A new fairytale-inspired musical, Greek myths and UK premieres from Timberlake Wertenbaker and Marius Von Mayenburg will all play a part in the Unicorn Theatre’s forthcoming autumn/winter season.
Young musical theatre fans are invited to enter a world of fairytale villains, as the “Baddest musical in town” arrives at the London Bridge venue from 3 November to 24 December. Suitable for children aged six and older, Baddies: The Musical lets audiences meet some of children’s literature’s best bad villains, from the Big Bad Wolf to Captain Hook, asking how do you know who is really good at being bad and who is really bad at being good?
Children aged 15 and older can enjoy the UK premiere of Von Mayenburg’s Martyr (15 September to 10 October), a topical piece that follows the story of Benjamin and considers how far we should go in accommodating another’s faith.
Wertenbaker’s My Father, Odysseus (13 March to 10 April) offers a modern, rich and powerful take on the Greek myth for ages 11 and older. It tells the story of Telemachus, whose father left him long ago to fight a war, as he steps up to defend his dad’s legacy.
Another Greek myth will come in the form of Adam Peck’s Minotaur (24 January to 2 April) for ages eight and older. The writer of the Unicorn’s 2013 festive show Cinderella: A Fairytale provides a playful retelling of the story of a fearsome and lonely beast whose sister dreams of setting them both free from the rule of their selfish father.
The Unicorn Theatre’s upcoming season will also see the return of Tim Crouch to the venue. Crouch will direct Gary Owen’s Jeramee, Hartleby and Oooglemore (6 February to 20 March), the tale of a surprising and surreal encounter between three people who have a lot to say – and only three worlds with which to say it. It is suitable for ages three and older.
Dance will come to the London Bridge venue in the form of three exciting new shows. Raw (16 to 17 October), a tale about growing up for ages 10 and older, joins two Dance Umbrella double bills for ages 12 and older (Unplugged, 24 to 25 October) and Grass (15 to 31 January), a quirky dance show featuring worms, slugs and snails for littler theatregoers aged four and older.
A winter at the Unicorn wouldn’t be complete without snow and festivities, which are provided by The Snow Child (18 November to 3 January) and Once Upon A Christmas (8 to 23 December). Suitable for ages three and older, The Snow Child tells the story of a couple who sculpts a daughter out of that much-loved icy precipitation, while Once Upon A Christmas, which is suitable for ages two to five-years-old, brings tales of worldwide Christmases together into an interactive storytelling experience.
Other highlights of the season include Breaking The Ice (2 September to 4 October), in which a polar bear meets a Husky, A Mano (By Hand), the story of a small but special hero, and Septimus Bean And His Amazing Machine (20 May to 26 June), an inventive show based on the much-loved book.
Alongside the exciting array of shows on offer as part of the season, the venue will also offer a selection of events and activities during school holidays, including sleepovers for Christmas and spooky shenanigans for Halloween. Visit the Unicorn Theatre’s website for full details.