PLAYTIME THEATRE - ON THE ROAD AGAIN! TOUR TO HOLLAND & GERMANY– MAY 2011

Playtime Theatre Company has just returned from a hugely successful tour of schools & theatres in Holland & Germany and is already looking forward to a return trip in the Autumn!

Whilst Germany has become a regular stop in it’s International touring schedule - this being their third tour to Germany within the last year – it is the first time the company has toured Holland. Although not a large country compared to Germany, Playtime managed clock-up over a thousand miles, touring as far north as Leeuwarden in Friesland, to Rotterdam and Roermond in the South. ”We couldn’t get over how friendly and hospitable everyone was, and the standard of English in all the schools was very impressive!” This was particularly so when you know that one of the plays on tour was an adaptation of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” – no mean feat of comprehension even for native English speakers!

The Dutch audiences particularly loved the audience participation and role-playing, which they had to join in with. These included the Old Hag in “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” and Chaunticleer & Pertelote, the cockerel and the hen in “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale”’ but far and away the most popular was that of the Ruffian in “The Pardoner’s Tale” – probably because it involved “drinking and making merry” to use the Pardoner’s own words; oh yes, and murder!

“A Tale O’Two” is presented as a story-telling competition, of which the audience acts as the judges. Effectively, this gives the play alternative endings but in practice, The Pardoner’s Tale proved the winner every time!

For younger children, Playtime presented “The Wish” – a fast moving fairy story with music, puppetry and audience participation.

Sara Kettlewell.
31st. May 2011

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