The Place and DanceEast have commissioned Luca Silvestrini and Vicki Igbokwe to create new 'family friendly' Christmas shows.
Igbokwe, founder of Uchenna Dance, known for blending dance styles from 'vogueing' and 'waacking' to contemporary and African dance, will create a contemporary version of the fairytale Hansel & Gretel, which will run at The Place from 15 to 24 December 2018. In this version, the two title characters are lost in London, overwhelmed by the sights and smells of the city. Hansel & Gretel will tour throughout 2019 with a Christmas run at DanceEast’s Jerwood DanceHouse.
Luca Silvestrini’s Protein with a cast of four will present an adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, who journeys through the baffling world of grown-ups, meeting fascinating characters along the way whilst learning about the value of friendship and the complexity of love. Following a preview at The Point, Eastleigh on 1 December 2018, The Little Prince will première at DanceEast’s Jerwood DanceHouse from 12 to 16 December before a 2019 tour, landing at The Place for Christmas 2019.
Speaking about the collaboration, Theatre Director at The Place Eddie Nixon said, “we’re delighted to be commissioning Luca and Vicki to make new shows for families. Each artist, in their own way, has a distinct and imaginative way of telling stories through dance, which we think will translate well for younger audiences. Families coming to The Place at Christmas will discover something a bit different to the usual festive fare. It will be a treat to see how these world class artists find unexpected ways to inspire and entertain families at Christmas.”
Silvestrini said, “The Little Prince's journey to other asteroids and planet Earth, which is both magical and transformative, is a relevant example of what should really matter in life. Love, friendship, and even loss, take centre-stage in this story as children make discoveries and their grown-ups are reminded that they were once children too.”
Igbokwe said, “Hansel & Gretel is one of my favourite fairy tales and I can’t wait to bring the Uchenna vibe to this story, celebrating the tenacity and ingenuity of children and young people.”