It's Beauty's Birthday Bash and there's something afoot in West Orchards. The Love Messaging Booth is overheating and the evil witch Babooska is hanging around ready to spoil the party. While Beauty sleeps in Debenhams, Prince Troubadour weeps in KFC. Romeo! Romeo! Wherefore art thou? Fed up with waiting, Juliet performs a death-defying escape from the Food Hall Balcony. Cinderella works the checkout in M&S. Her feet ache, they're bound to: she takes a size 12. Aerial antics, slapstick, a string quartet and costumes to die for: take three familiar stories, add a pinch of spice and give them a good shake. This is an event for children and adults who like their fairytales with a bit of a twist!
who:
Kathi Leahy has directed spectacular large-scale theatre work both in this country and abroad. In Coventry she is best known for her Belgrade Theatre productions of The Wedding, The Twits, Fantastic Mr Fox, and the Millennium Mysteries. As Artistic Director/Writer for Shaskeen Theatre Company she won an Irish Post award for a body of work including I'll Tell Me Ma, Terrible Beauty, Molly Malone, Crossing the Line and Sceal Mor, Maha Katha (a co-production with Chitraleka Bolar and Company). Kathi has also founded and directed the past four Summer Carnivals in Coventry.
why:
The structure of West Orchards asks for spectacle and for choreography Busby Berkley style, where an instant picture is created in one movement. On the upper levels big costumed performers in dramatic red and white costumes appear and pose by the balconies. There's a rigging point for aerial work, speakers for amplification and a place for a petal drop. In an instant the space can be a huge theatre. It is also a place for all ages and is used by a very general public. Sunday is the most family-orientated day in West Orchards.
where:
West Orchards Shopping Centre opened in April 1991 and was named after the medieval orchard that once stood on this site.
when:
Sunday at midday
Audience capacity: 7,000
Suitable for all ages
Venue Access Audit (carried out by the artist/producer).
This is intended as a guide for other artists and producers considering staging an event in the venue. However please note that the guidance given here is a subjective assessment of the venue as of May 2004.
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For key to symbols, see Access page
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Access Summary
The building is purpose built for the general public so access and facilities are good. Stairs, escalators and lifts provide access to all levels. Entrances and exits including emergency exits are in existence. Toilets are also available in both West Orchards and also Debenhams. The whole area is under cover and so weather is not an issue. Sight lines are generally good on most levels however there are some areas where vision is obscured by the lift. Almost theatre-in- the-round! Everywhere is well lit. Due to the fact it is a public area if future events required any change to the lighting this would have to be carefully negotiated with the centre management re the safety aspect.
For the performers access to different levels is a little slow. Either they take the escalators or the stairs.
Performance on the stairs will need to be kept to a limited time as they provide an escape route in an emergency. Also it would be an obstruction for shoppers who did not want to watch the performance.
links: West Orchards Shopping Centre
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