Little Angel Theatre Announces New Shows For 2022

Little Angel Theatre artistic director Samantha Lane and executive director Peta Swindall introduce the new season:

'2021 has been such an exciting year for Little Angel Theatre, despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought, as we have celebrated our 60th birthday year by presenting six brand new shows. It has been a joy to bring our work to young audiences both in person and online and we are looking forward to 2022 and beyond. It is particularly exciting to be bringing back two much loved Little Angel classics to our stages, as well as a show by HMDT Music that was developed in our space, and to kickstart our touring programme once again.'

Kicking off the new year, and following a hugely successful run at Little Angel Theatre in 2018, a UK Tour in 2019 and a new run at Polka, The Singing Mermaid, a Little Angel Theatre and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production, by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks and adapted by Samantha Lane and Barb Jungr will run at Little Angel Theatre from 25 February to 24 April 2022.

Aimed at ages 3-8, The Singing Mermaid, Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks's enormously popular story, is brought to life through beautiful puppetry and performance, with music by Barb Jungr (We're Going On A Bear Hunt, The Pixie and the Pudding, The Smartest Giant in Town, There May be a Castle).

One day, the singing mermaid is tempted away from all of her sea creature friends and her peaceful home at Silversands to join a travelling circus. The audiences love to hear her sing, but the poor mermaid was tricked! Instead of the swimming pool she was promised, she is kept in a small tank by the wicked circus master Sam Sly, and she soon longs to return to the freedom of the sea. Will she ever escape? And who will help her along the way?

Based on the bestselling book written and illustrated by Eileen Browne (and aimed at 2-5 year olds) Handa's Surprise will return to Little Angel Theatre once more from 9 February - 16 April at Little Angel Studios before heading out on tour in the Spring.

Travel to Kenya and follow in Handa's footsteps as she journeys to see her best friend Akeyo, in the next village. Handa is taking seven delicious fruits as a surprise - but seven different animals have seven very different ideas... could you resist the sweet-smelling guava? How about a ripe red mango or a tangy purple passion fruit?

Directed by Marleen Vermeulen with set design by Sophia Lovell Smith and puppets made by Peter O'Rourke, this production uses a blend of physical performance, puppetry, live music and song combine to create an intimate, magical production with audience participation. Come and share in the magical tangerine surprise!

Jina and the STEM Sisters invites audiences to join lost budding scientist Jina on her adventure home, empowered by some of history's super-STEM women. Digital-coder Ada Lovelace, glamorous inventor Hedy Lamarr, 'radiating' Marie Curie and pioneering astronaut Mae Jemison are amongst those offering Jina scientific gifts of curiosity, courage, creativity, persistence and open-mindedness, to help her find her way and follow her dreams to become a scientist.

This multi-media musical puppet show for schools and families from HMDT Music is based on the discoveries and stories of historical STEM women who fought against the odds to pursue their flair for scientific enquiry, but were often unacknowledged for their discoveries and frequently encountered discrimination and prejudice along the way.

This enchanting and witty new show featuring a wealth of music from rap to Motown, jazz, opera and musical theatre and 'ingeniously presented puppetry', aims to inspire a new generation. Created and performed by an all-female team, and supported by an extensive schools' project, this production will run from 20 April - 1 May 2022 in Little Angel Studios as part of its national tour.

2022 Digital Shorts Programme

Little Angel Theatre will continue to produce and present an engaging series of digital shorts on their YouTube Channel. The following programme of new work has been funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation:

The Scaryglow by Pete Steele, Sunday 16th January 12 PM

Is there really a monster in the forest? Is it really as scary as everyone thinks? George decides it's time to solve the mystery once & for all. The mystery of The Scaryglow!

Priya and the Twirling Wind by Puppet Revolution, Sunday 23rd January 12 PM

In Priya and the Twirling Wind, Indian Superhero Priya, Sahasher flying tiger, and other magical friends demonstrate to an ill child that hope is possible.

Sweet Porridge by Tiny Light Theatre, Sunday 30th January 12 PM

Sweet Porridge by Tiny Light - an updated fairy tale with added fibre! Let's get messy and play with our food!

Le Cirque du Bouffe by Flawed Mandrake Theatre, Sunday 13th February 12 PM

Roll up Roll up! Come one come all! Join us for this feast for the eyes! Gobsmacking stunts that tantalise the taste buds. A cracking adventure full of bitter sweet surprises!

Moonlit Mudlark by Shadowboxer Theatre, Sunday 27th February 12 PM

"Take a deep breath and dive into an enchanted underwater world"

Lakes by House of Funny Noises, Sunday 13th March 12PM

Lakes by House of Funny Noises - An epic puppet science fiction film seeking to engage young audiences with beautiful visuals, scientific imagination and creature curiosity.

Super Speedy Star by Louisa Ashton, Sunday 27th March 12PM

Come hurtling through space on a zany zoomy musical journey with Star Baby! Meet the Disco Space Snail, a lonely moon, a tiny planet called Mr Bear and an alien family who live in a Boot-Rocket. Puppetry and stop-motion collide in this bonkers electro space odyssey for ages 3yrs+.

On 24 November 2021 iconic children's venue Little Angel Theatre celebrated 60 years of entertaining and inspiring generations of families through the magical artform of puppetry. When a troupe of enthusiastic puppeteers under the leadership of John and Lyndie Wright transformed a derelict temperance hall in Islington into a theatre specially designed for children's marionette shows in 1961, nothing like it existed anywhere in London. 60 years later, under the leadership of artistic director Samantha Lane and executive director Peta Swindall, this unique theatre continues to evolve and innovate, reaching millions across the globe through its acclaimed live and digital programme.

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