tutti frutti - the Leeds-based theatre company opening children's eyes

George Benson and Whitney Houston made it impossible to write the following sentence without it sounding thoroughly cheesy: but children are the future.
Leeds-based tutti frutt’s Under a Magical Moon by Mike Kenny. (Picture: Brian Slater).Leeds-based tutti frutt’s Under a Magical Moon by Mike Kenny. (Picture: Brian Slater).
Leeds-based tutti frutt’s Under a Magical Moon by Mike Kenny. (Picture: Brian Slater).

If we want the politicians and decision makers of tomorrow to have a good grasp of the importance of the arts, then maybe we need to make sure the arts are important to them now.

It’s why the work of children’s theatre company tutti frutti absolutely deserves its place in my lockdown profiles of the region’s theatres and companies.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Based in Leeds, the company tours the country with work made specifically for a young audience.

Monday’s Child by Brendan Murray explored dementia. (Picture: Brian Slater).Monday’s Child by Brendan Murray explored dementia. (Picture: Brian Slater).
Monday’s Child by Brendan Murray explored dementia. (Picture: Brian Slater).

“Our mission is to delight children with imaginative and meaningful theatre. We want all children, whoever they are and wherever they live, to have cultural experiences that will stimulate their imaginations and allow them to engage in the wonder of theatre in order to help them make sense of the world,” says Wendy Harris, the company’s artistic director of 15 years.

For me, encountering theatre in the school hall of St Anne’s School in Keighley began a story and is something from which I can draw a direct line to my work today as a theatre journalist and a playwright. Introducing children to theatre can change their lives: that’s not something that should be an add-on – theatre should be ingrained in the lives of our young people. “We reach huge numbers of children many of whom have their first experience of theatre with us,” says Harris.

“Last year was a record year reaching over 35,000 children in schools, theatres and village halls. Everything we make is carefully created and we put children at the heart of the experience. We research and develop all our productions with specialist practitioners, sometimes with academics and always with children.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The pandemic has played havoc with the lives of theatre buildings, but that has a knock-on to theatre companies who rely on buildings where they can take their work. But what of theatre companies that take their work into schools? There is a big question mark hanging over the future, but for Harris that question is about more than just the pandemic – it’s about an adjustment to a world that has shifted on its axis.

WiLd! by Evan Placey. (Picture: Brian Slater).WiLd! by Evan Placey. (Picture: Brian Slater).
WiLd! by Evan Placey. (Picture: Brian Slater).

“This has been a time of hard work, rethinking, making adjustments and learning,” she says. “This period has highlighted the many inequalities we find in society and in the arts. Both Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement have created new conversations and important rethinking. We keep going back to our key values and asking ourselves how we can be better and how we can be useful for children and families.

“We have lots of opportunities to work more locally, with a stronger environmental agenda and make specialist work for children wherever they may be, so it could be in small groups or at distance in the playground. We are open to explore new ideas to reach children. The great thing about tutti frutti is we have a fantastically committed diverse team and board who are willing to adapt, be flexible and change if needed.”

A few years ago I was invited to be an Arts Council assessor and saw the work of tutti frutti. Notwithstanding the awkwardness around turning up to a theatre event childless with 300 hundred children in attendance, it was a magical experience to be reminded what it is to see theatre through the eyes of a child.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Harris says: “I’ve worked in theatre for 37 years and most that time has involved young audiences. Making work for children is the best audience to make work for; they are open, honest and new to it all so it means that anything and everything is possible. It is also really important work; I believe in the rights of all children to have access to theatre and creative experiences.

In our industry work for children is often not seen as important, which is a great shame. If we allow children to access creativity and become theatre-literate, it will serve them for their futures. It also aids their wellbeing, self-esteem, develops empathy and gives them cultural capital that will serve them in their grown up lives.”

Significant productions that have impacted the lives of young people over the years include Monday’s Child by Brendan Murray, bringing academic research into the process while creating a play looking at a big subject for small children, this one a story about Alzheimer’s. The follow-up show Wild! examined ADHD and the Evan Placey-written piece also toured America.

Other stand out shows include Mike Kenny’s Underneath a Magical Moon which toured the UK before also going on to tour America and Hue Boy, a one-person show set in the Caribbean.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While the company tours nationally and internationally, it is proud of its Yorkshire – and specifically Leeds – roots. The company always ensures its productions tour Leeds schools and all the shows have VIP openings at Seven Arts in the Chapel Allerton area of the city.

“We have a rich relationship with Leeds Libraries and during lockdown have developed eight digital encounters for their Summer Reading Challenge and Hungry Holiday Program over the summer. In this project we are employing lots of local artists who have all dreamt up their own individual styles to retell a story.”

To finish off with another song, as long as there are passionate companies like tutti frutti, led by the likes of Harris, maybe the kids will be alright.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.