An Anglesey based theatre company are set to perform at the world’s biggest arts showcase next week.
Frân Wen are taking their heart-warming true tale of a child who becomes an imaginary elephant like her favourite soft toy up to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Follow Me, a show for under 7 year olds, follows Nansi’s journey as she deals with the arrival of a new baby brother by escaping into her own make-believe world.
Author Sarah Argent took inspiration for the show following the birth of her nephew.
“When my niece’s new baby brother was born she began spending all day acting like an elephant – eating, sleeping, playing – it was her way of dealing with feeling displaced as the only child in the family and this fascinated me,” said the Cardiff based playwright.
“Many children face such issues as family instability and they will often use their imagination as a way of positioning themselves in reality,” added Sarah.
Nansi (dancer/performer Cêt Haf) is joined on stage by her best-friend Cai (North Wales actor Elgan Rhys), and it is he who encourages her to go on an adventure to Africa to seek out real elephants.
Sarah’s interest is in creating what she calls “small plays for small people” – productions which have a clear narrative arc in which the young audience is given a window into the lives of others with whom they spend a little time, thus encouraging empathy and stimulating emotional intelligence.
Bringing the whole show together is director Iola Ynyr from Frân Wen theatre company. She promises “a warm and friendly adventure full of play and discovery – and elephants!”
The Anglesey based specialists in theatre for young audiences are venturing up to the Fringe for only the second time.
“We’re really excited to perform at the Pleasance Courtyard’s Kid Zone which is one of the only dedicated area for children at the Fringe,” said Iola, who is Frân Wen’s Artistic Director.
“We take our theatre for young audiences seriously and that means we treat it with the respect it deserves.”
FOLLOW ME
The Green
Pleasance Courtyard Yard (venue 33)
12:45pm
15 – 29 August 2016
