A classic tale with a modern theme is being jointly staged by an Ellesmere Port theatre company as a Christmas show with a twist this festive season.
Action Transport Theatre has teamed up with the Unity Theatre in Liverpool to enchant audiences of all ages with a spellbinding new production of the much loved fairy-tale The Princess and the Pea.
Devised by the company and written by the award-winning playwright Kevin Dyer this must see Christmas treat will at the Unity from Friday, December 4-Saturday, January 9.
In this fantastical new version, Unity Theatre and the inventive Action Transport Theatre create a funny, original, beautiful retelling of the much loved and familiar tale.
With direction by Action Transport Theatre’s artistic director Nina Hajiyianni, music from Patrick Dineen and design by students from Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, The Princess and the Pea is set to be an enchanting ‘must see’ for theatregoers of all ages. The cast features Josie Cerise, Duncan Cameron, Keddy Sutton and Graham Hicks.
Ambitious attempt
Director Nina Hajiyianni said: “We all love the occasional sing-along and bit of tinsel at Christmas but if this is the one time of the year that families go to the theatre, then we want the experience to be more than that.
“This show aims to provide plenty of fun and frivolity for people of all ages but it is also an ambitious attempt to tell an important story and in doing so, connect audiences with something meaningful.
“Our production of Princess and the Pea is set against the backdrop of the global refugee crisis. Our girl, who is revealed to be as good as a princess (our take on the traditional tale), is fleeing her home, adrift on a makeshift boat, she is hoping for land and help.
“The fictional fairytale world where she lands is Meane where locals pride themselves on their position in the world and count the many ways they can live up to their place name. They live in the shadow of the kingdom which is where our story begins in earnest.
“The Princess and the Pea will be multi-layered and complex but told with beautiful simplicity - at the heart of it is a story about hope and the need for compassion.”
The show is suitable for anyone aged 5+. Tickets can be booked via Unity Theatre’s box office on 0151 709 4988 or online at www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk. Prices range from £14-£8 (child tickets £12-£8). Family tickets are also available for £45-£30.
The show will transfer to Whitby Hall Studio Theatre in Whitby Park, Ellesmere Port from January 12-16. Tickets £5, £8, £20 family ticket for four. Visit www.actiontransporttheatre.org, call 0151 357 2120 or email boxoffice@actiontransporttheatre.org.
