A LIGHT-HEARTED family show which delves into English history and tells the story of the Saxons’ and Vikings’ arrival on these shores will take place at Bromsgrove’s Artrix.
The First King of England……in a Dress will be staged at 2pm on Friday, August 18.
Suitable for those aged three and up, it centres on life 1,000 years ago, a time of huge battles because the Saxons and Vikings hated each other. So when a Viking called Knut tried to be the king of the Saxons too, the Saxons were not happy.
But when a stranger turns up at their door, a grumbly Saxon and his son Aethelred decide to let him in.
Soon, they’re all sharing stories about giants, gods, and magic – and discovering surprising secrets about each other too.
Can Vikings and Saxons be friends? Will Aethelred see his mother again? And just why is King Knut dressed like that?
The fun-packed extravaganza includes puppetry, music from a ‘genuine’ electro-acoustic Anglo-Saxon lyre and plenty of audience interaction.
The show stars Chip Colquhoun, the storyteller behind the Oxford Reading Tree’s ‘Big Carrot’ and other online videos and some of the stories featured were created by youngsters aged between seven and ten in primary school workshops.
Those who arrive early will be able to listen to extra stories and enjoy some face painting.
The First King of England….in a Dress has been produced by Snail Tales with support from the Arts Council of England, Babylon Arts, East Cambridgeshire District Council, the Diocese of Ely, Cambridgeshire Libraries and The History Press.
Tickets, at £8 (£6 for under 16s), are available at www.artrix.co.uk or by calling 01527 577330.
Visit www.snailtales.org/firstking for more information.
