A new aerial theatre show, Aidy the Awesome, is to take to the Internet in a digital tour commissioned by Leicester’s Curve and funded by Arts Council England.
Aimed at three- to eight-year-olds and their families, the show, which is presented by all-female company The Gramophones, intends to show young women that they can be “strong, resilient and empowered”.
Writer, director and producer Hannah Stone said, “we have lots of clever filming ideas to bring the show out of the screen, for example performers wearing GoPro cameras and maybe even a drone to film from above.
“According to The Guardian, children’s media and books are packed with gender stereotypes: princesses waiting for Prince Charming, fairies dressed in pink and heroic characters that are almost invariably male. So we’re keen to explore stories in which girls are protagonists in alternative feisty, funny and strong roles.”
Farrell Fox and Deborah Sanderson devised and will perform Aidy the Awesome. Ria Ashcroft is the other writer, director and producer while Tilly Branson is dramaturg. Designer is Irene Jade. Darren Clark is composer, sound designer and musical director. Gwen Hales is aerial director and Jonathan Graham is the rig and set consultant and fabricator.
Aidy the Awesome will begin a tour at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 May. It then goes to Curve on Monday 31 May and Tuesday 1 June, Theatre Deli, London on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 June, Arts Depot, London on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June, Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset on Saturday 12 June and the Off Beat Festival, Oxford from Tuesday 22 until Saturday 27 June.