A wild new circus opera for children written in collaboration with disabled children is rolling into the UK; Mrs Giggly’s Magic School premieres at The Arts Depot in London on October 13, and The Arts Theatre, Nottingham on October 26.
Composer Chloé Charody wrote Mrs Giggly’s Magic School with disabled children from Oakfield School Nottingham during the pandemic, when disabled children were spending extra hours in isolation. Charody led weekly workshops via video call where she encouraged the children to engage their imaginations, which led them to develop the narrative of Mrs Giggly’s Magic School.
In Mrs Giggly’s Magic School, the magnificent Mrs Giggly has lost her belief in magic, until one day, a young girl appears and asks to be her student. All of sudden Mrs Giggly’s sparkly pets – Lathundra, a fire-breathing dolly who plays the violin; Tigerfly, a trapeze-swinging-opera-singing unicorn; and Bruhnhildazon, a polecat on a unicycle with the head of a snail – spring back to life as the task of teaching magic begins once again.
“‘Mrs Giggly’s Magic School’ is totally wild, utterly bonkers and hilariously nutty. The mind of every young child is a unique source of boundless creativity. Children see the world through their own eyes and it’s my privilege to give them the opportunity to see some of their bonkers ideas collide with mine as we bring them to life on stage,” said composer Chloé Charody.
Charody is an Australian composer, writer and refugee advocate who is known internationally for her unique sound world that she enhances by combining classical music, circus and opera into a captivating genre of its own.
Charody founded her production company, Chloé Charody Creations in 2010, the same year that she appeared on the world stage with her first circus opera The Carnival that opened on London’s West End. The Carnival then went on to run sell out shows across the world for the decade to follow. Circus opera is a genre that Charody has pioneered and her work in this field has influenced many other arts companies and composers around the world.
As well as circus operas, Charody composes ballets, musicals, operas, large-scale symphonic works, children’s theatre and interdisciplinary chamber music. Her works have been performed and toured globally by several leading artists and companies including The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, The Dutch National Ballet, The Freestyle Orchestra and The Sydney Symphony Orchestra to name a few.
Charody often collaborates with Australian acrobatic violin virtuoso, Sonja Schebeck who most recently co-created LIMBO – Charody’s sonata for acrobatic violinist and acrobat that has been touring across the globe this year. Alongside Schebeck, the international acrobats and musicians who join the cast include opera singing sensation, Alexandra Hutton (Deutsche Opera Berlin) in the title role of Mrs Giggly, roller-skating champion Jess Gardolin and aerial opera singer, Caitlin Redding.
MRS GIGGLY’S MAGIC SCHOOL is at The Arts Depot, London – October 13 and Nottingham Arts Theatre, Nottingham – October 26
For tickets and more information, visit: www.chloecharody.com
