SNOW-POCALYPSE: FRIENDSHIP NEVER MELTS Comes to Greenwich Theatre

Cinderella won't be the only one capturing the hearts of audiences at Greenwich Theatre this Christmas. While 'Cinders' and Buttons take on The Ugly Sisters on the main stage, Trilby and The Boot will be enchanting people downstairs in the studio.

They're the clown stars of Snow-Pocalypse, the last two people on earth who have no understanding of what Christmas is but find a book that inspires them to remake Christmas out of all the clutter in the junkyard where they live.

The show - which will run in the studio for three weeks from December 8 - is being presented by SharkLegs Theatre, winners of the prestigious Les Enfants Terribles Award ahead of last year's Edinburgh Festival. Previous shows have been featured on BBC Breakfast and Radio 4, and in the Telegraph and Guardian.

"We always have our eye on companies that win that award because they invariably go on to produce amazing work," said James Haddrell, Greenwich Theatre's artistic and executive director. "We met them and supported them through their Edinburgh run, then met them to discuss their next piece.

"We're very proud to have Snow-Pocalypse running concurrently with the pantomime to mark the first anniversary of the studio. As an extra treat, every child coming to the show will be invited to a 45-minute workshop to make a handmade object that will be used in the show."

The show was written and produced by SharkLegs' co-directors Kezia Cole and Richard Hay. "We were working on a project in deepest darkest countryside, staying in a small rickety cabin in the middle of nowhere," said Kezia.

"On the second day the snow started, not huge wintry drifts but just a light dusting. But to make it dramatic all the lights cut out. Sitting in a strange living room with nothing but tealights, a gramophone and a stuffed pheasant, we felt like the last two people in the whole world.

"To cope with the terrible lack of electricity - okay, a terrible lack of Wifi - we started talking about a show. What would we do to make this situation fun? Make it exciting? Make it joyful? That's how the weird and wonderful world of Snow-Pocalypse was created!"

Christina Forrest, who has worked on two previous shows with SharkLegs, plays The Boot - a "Scrapling" who has never heard of winter - but Kezia and Richard are still auditioning for Trilby, a Scrapling who loves reinventing rubbish to make amazing "Do-Hickys".

"Christina is a regular performer for us because she isn't afraid to embrace the wacky and ridiculous," said Kezia. "She always throws herself in with both feet and enjoys the mayhem. We first met her when she was training at East 15 Acting School and we are so happy to have her on our snowy adventure!

"We've built a relationship with the awesome Greenwich Theatre. The support they offer to emerging companies like us is utterly invaluable. It's been essential to our developing new work and building new audiences.

"The studio space is brilliant. It's a lovely versatile space that offers so much. We are so pleased to be able to take it over and create our very own Magical Wintery Cave for Trilby and The Boot."

"We all have an idea of what the 'perfect' Christmas looks like. They can be vastly different but they are all special because what makes Christmas magical is not the presents or the dinners but spending time with the people we love.

"Snow-Pocalypse celebrates a very odd and quirky Christmas. Trilby and The Boot would never have chosen to be together but no one can choose their family, can they?"

*Snow-Pocalypse, Friday, December 8- Saturday, December 30. For tickets and more information go to www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk