Long before Steven Spielberg dabbled in dinosaurs, many parents tucked their children into bed with Michael Foreman's beloved environmentallythemed storybook Dinosaurs and All that Rubbish. Now a new stage adaptation is hoping to spark the imagination of the next generation of children with a lively, energetic and ‘roarsome’ production this autumn, courtesy of Roustabout Theatre.
‘This will be, we believe, the first piece of genuine gig theatre created with young children in mind,’ says director Toby Hulse. ‘Expect all the noise, excitement, and raw energy of a gig, telling a story suitable for anyone aged over three.’
The show
After a successful premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, a national tour involving theatres, spaces and schools should whet the appetite of many youngsters keen for their next rollicking dino fix. But what can they expect?
‘The strapline on our poster reads “Dinosaurs! Space travel! Rock’n’roll!” – and you couldn't get a neater summary than that, to be honest,’ Hulse enthuses. ‘It will be an hour of great music, fantastic storytelling and outrageous dancing.
‘One of the many things that attracted us to the book is how many “impossibles” it contains – dancing dinosaurs, space travel, an entire planet reduced to a heap of rubbish. We use puppets, object theatre, outrageous scale shifts and, of course, songs to transport us around the galaxy and through time, from the Big Bang to the present day.
‘We present Michael Foreman's text in full, exactly as it is written, so those familiar with the book will hear it just as it is read to them at bedtime. But the audience's imaginations are crucial to telling that story. It will also ask some difficult questions of its audience, questions that are ultimately essential to the survival of our planet.’
An important message
It is the environmental message that makes Foreman's book and Roustabout's timely production all the more important in not only attracting young audiences to theatre but showing them the value placed on using it to educate too.
‘We have expanded out the story to explore further the impact of one human's pursuit of their dream, not just on the natural environment, but also the other humans on the earth. There are frequent breaks in the storytelling that allow the performers to debate and question the issues being raised. It is in these breaks that the true environmental message can be explored in all its complexity,’ says Hulse.
Support for educators
With a keen focus on schools, teachers are invited to make use of the production, its accompanying resources, and its wealth of performance talent to inspire and enthuse young minds. How does this production hope to connect with those looking for innovative ways to challenge and inform young learners?
‘As with all our productions, we are creating a full digital resource that is available free to those schools that are receiving the show,’ Hulse adds. ‘We aim to support teachers in encouraging children to think deeply about the consequences of their choices, to take responsibility for their own learning, and cope with the inevitable frustrations that such an approach can lead to.’
‘The resource is being developed with experts from SEEd (Sustainability and Environmental Education) and the University of the West of England, as well as local school children. We are also offering a full day booking option to schools, in which we work with children in the morning, some of whom then appear in the performance in the afternoon!’
The author's thoughts
Someone who won't be appearing but is extremely excited about the production is the author himself. Fifty years after publication, what does Michael Foreman make of his story taking to the stage in such a vibrant way?
‘When Dinosaurs and All that Rubbish was first published, way back in 1972, I had no idea that those dinosaurs would still be roaring today!’ he delights. ‘I'm thrilled that the brilliant Roustabout team are adding their magic to the dinosaurs for yet another generation of children to enjoy and, together, we can all ROAR against the RUBBISH.’
Exercises from Roustabout for teachersWhen we made the play, we had to imagine how different sorts of dinosaurs might dance. Choose your favourite dinosaur and imagine how it moves. Is it on two legs or four? Does it have wings? How big and heavy is it? What personality does it have? Now find a piece of music with a strong rhythm and try dancing like your dino. In the story the man travels to a new star. Imagine travelling to a new planet in a rocket. What would you discover? What does it look, smell, sound and feel like there? Comic book, write or improvise what happens to you. Can you perform it too?
Dinosaurs and All that Rubbish tours from Sept to Nov 2022 nationwide.
www.roustabouttheatre.co.uk/productions/dinosaurs-and-all-that-rubbish-live-stage-adaptation