Bristol Old Vic's LITTLE MERMAID-Inspired Summer Project Spolights Ocean Conservation

SA summer project inspired by The Little Mermaid puts ocean sustainability front and centre.

This year's Christmas show The Little Mermaid explores themes of the environment and protecting coral reefs. Millions of people and species depend on coral reefs for their survival, but climate change is putting that survival at risk.

Free craft making sessions will be a space to have conversations about the environment whilst working together – talking and thinking about what we can do to limit damage to the environment.

The Little Mermaid Set and Costume Designer, Ruby Pugh, will lead the sessions on how to use scrap and recycled materials to make something new. The finished product will form part of the theatre's Christmas foyer decorations.

Speaking today Ruby explained: "This production of The Little Mermaid is all about environmental justice, community and collaboration. It felt important to me that these themes didn't just run through the narrative but also through the process of creating the show. 

Bristol Old Vic are looking at the ways in which the design processes can be more environmentally friendly and learning about the choices that we can make as a creative team to work towards that. While researching the show, I have been learning about coral reefs and how important they are to the underwater ecosystem. There are so many ways in which the choices we make as individuals can affect the destruction of these precious natural environments (some of them as simple as buying different sun cream).

This felt like a perfect time to invite our audiences into the conversations and collaborate as we explore how we are going to make a coral reef Set Design for the show while using environmentally sustainable practices. We want to experiment and learn together, hopefully building a network and community of like-minded, passionate, creative people!"
 
All ages and skills welcome. Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.

The Little Mermaid is written by Sonali Bhattacharyya and directed by Miranda Cromwell.

The Little Mermaid might be different to the other sea creatures, but they're her family and these waters are her home. So when the sea starts to get warmer - the kelp wilting, the coral fading - she realises she has to act. The mermaid vows to protect their home and it seems a caring young man trying to restore the coral reef is just the person to help.

But how much is she willing to sacrifice to find answers on land? Can the Sea Witch really be trusted to help? And what oily monsters lurk in the deep?

Director Miranda Cromwell explains why this is an important story for her to tell: “The Little Mermaid is a story I have always loved and have been dreaming of putting on the stage since I worked at Bristol Old Vic over 10 years ago. I am thrilled to return, alongside a brilliant creative team, and make the Little Mermaid the hero of her own story, giving her back her voice in this magical retelling.

I felt if The Little Mermaid was here with us now, she would be wanting to save the ocean and the planet – our home – from climate change and she would be asking for our help. In this version that is exactly what she's doing, and we get to join her and her friends on an epic adventure full of danger, fun and love.”

Dive into a magical underwater kingdom this Christmas and discover how no one is too small to make a big difference.  It runs at Bristol Old Vic from 5 Dec 2024 – 11 Jan 2025

Bristol Old Vic Engagement team 
CORAL REEF COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

Sat 27 Jul, 11am
Sat  3 Aug, 11am
Sat 10 Aug, 11am
Sat 17 Aug, 11am

FREE WORKSHOP (pre-booking required)
Duration: 2hrs
Venue: Coopers' Hall, Bristol Old Vic
Suitable for all ages (children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult)
www.bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/collaborative-coral-reef-making

ABOUT BRISTOL OLD VIC

Bristol Old Vic is the UK's longest continuously running theatre and has welcomed millions of people through its doors since opening nearly 260 years ago.
  
Led by Executive Director Charlotte Geeves and Artistic Director NANCY MEDINA, the organisation is committed to platforming and creating opportunities for the multitude of stories that Bristol and the UK have to offer.
 
From its extensively redeveloped building in the Old City, Bristol Old Vic offers a year-round programme of inspiring, original new work; one of UK theatre's biggest learning and engagement programmes; and one of the UK's leading artist development programmes. Plus, through Bristol Old Vic On Screen, audiences across the world have seen its productions live or on demand.
 
“We will make a theatre which is for our whole community. Not a passive place but one of activism. Not one voice but many. We will ask questions of ourselves and of Bristol. We invite you to come on in and help us make this building sing with possibility.” NANCY MEDINA. Artistic Director.

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