An affordable festive alternative for families in Leeds this Christmas time
Libellule Theatre has produced an affordable show for the festive period that families can enjoy this December and January.
The Stolen Stories of Winterlight is now performing at Leeds Central Library’s Room 700 performance space until Sunday, January 5, 2025. Tickets are £6 for children and £8 for adults meaning that a family of four, for example, can enjoy a show for £28.
It follows the adventures of Storymaker, Tan, as she heads to unknown lands with her hapless apprentice to discover what has happened to the stories that are disappearing from books and people’s memories. Audiences will be able to find out whether they can save the Winterlight Festival by returning the stories in a show reminding us that weaving all our tales, histories and cultures together creates the most beautiful pattern of all.
The show’s director, Deborah Pakkar-Hull, says: “We care passionately about creating high quality work that can be experienced by as wide an audience as possible. We know that many families are under financial pressure, but still want their children to fully enjoy the festive period. We have worked hard to secure funding to offer low-cost tickets to ensure that our show is as affordable as possible, allowing everyone to experience the joy and magic that this time of year can bring.”
Staging the show in a place many families will already know is crucial. “We have put a great deal of effort this year into tackling the things that often prevent families from experiencing high quality theatre,” Deborah continues.
“We have created a show in a familiar community space with welcoming staff, we have thought about the ways in which we can make the show accessible to different audiences, and crucially we have set our ticket prices low, and are offering supported places for those who we know experience the most obstacles.
"By taking these positive steps, we hope to create the opportunity for a wide range of families and school children to experience and enjoy the magic of a festive show.”
Accessibility played an essential part when creating the show. Libellule Theatre has worked with Access Champion, Vicky Ackroyd, from Totally Inclusive People, and Audio Description Consultant, Ben Wilson.
“Their brilliant input, advice and observations have enabled us to create The Stolen Stories of Winterlight with accessibility at its heart,” explains the show’s writer, Louise Clark.
“Working with them has been an incredible experience as they have helped us weave audio description into the story using elements that not only support children who are partially sighted, blind and neuro-diverse, but enhance the experience for everyone. We’ve added descriptive terms in the script, and the sound design by Lee Affen is used to creatively convey a sense of the people and places featured.”
An audio flyer and an audio introduction to the set and characters as well as subtitled films introducing each character are also available on Libellule Theatre’s website.
For those attending the show, all Libellule’s performances are, by nature, relaxed. There is a quiet space available away from the action and audiences are welcome to come and go as they wish.
For those who prefer, there is a dedicated relaxed performance on Sunday, December 29 at 11am. BSL performances are on Saturday, December 28 at 10.30am & 3pm and the library is fully accessible by wheelchair.
The cast includes Amy Blake as Tan, Xolani Crabtree as Young Barwick and Edalia Day as The Storyseeker.
To buy tickets for The Stolen Stories of Winterlight, visit:
libelluletheatre.co.uk/stolen-stories