Shakespeare's Globe Presents Its First Ever Christmas Production with Footsbarn's CHRISTMAS CRACKER

For the first time ever, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre will open its doors over the festive season for a Christmas production. Following their Shakespeare Party in 2008, the acclaimed and totally unique Footsbarn Theatre returns to the Globe with their Christmas Cracker - a family feast of carnival, comedy and Christmas cheer. This short production is suitable for all ages and will run for 18 performances between 22 December 2009 and 3 January 2010, with a combination of 11am, 2pm and 5.30pm performances.

Footsbarn's Christmas Cracker promises a midwinter celebration of London's rich, bawdy, pre-Christian pagan past, drawing from festive traditions, and inspired by the complete works of Shakespeare. As an open-air venue, the essence of the show will be brevity, with two half-hour acts around an interval, giving plenty of room for mulled wine and hot food in the break.

Footsbarn's ridiculous and delightful characters include their poetry reciting, three headed Shakespeare who discovers words that have never been heard before; a family of tightrope walkers playing the violin over the groundlings; and the outsized accordion-playing worm. They will be joined this Christmas by the Lord of Misrule who reigns supreme over the Feast of Fools, ensuring that all the laws are broken in his hedonistic realm. With magic, music, carnival, dance, puppets and circus, this unique show is suitable for the whole family.

‘There's nothing more bananas than doing a show at Christmas in a theatre without a roof, so it seemed a good idea to find a company like Footsbarn who embody the ridiculousness to fill it. Footsbarn are genuinely wild and irredeemably pagan and we are delighted to see them returning to Shakespeare's Globe this Christmas.'
Dominic Dromgoole, Artistic Director Shakespeare's Globe

Since its birth in Cornwall, 35 years ago, the acclaimed and unique Footsbarn Theatre has been touring the world, sharing Shakespeare's genius through music, magic and mayhem. For the last 20 years Footsbarn's home and base has been in the centre of France in the Auvergne. 2008 saw their return to the UK after a 17 year absence when they performed their Shakespeare's Party at the Globe. They also revived their acclaimed 1991 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the 2008 International Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they earned a Total Theatre Award for Significant Contribution to Physical and Visual Theatre. The production later transferred to Victoria Park, London.

Footsbarn's Christmas Cracker at Shakespeare's Globe
22 December 2009 - 3 January 2010

Performance schedule:

December

Tuesday 22

5.30pm
Wednesday 23

2pm
5.30pm
Thursday 24

2pm

Saturday 26

2pm

Sunday 27
11am
2pm

Monday 28

2pm
5.30pm
Tuesday 29
11am
2pm

Wednesday 30

2pm
5.30pm
Thursday 31
11am
2pm

January

Saturday 2

2pm
5.30pm
Sunday 3

2pm

Booking
Tickets: £20, £17.50, £15, £10, £5

Family Rate: 2 adults and 2 children.
Top-prIce Tickets £60
Second prices tickets £42

Box office: Telephone 020 7401 9919
Online www.shakespeares-globe.org

Website:
Please go to the Press Room at www.shakespeares-globe.org/press for recent press releases.
Images are available via the online image library www.globe-images.org/
Notes to Editors:
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre: Following its run at Shakespeare's Globe, Love's Labour's Lost is touring North America until 23 December.. Box office: 020 7401 9919 or online at www.shakespeares-globe.org
Capital Campaign - Shakespeare's Globe is currently fundraising for a major development project. The first part of the campaign - to develop a Globe Education and Rehearsal Centre - is underway. To find out more visit www.shakespeares-globe.org/thesecondstage
Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition is open all year round - October to April from 10am to 5pm. Admission includes a guided tour of the Theatre. For further information, telephone 020 7902 1500.
Shakespeare's Globe Shop stocks a variety of products, including season specific merchandise. Items can be bought at the on-site shop or on-line at www.globe-shop.com.
The Shakespeare Globe Trust is a registered charity No.266916. The Globe receives no public subsidy.

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