Newcastle’s Live Theatre is to première a stage version of David Almond’s illustrated children’s novel The Savage, adapted by the author himself. It is his first full-length commission for the theatre and is timed to coincide with the launch of Live Tales, Live Theatre’s new writing centre for children.
This new strand of Live’s education programme is an extension of its playwriting initiatives for young people. Live Tales will offer creative story writing sessions to pupils aged 7-12 from September 2016.
The Savage is a contemporary fable about creation and renewal, wildness and civilisation and the importance of creativity in making us whole. The novel is popular for reading in schools and is also used to discuss behaviour with young people.
In the play, Blue Baker wants to write a story. After the death of his dad and to escape the unwanted attention of Hopper, the neighbourhood bully, Blue imagines a ‘truly wild’ character—full of anger, adventure and thoughts of revenge. Life is dark and complicated and so is Blue’s story. Helped by his friend Elaine, his mum and baby sister Jess, he tries to discover where life starts and the story ends.
Max Roberts, Live’s Artistic Director, said, "it's great to have a writer of David's quality and reputation writing for Live Theatre. I'm very much looking forward to bringing David’s play to fruition moulding his rich lyrical writing with music and beautiful settings that will appeal to a wide age range of audience.”
"It's a real thrill,” said David Almond, “to be working with the great Live Theatre, to bring this story to vivid life in Newcastle, right on the banks of the river. Tyneside is my literary heartland. It's where my stories, my dreams and my language come from, and it's where the strange, scary, tender savage was born."
The Savage, a family friendly play suitable for ages 9+ with music, movement and “eye-catching visuals”, runs from 30 June to 23 July.