I’ve already mentioned in my posts how this festival is creating a nurturing environment for children and their caregivers. Today I’ve seen how this sort of space not only makes for a pleasant day, but also sets up a positive environment in which parents feel comfortable giving their kids some freedom to roam. And in […]
A tiny snake-shaped puppet made of woodchips scurries up a log. It struggles to reach the top. Just as it is about to ascend the peak, the log topples over. According to a bunch of kindergarteners this morning, this is the best joke they had ever encountered. And then it happens again. The puppet scurries […]
Today I want to pull back and think a bit more broadly about the WeeFestival and about Theatre for Early Years. The Artistic Director of the festival, Lynda Hill, was kind enough to answer some questions for me a few days ago about where the festival came from and what it offers. I asked her […]
I don’t know if you’ve ever had to spend an entire day in a concrete metropolis with a baby. It goes a little something like this: Parent: What a lovely day. I can’t wait to go downtown. Wait. Which TTC station has elevators again? Oh, it’s out of service? Okay, will someone please help me […]
Today was the launch of the WeeFestival’s industry conference, bringing together 50+ delegates from across Canada and Europe. I attended the keynote address at the Pia Bouman Studios, delivered by Dr. Ben Fletcher-Watson of Scotland. Speaking to a room full of industry professionals, Dr. Fletcher-Watson identified his interest in arriving at a dramaturgical framework for […]
Today I saw a group of overexcited preschoolers walk into the Theatre Direct performance space, and walk out transformed – quietly curious, observant of the world around them, and modeling the beautiful energy of the actors they had just witnessed. The show I started my festival with was called Traces, from Helios Theatre in Germany. […]