The Unicorn Unveils Two More Productions From April To August As Part Of Upcoming Season

The Unicorn Theatre has announced two more productions from April to August as part of the theatre's upcoming season.

The Princess and The Pea will be performed in a brand new co-production with the New Vic Theatre and leading contemporary circus company Upswing. Plus, the ever-popular Baby Show makes a welcome return.

As previously announced the joyful hit musical The Three Billy Goats Gruff returns but with full audio description throughout the run

Unicorn Online continues with a new theatrical reading of Roald Dahl's The Magic Finger in co-production with The Roald Dahl Story Company and Unicorn favourites will be streamed as part of The National Theatre Collection for Primary Schools

Baby Show

Created by Sarah Argent & Kevin Lewis

Directed by Sarah Argent

Tue 14 May to Sun 9 June

Babies' first theatre adventure

The Unicorn's ever-popular sensory performance for ages 6 - 18 months returns next spring to offer the perfect first theatre experience! Combining captivating images and intriguing sounds, Baby Show has been expertly created to keep your little ones rapt.

During the show, you and your baby are sat in our gorgeous garden-inspired set and watch as the performer playfully explores the joys and tribulations of getting ready and exploring outside. At the end of the show there is a chance to play in the space.

Ages: 6 to 18 months

The Princess and the Pea 

Adapted by Theresa Heskins

Directed by Vicki Amedume and Theresa Heskins

Fri 17 May to Sun 16 June 2024

A classic fairy-tale reimagined 

In a lavish Palace there lives a pampered Princess who has everything her heart desires. Each day, three loyal servants attend to her every wish and whim. But one dark and stormy night, she ventures beyond her Palace walls and everything changes…

Breathtaking acrobatics, clowning, and fairy-tale adventure combine in this funny and playful remix of Hans Christian Andersen's classic story.

A Unicorn co-production with New Vic Theatre and leading contemporary circus company Upswing.

Ages: 2+

Access performances

A Unicorn Production in association with Chichester Festival Theatre
Stiles and Drewe's The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Music by George Stiles

Book and Lyrics by Anthony Drewe

Directed by Justin Audibert

Designed by James Button

Musical Direction by Samuel Wilson

Lighting Design by Sam Waddington

Sound Design by Yvonne Gilbert

Choreography by Shannelle ‘Tali' Fergus

Sat 20 January to Sun 18 February 2024

As previously announced and following a hugely successful run last Easter, Stiles and Drewe's joyful hit musical The Three Billy Goats Gruff returns to the Unicorn for a strictly limited run with full audio description.

Baby, Middle and Big are three very hungry goats – when absolutely no grass is left to eat on their side of the valley, will they find greener grass on the other side?

Directed by Justin Audibert and featuring music and lyrics by Olivier award-winning composers Stiles and Drewe (Mary Poppins, Honk!), this magical, fairy-tale show is the perfect first musical for young families.

All performances of The Three Billy Goats Gruff will have pre-recorded Audio Description available via headsets provided by the Unicorn. Anne Hornsby of Mind's Eye will work closely with the Unicorn and Director Justin Audibert to create a script that is creatively written and performed describing what happens on stage.

Alongside the Audio Description the Unicorn will have sensory boxes set up in the foyer, for audiences to interact with materials from the set and costume.

Pre-show Touch Tours will also be available on 8 and 10 February. During the tour ticket holders will be taken onto the set and guided through the key costumes, set and props used in the show. Touch Tours are for patrons with visual impairments but families and schools accompanying them to the show are welcome to join the tour.

UNICORN ONLINE

Unicorn Theatre and The Roald Dahl Story Company present

Roald Dahl's The Magic Finger

Director Milli Bhatia

Designer Shankho Chaudhuri

Sound Designer and Composer Elena Peña

Lighting Designer Jai Morjaria

Casting Director Jacob Sparrow

Director of Photography and Editor Todd MacDonald

Roald Dahl's The Magic Finger will be presented in a new theatrical reading for online release from February 2024. It will be available online for free to schools and families across the UK and is aimed at children aged 6 – 9.

The Gregg family spend every Saturday morning out in the woods searching for animals and birds to hunt. But the girl next door cannot stand hunting, and she's so angry about it she's going to set the magic finger on them all. One thing is for certain, very strange and spectacular things are about to begin...

Created in co-production with The Roald Dahl Story Company, this imaginative reading of Roald Dahl's mischievous story is directed by Milli Bhatia (Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner, Royal Court) and designed by Shankho Chaudhuri (Alice in Wonderland, Brixton House).

Unicorn Online is generously supported by Backstage Trust.

Teachers - sign up now to receive notifications about the online release and accompanying teacher resources. Please follow this link to sign up.

Education Resources for Teachers

This theatrical filmed reading of Roald Dahl's The Magic Finger can be watched in one go (under 30 minutes), or be delivered in three chapters with accompanying teacher-led classroom sessions. Activities are PSHE focussed and highlight the themes of friendship, trust, morals and decision-making. You will find these and some additional activities in our free teacher resource pack.

The teacher resource pack is being developed in collaboration with teachers, children and PSHE specialists. The pack's curriculum linked activities will focus on the PSHE unit ‘Relationships - Respecting Self and Others' and will offer teachers a creative way to link literacy activities within the delivery of PSHE.

All content will be live from February 2024.

National Theatre Collection for Primary Schools

The Unicorn is proud to be in partnership with The National Theatre Collection for Primary Schools – a platform making bright and imaginative new primary-aged online theatre content available to stream in the classroom.

The Unicorn's digital productions Anansi The Spider Re-spun, Greek Myths Unplugged and Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales (Rumpelstiltskin and Little Red Riding Hood) are available now on The National Theatre's platform to UK state-primary schools for free.

The National Theatre Collection for Primary Schools forms part of the NT's Let's Play Programme. Let's Play provides learning resources to all state primary schools across the UK for free. To find out more about The National Theatre Collection for Primary Schools and sign up please visit the NT website.