Pioneering Fairytale Comes to Half Moon

Critically acclaimed Action Transport Theatre bring Happily Ever After, their pioneering fairytale with a twist, to Half Moon Theatre from Saturday 13 to Tuesday 16 May 2017. The ground breaking show is part of Half Moon's commitment to promoting diversity and challenging homophobia and discrimination and is for children and family audiences aged 5+.

The queen is growing impatient. Her lazy son will never be king until he grows up, gets married and starts acting like one. She invites hundreds of princesses from across the land, hoping to find the perfect bride for the prince, but he isn't impressed by any of them. Then one day a princess arrives accompanied by her brother...

Happily Ever After is inspired by the Dutch children's book King and King, by Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland. Action Transport Theatre have worked with The Proud Trust to create a play for children which tells the story of two princes who fall in love and live happily ever after.

The six performances at Half Moon are part of the first national theatrical tour of a play for children aged over five with a gay theme.

The production uses Action Transport Theatre's trade-mark highly visual, wordless storytelling and comedy clowning, along with original music by Patrick Dineen, to engage children in high quality art. Previously the play has been performed in over 50 schools in the North West and seen by more than 3,000 children, where it has received an overwhelmingly positive response.

Directed by Action Transport Theatre's artistic director Nina Hajiyianni and featuring a cast of international actors, Happily Ever After aims to help raise awareness amongst children of homophobia, gender expectations and 'difference', promoting respect and understanding, and equipping children and parents with a vocabulary around same sex relationships.

According to a recent survey by charity Stonewall, almost two thirds of young people have experienced direct homophobic bullying in schools. Nine in ten secondary school teachers, and more than two in five primary school teachers, say homophobic bullying occurs in their school with the word 'gay' often being used as an insult.

Nina Hajiyianni commented: "There is an absence of gay identities in theatre and wider culture for young children - just look at the current controversy about the suggestion of a gay character in Disney's live action version of Beauty and the Beast. Many families now include same sex adult parents or carers or have other family members who are gay. Where are those children's lives validated or represented in art? Not to mention younger children who identify as gay themselves. Happily Ever After powerfully addresses this and the subject of same-sex marriage, but not in a heavy handed or preachy way."

Chris Elwell, Director of Half Moon, said: "We look forward to welcoming Action Transport Theatre to Half Moon with their important children's tale that spreads a positive message about diversity and tackles homophobia. This ground breaking play will help raise awareness around difference, respect and relationships for children that will stay with them for the rest of their lives."

All tickets are priced at £7 and can be obtained by visiting the Box Office or by calling 020 7709 8900. Tickets are also available online at www.halfmoon.org.uk

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