Children’s theatre boosted with national tour from Les Petits

13 Sep 2016 10:59 AM

This autumn, children and families across the country will enjoy a brand new show from critically acclaimed Les Petits Theatre Company, funded through Grants for the Arts.

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2: The Magic Cutlass is an original stage adaptation of the popular children's book by Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto. With Les Petits’ trademark mixture of puppetry, song and bold design, it offers a larger-than-life adventure romp to capture the hearts of young and old alike.

The London-based theatre company has been awarded £60,334 of National Lottery money through the Arts Council’s Grants for the Arts programme. It will tour 27 venues across the UK. 

Visiting locations such as Rutland, Powys and Calderdale, the tour hopes to bring 60% of audiences their first theatrical experience.

Neil Darlison, Director of Theatre, Arts Council England, says: “It’s excellent that audiences across the country will be able to experience Les Petits’ quality work. This ambitious tour will develop an exemplary model for children’s theatre across the country.”

A follow-up online activity pack will encourage children to devise stories, inspire creative activities to extend interaction with the show and develop a long-term appreciation of live storytelling and theatre.

The company works under the principle that children's theatre should be made with the same care, attention to detail and high production values as theatre for adults.  

Oliver Lansley, Co-Artistic Director at Les Petits says:  “We have had such fun revisiting the world of Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs. We have a ten-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex, an exploding sausage machine and an actual magic cutlass - what's not to love? 

“The show has been selling out and receiving rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe and we can't wait to take it on tour to diverse locations across the UK.  We’re grateful to the Arts Council for helping us uphold our founding principle that everyone deserves access to high quality theatre.”

The Magic Cutlass is a sequel to Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs which Les Petits adapted and toured between 2013 and 2015 to great acclaim.  

Follow the tour online @Petitstheatre #FlinnCutlass. Like this? Share it with @ace_national and help spread the word that #culturematters.