A dazzling alchemy of chamber music, stories and pictures, set in a life-size Victorian paper theatre. Three of Hans Christian Andersen’s best-loved tales are woven into the story of Andersen’s own extraordinary life; his childhood home in deepest poverty, his unshakeable belief that he was destined for greatness, his passion for paper-snipping and his love of theatre.
The backstage workings of the show—the scene changes, the paper props and figures—are visibly seen by the audience, revealing a curious toy-like world. Bespoke illustrations by Jonny Boatfield conjure up stories of emperors, nightingales and swans, through fantastical backdrops and intricate silhouettes. The score includes music by Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, Henry Purcell and Maurice Ravel, performed live throughout the show.
This new touring production is a Tiny Concerts collaboration between Stapleford Granary and Goldfield Ensemble, created to bring an unforgettable experience of live chamber music to younger audiences. Goldfield Productions are renowned for their uniquely engaging cross-arts stage shows which have toured extensively and been broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Jonny Boatfield is one of the UK’s finest draughtsmen, and has designed installations for the Royal Opera House, the Barbican and The National Theatre.
Curious about Hans Christian Andersen? has been created for music and story-lovers of all ages. We suggest a lower age limit of 5 years, due to the duration of the show (around 50 minutes) and the focus on storytelling and live music, which ask for a slightly longer attention span than children under the age of 5 are sometimes comfortable with.
Tiny Concerts is generously supported by donations from Mariann Bienz and Beryl Wallis.