Polka Theatre To Offer SKYDIVER, CLAYTIME, And More This Spring

Polka Theatre will offer an array of activities for families to enjoy this Spring in the Wimbledon venue's Adventure Theatre.

From multi-sensory dance experience Skydiver to an interactive and imaginative play with clay in Claytime- Polka is the perfect place for the whole family to make memories this Spring.

Hannah Lefeuvre presents the non-verbal show Early Weaves from 17-21 April. This introduction to dance theatre follows a heart-warming tale of friendship and re-connecting with loved ones. Two people meet, tentatively at first, and journey through building trust and comfort with each other again. Using flexible willow, they explore sound and movement, creating magic and laughter, and invite the audience in to play. This production, featuring a set and props made almost entirely from willow, tells the story in 45 minutes, including a stay and play, and is recommended for 1–4-year-olds.

Greek dance artist, dramaturg and director Xenia Aidonopoulou will stage their visually compelling dance-theatre work Skydiver from 1-5 May. The multi-sensory dance experience takes families on a magical journey, experiencing how movement, sound and visuals bring whimsical characters to life in an enchanting encounter in the skies. The production's runtime is 45 minutes and is recommended for 3–5-year-olds.

Half Moon, the UK's leading small-scale young people's venue and touring company, bring their latest production, Ten in the Bed, to the Adventure Theatre from 8-12 May. The show follows Naz, Iggy and their boat-bed's disparate crew as they dream up playful tales of pirates, misunderstood sharks and fishing trips that hook some unexpected catches. Written by award-winning teenage fiction writer Steve Tasane (‘Child I', ‘Blood Donors'), Ten in the Bed sensitively explores the child refugee experience, where the power of invention offers an escape from reality. The story is told in 50 minutes and is recommended for 3–8-year-olds.

The award-winning Indefinite Articles present their work for the very young: Claytime, a play with clay, where the audience are invited to participate in the Adventure Theatre from 15-19 May. Each performance is unique - creating its own world, its own characters and its own stories drawn directly from its young audience. The interactive theatre show runs at 55 minutes, plus a clay playtime, and is recommended for 3-6-year-olds.

Helen Matravers said, “There is something exciting for everyone in Polka's diverse range of visiting shows this Spring. From getting your hands dirty with clay, to watching mesmeric clouds dance to stunning music through all weathers – it's a gorgeous programme which explores identity, creativity, belonging and humanity, all of which celebrates performance and play in early years theatre'.

Full listings can be found here. Tickets are on sale now via polkatheatre.com or call 020 8543 4888*

About Polka Theatre

Polka Theatre is one of just a handful of dedicated children's venues in the UK. Re-opening in 2021 after a major renovation, Polka continues to present a year-round programme of shows produced by Polka and from visiting companies. Polka also offers a full programme of creative learning activities for ages 0–12, with over 21,000 children taking part in the last year. Polka enjoys flexible rehearsal and workshop spaces along with two performance spaces: the Main Theatre has a 300-seat capacity, and the Adventure Theatre can seat up to 90 depending on the show format.

Over the past year Polka has worked with 143 schools through creative learning projects and has distributed over 6,000 free tickets to schools through their Curtain Up! scheme.

Polka is a community hub and vital resource, open 6 days per week, 50 weeks per year at a challenging time to be a sustainable public venue with step-free access, free-to-access play spaces and a cosy and welcoming café and shop.

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