey and adventures of a refugee child but about the brilliance of the imagination.” – Weston Super Mum

Here’s Tessa to tell us more.

Tell us about A Strange New Space, Tessa.
It’s about a young girl called Amira who is obsessed with space. At the start of the show, Amira has to leave her home and she recounts her journey to the audience as a space adventure, with glimpses into her reality as a refugee peeking through the gaps. It’s really about the power of the imagination to conquer adversity. All Amira has to tell her story is a cardboard box and a few items in her bag – two dolls/puppets, a water bottle, bowl, colouring book and some bike lights. These become a myriad of other characters and props during the show, facilitated by the audience’s imagination. It’s a non-verbal solo show with puppetry, physical theatre and dance.

Pics: Paul Blakemore

What inspired the show?
Amira is a fictional character, based on lots of real children I met when I visited Greece in January to volunteer in refugee camps and squats. She has quite a tough, cheeky exterior when we first meet her but inside is a kid just wanting to play and feel safe. She’s a great character to play in a children’s show – when she first meets the audience she takes a while to warm to them and trust them – it’s a narrative thread all through the show. Normally you come out smiling and waving from the first minute to win the audience straight away in children’s shows. It’s really satisfying building a really tight relationship with the audience throughout the show, it feels more genuine.
Volunteering in Greece massively informed the show – it educated me about what might be a triggering scene for these children if they were to watch it (which is one of my aims with the show) and made me really conscious of not making light of their experiences and journeys.

Who else worked with you on the show and how did you create it?
I had an incredible team working on the show – Joseph Wallace directed it (with Adam Fuller directing the show’s research and development), Mike Akers was the dramaturg, Matt Huxley composed the original sound score, Sarah Dicks designed it, Joe Stathers designed the lighting, and the movement direction was shared between Laura Street and Bryn Thomas. We created it by collaboratively devising it over a period of six weeks – two weeks of R&D and four weeks of development – with input and feedback from my partner school, May Park Primary in Fishponds, and the charity Integrate UK.

And why are you telling Amira’s story?
The refugee crisis is very much worsening, and it’s important for children to have a platform to start learning about children in her situation. There will be children in their schools/communities who have travelled from other countries, and this show aims to act like a catalyst for conversation around people who have to leave their homes and why this might be, and how life might be like for them.

What bit of the show do you enjoy the most?
Building a robot out of a bottle, bowl, bottle caps and a bike light. I always feel like I’m on Blue Peter!

What do you hope children might take away from this story?
I want them to have fun, to see their parent experiencing the same emotions as them throughout, and to leave chatting about what they’ve seen. I also love it when they go home and have their own adventures using cardboard boxes and plastic bottles (and send me photos) – the power of the imagination in action!

What’s your next project?
Our next project is an adaptation of Perfect, the illustrated book by Nicola Davies. It’s the story of a boy meeting his disabled, newborn sister for the first time – a story of anticipation, disappointment, acceptance, and, ultimately, love. It’ll have two performers this time, with puppetry and song. We’ve just undergone an R&D period of it (generously funded by Arts Council England and partnering with May Park Primary School, the charity Sibs and the Omnibus Theatre, Clapham) and we’ll develop it in early 2018 to tour from Easter onwards.

A Strange New Space is at the Wardrobe Theatre from Oct 24-28, at 11am and 2pm daily. For more info and to book tickets, visit thewardrobetheatre.com/livetheatre/strange-new-space

Read more: Preview: People, Places & Things, Bristol Old Vic