WHATEVER THE WEATHER to Open as Immersive Play Installation at London's Unicorn Theatre
The site-specific production will invite audiences into an interactive weather-themed world at the south London venue.
This summer, Whatever the Weather a brand-new play installation from the designer of the adventure playground REPLAY (Southbank Centre), arrives at London's Unicorn Theatre. Whatever the Weather invites children, aged 0-7, and their grown-ups to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of weather, sparking curiosity and imagination together through sensory play, theatrical elements and sound journeys - dance in a snow storm, wear a cloud, build an ice castle, bask in the sun and discover other surprises along the way. This new play experience is led by Linbury Prize finalist designer Rūta Irbīte with dramaturgy by Daniel Naddafy, presented by the Unicorn Theatre, where it runs from 3 July – 16 August, and Theatre Hullabaloo where it will continue from 2 September 2026 - 6 February 2027.
Whatever the Weather has been co-designed with young audiences through a series of co-created play sessions with local families, run by the Unicorn's Creative Hub department. Through discoveries in these sessions, the creative team has responded to and further developed the play elements which make up the experience.
Whatever the Weather is an immersive playscape experience inviting children and their grown-ups to play creatively together. Get closer to nature and experience rain, snow, sunshine, and more, in this playful, interactive space designed to uncover the wonders of weather and how it shapes our everyday lives. Inspired by ideas from local children, Whatever the Weather is an artist-designed space that celebrates the different ways children naturally play - encouraging families to discover, imagine and explore together.
Designer Rūta Irbīte said: “Whatever the Weather was co-designed with local children and their families. From the very beginning the work was shaped by their ideas, instincts, and ways of exploring the world. In response to the co-creation sessions as well as the increasingly commercialised and structured culture of play today, we wanted to create something open-ended: a space with no right or wrong way to participate, where curiosity leads the experience and anything can become something else through imagination.
“As a creative team, we were also interested in challenging the predictable aesthetics often associated with children's work, instead creating an environment that feels atmospheric and sophisticated while remaining inclusive and accessible. Ultimately, Whatever the Weather is about shared experience - it invites a sense of wonder and offers a place for connection across generations in an ever changing environment."
Dramaturg Daniel Naddafy said: “Whatever the Weather is a playscape for children and their grown-ups to explore, create, build, discover and just spend time together. It's a place where you can wear a cloud, dance in a snowstorm, head off on a journey to wherever your imagination wants to take you, or simply just be.
“Created in collaboration with local children, it is a place where families can play in every kind of weather. At the heart of the project is a commitment to crafting a beautiful environment where curiosity and creativity come first.
“Working alongside an expert team, we have co-created a space that is both stylish and endlessly open-ended, rich with sensory experiences, hidden surprises, and opportunities for imaginative play. Whatever the Weather invites everyone explore freely and make the world their own.”
Unicorn Artistic Director Rachel Bagshaw said: “We're delighted to welcome audiences to Whatever the Weather, an incredible new play experience, in partnership with Theatre Hullabaloo and a brilliant creative team led by Rūta and Daniel. Our artist-led, child-centred approach remains at the heart of every single Unicorn production through our Creative Hub, putting children's unique perspectives of the world at the heart of how we create and share theatre experiences, tried and tested by the very people we create work for.”
Theatre Hullabaloo Artistic Producer Miranda Thain said: “Theatre Hullabaloo have been creating immersive playscapes to stimulate children's imaginations and encourage the shared play experience for the last 8 years. Each space, whilst different in theme, is inspired by children and the way they play, because play is the way that younger children particularly make sense of the world.
We are delighted to be collaborating with the Unicorn and the hugely talented creative team behind Whatever the Weather to bring to life a playscape that celebrates the sensory experiences of the weather and all its play possibilities. We know it will delight children and families in London before it heads northwards to be enjoyed by our audiences at The Hullabaloo in Darlington."
Completing the creative team are Composer and Sound Designer Deanna H Choi, Lighting Designer Tyler Forward, Production Manager Chloe Stally Gibson and Digital Technologist Jonathan Green.
Whatever the Weather is a Theatre Green Book Intermediate production, with 60% of the show being made from recycled or reused materials and 70% of materials to be re-used or recycled after the show.
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