"A delicious
treat of a show that engaged and enthralled our audience. Full of beautiful
little touches, the show even included an opportunity for children
and adults to play together in the space after the show, which worked
brilliantly.
Simple yet magical, DNA not only entertained the children but also
demonstrated a clear understanding of how they think"
- Simon Hollingworth, Lincoln Drill Hall
"I thought this was a really
lovely show, inventive, creative and great fun!
I would happily recommend this show" - Deborah Clarke, The
Mill Arts Centre Banbury
"The kids were enthralled, I enjoyed it"
"Absolutely fantastic. Relaxing
and calming for adults as well as kids"-
Interviews with audience members at the Fleetwood Marine Hall, February
2007
There's a trip to the Ball Pond! Hip Hip hooray!
Off we go to tumble and play!
Bobby's trip to the Ball pond takes us into
another world as we dive deepdown into a child's imagination...through
the universe of lost socks, hidden games & magic sweets.
We swim through spheres and encounter a universe
of mislaid toys, goldfish & balloons.
Whoosh! We spiral up into orbit &trip
the light fantastic with ballroom dancers -whirling from star to
star.
In a world of round & round, Bobby plays
up & down
Oops! We've gone too far! Catch a falling
star and fly back safe to Mum's smiling face.
A special event for 2-5 yrs, drawn from research
with young children & play. Play takes children out of themselves,
to explore the world beyond what they are and what they know. Play
encourages imagination & creativity, play develops abstract
thinking, which goes beyond the here and now. Play helps children
to know themselves, others and relate to the universe they inhabit.
Through Dna's unique style of skilful puppetry,
visual theatre, dance choreography & a specially composed soundtrack
from Verbal
Vigilante Music, this combination of originally devised performance
and special guided activities explores circular movement and the
joy of play!
Also involved in the development of this project
are The Lowry of Salford Quays, The Charter Theatre of Preston,
Verbal Vigilante Music of Preston and 21 South St, Reading.
Ball Pond Bobby explores the
concept of an aspect of child development called schemas.
Schemas are patterns of linked behaviours,
which the child can generalise and use in a whole variety of different
situations. It is best to think of schemas as being a cluster of
pieces, which fit together.’ ( Tina Bruce ‘Early Childhood
Education’ 1997)
Schemas are described as mental structures
and also as patterns of behaviour. As a baby uses their biological
reflexes, they experience movement, sound, texture, light and pattern,
tastes and smells. These experiences add to and alter babies’
existing schemas, which become more complex as actions are repeated
in different contexts. As their schemas become co-ordinated we are
able to observe recognisable patterns of behaviour in young children,
which can help us to understand them better, to enjoy their company
more and to help them to learn in deep and thorough ways. Some
examples of schemas often observed in children under three include
transporting, enveloping, trajectory and positioning. This project
is interested in the schema of rotation and transforming.
Click here for a report into
the research and development week at the Lowry September 2006
Workshop Information
This highly participatory and interactive event
comes with opportunities for the very young to play, interact, and
enjoy guided activities throughout.
Booking Details
Ages
Suitable for 2-5 year olds
Running time
40 minutes
Suitable venues
Supported theatres and arts centres. Played in the round on
a combined performing and audience area minimum 7m by 7m. Maximum
audience size 80.
