Ballo Arthur Pita is delighted to announce today that The Little Match Girl, directed and choreographed by award-winning Arthur Pita, will return to Sadler’s Wells this Christmas, following five hugely successful festive seasons at the Lilian Baylis Studio. The Little Match Girl will be staged on Sadler’s Wells main stage, playing 16 performances from Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 December 2020. Tickets go on public sale at 10am on 15 October.
Arthur Pita says: “It’s been an absolute joy to see The Little Match Girl grow into becoming a festive family favourite since first being performed in 2013. We are fortunate that a smaller scale production like ours can transfer from the 180-seat Lilian Baylis Studio to the larger scale 1550-seat Sadler’s Wells Theatre which has the space required for social distancing. We are thrilled that Sadler’s Wells are opening their doors this Christmas and we can’t wait to welcome audiences to see our show performed on the main stage. It is especially meaningful to us that The Little Match Girl can light her flame during these exceptional times.”
Audience capacity at Sadler’s Wells Theatre has been reduced to comply with Covid-19 Secure guidelines for social distancing. In order to help artists, audiences and staff members to feel safe and enjoy these performances, Sadler’s Wells has introduced a series of new safety measures and are closely following all UK Government guidance. Ticket bookers will be sent full information about all coronavirus safety measures in advance of the performance, so that they may plan accordingly and feel as secure as possible during their visit. If performances are unable to be presented due to changes to UK Government coronavirus restrictions, customers will be contacted as soon as possible and given the option to receive a full refund.
Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic story, The Little Match Girl presents a timeless fable about kindness and helping others. This tale of a young street girl’s hopes and dreams is told through dance, song and Frank Moon’s original atmospheric music performed live on stage.
A snowy stage sets the scene for an icy cold Christmas Eve in an imaginary Italian town, where an impoverished little match girl wanders the ever-darkening streets with just one final match to keep her warm. Homeless and hungry, she sees a vision of her beloved grandmother who guides her up into the night sky and takes her to the moon. Now, on a clear night, if you look closely, you might see the light of a shooting star, or is it a match burning brightly?
The Little Match Girl premiered at DanceEast in November 2013 and has since toured the UK and internationally. This will be the production’s sixth Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells.
The Little Match Girl is choreographed and directed by Arthur Pita, with music composed by Frank Moon and set and costume designs by Yann Seabra. The 2020 production reunites long-standing cast members Corey Claire Annand, Karl Fagerlund Brekke, Valentina Golfieri (Associate Director), Ashley Morgan-Davies, Faith Prendergast and Angelo Smimmo. Music is performed live on stage by Frank Moon.
The Little Match Girl is produced by Ballo Arthur Pita, originally commissioned by DanceEast and supported by Arts Council England.