Artistic Director Helen Matravers, Executive Director Lynette Shanbury and the whole team at Polka Theatre are pleased to announce details of all the activities that families can enjoy this spring half term in the Wimbledon venue. From the world premiere of Tidy, to joyful and accessible dance with Remarkable Rhythm, as well as a host of workshops, and free play spaces, Polka is the place for the whole family this half term break.
Tidy, based on the much-loved children’s book by author and illustrator Emily Gravett, will play 10 February to 24 March in the Main Theatre. A co-production between Polka Theatre and Theatr Iolo, this gentle but cautionary tale is about the value of the world around us and what happens if we don’t look after it. Starring Robert Penny as ‘Pete the Badger’, Clare Pointing as ‘Rabbit’ and Jack Benjamin as ‘Fox’, Tidy features beautiful puppets, original music and a touch of silliness, recommended for children from 3–7 years old.
Remarkable Rhythm, a dance theatre show for young people aged 7-12 and their families, takes over the Adventure Theatre from 14 – 18 February. Through music, movement, and mishap, two young people experience the difficulty and joy in connecting with those unlike themselves. With integrated audio description by the two dancers, this show is accessible to audiences who are blind or partially sighted, also with a visually clear storyline so D/deaf and hard of hearing audiences can enjoy every show.
Alongside these shows are a variety of child only or family workshops and classes to get involved in. Learn rhythmic steps to the beats of Remarkable Rhythm in Clap, Sway and Dance on 16 February, or come on a storytelling adventure where little ones learn how to tidy up after play whilst humming and jigging along to music from Tidy, in Let’s Play and Tidy on 13 February.
9–12-year-olds can learn how to improvise, deliver and perform, alongside a professional comedy team, in the Stand-Up Comedy Masterclass on 15 February, or crafty 5–8-year-olds can join in with a specialist puppet-maker and make hand puppets inspired by Tidy in the Crafty Hand Creatures session on 14 February. Full workshop listings can be found here.
Helen Matravers said, “February Half Term at Polka is always a really exciting time. The building is packed to bursting with amazing productions and creative workshops for all ages. I can’t wait to see younger audiences enjoy Pete the Badger’s wild escapades in Tidy – Emily Gravett and Theatr Iolo are a match made in heaven for beautiful, musical, puppetry joy. And for older audiences and dance lovers, Remarkable Rhythm offers something really different for Polka audiences. Combining modern dance and ballet styles, it’s a mesmeric and beautiful exploration of getting to know someone through movement. If you’ve never been to Polka before, it’s the perfect week to experience our inspiring hub of activity!”
Tickets are on sale now via polkatheatre.com or call 020 8543 4888*
Polka Theatre is one of just a handful of dedicated children’s venues in the UK. Re-opening in 2021 after a major renovation, Polka continues to present a year-round programme of shows produced by Polka and from visiting companies. Polka also offers a full programme of creative learning activities for ages 0–12, with over 21,000 children taking part in the last year. Polka enjoys flexible rehearsal and workshop spaces along with two performance spaces: the Main Theatre has a 300-seat capacity, and the Adventure Theatre can seat up to 90 depending on the show format.
Over the past year Polka has worked with 143 schools through creative learning projects and has distributed over 6,000 free tickets to schools through their Curtain Up! scheme.
Polka is a community hub and vital resource, open 6 days per week, 50 weeks per year at a challenging time to be a sustainable public venue with step-free access, free-to-access play spaces and a cosy and welcoming café and shop.
