Ahead of performances in Bristol this February half-term, find out more about colourful children’s theatre show ‘The Girl and the Giraffe’ & it’s gentle mental health message for ages 3+.
One day whilst Girl is playing in her garden, she spots something peculiar on the other side of the fence. Climbing up as high as she can to get a better view, she is surprised when she comes face to face with… Giraffe!
As their friendship grows, Girl discovers that Giraffe isn’t very well. She tries everything she can to make him feel a bit better; putting on bandages, making a cup of tea, and even baking a truly magnificent cake, but she doesn’t get it quite right. Girl soon realises that Giraffe doesn’t need a plaster for a graze on his arm or a scratch on his knee. Giraffe is sad. Sometimes we need a different kind of plaster for the things you can’t always see.
Charming puppetry, an enchanting soundscape and beautiful storytelling combine in this sensitive show about wellbeing and friendship, told from a child’s perspective.
The Girl and the Giraffe was created in collaboration with director Titania Krimpas, designer Amy Yardley and composer Greg Hall. The story is told by two performers, Amber-Rose May and Laurence Alliston-Greiner, who are also the co-artistic directors of Floods of Ink.
“The Girl and The Giraffe is a story about making friends and learning to understand that sometimes people can be poorly in ways that aren’t always obvious, and it can be the little things in life that can make a big difference” Amber-Rose May, who plays the Girl in The Girl and the Giraffe and is also the co-founder of Floods of Ink.
“We listened and shared personal stories with friends and family, and began talking to people whose lives had been affected by mental illness. We realised that these things can be really daunting for adults to talk to children about, so we decided to create a show that, starts to explore these issues in a sensitive and age-appropriate way…”
“Mental health can be a difficult topic to address, and we would like audiences to know that sometimes we need a different kind of plaster for things we don’t see. By talking to a friend, giving somebody a hug or sharing a smile, we can change lives for the better.”
The Girl and the Giraffe runs at the brand new 1532 Performing Arts Centre at Bristol Grammar School as part of offsite theatre series Tobacco Factory Theatres BEYOND from Sun 12 – Tue 14 February. To find out more visit the main show page.
For more on Tobacco Factory Theatres BEYOND visit here.
Posted on 06 February 2017
