So, tomorrow I have the great fortune to have a week at The Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton, to explore the development of a new show for Early Years: Babble. Supported by the Hopper Consortium, (Surrey Arts, Take Art and China Plate) and The Arts Council, England, we will be spending some of our residency at a local nursery, playing with our voices with the children and in the studio to develop an interactive show where the main character is sound and the children are instrumental in developing the soundtrack. It is about the importance of every child’s responses and celebrating your voice,

Working with me is composer,  Pete Judge and sound designers, Chris Menes and Nick Janaway. Katie Sykes is looking at design and Gwen Scott is coming to play too!

The beginning of a process like this it is always scary, but thrilling. New people in a room together, getting to understand how each other works and what we bring to the mix. Then how we find a way together to translate an abstract idea into a piece of theatre that will excite, intrigue and that children will want to be part of.

I am starting with a number of questions about form, narrative and interaction, I have books on child development, language develpoment, bi-lingualism and various other source material. But mainly I want to remind us all week to question,

“Is this engaging?”, “Is this Fun?” and “Would I want to take part if I was 3?”

Can’t wait!

(image by Peter H Reynolds – fantastic writer / illustrator of ISH and DOT)

 This project has been developed through the Hopper Early Years scheme with the support of Take Art, Surrey Arts, China Plate, Arts Partnership Surrey and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England