KIDS KIDS
PLAYFUL TIGER, TIGER TALE AND TIGER Dance company take on three big cat tales
You wait ages for a tiger to come along – and then three arrive at once. Over the coming months, Glasgow-based contemporary dance company Barrowland Ballet will be taking no less than three shows about a tiger out on tour.
‘Tiger Tale is for children aged 7+ and their families,’ explains artistic director, Natasha Gilmore. ‘Tiger is for adults and teenagers, and Playful Tiger has been created specii cally for children and young people who are profoundly autistic and mainly non-verbal. They all tell the story of a troubled family stil ed by the rigidity of their lives, whose world is turned upside down when a tiger invades.’
While there may be commonalities between each piece, by
separating them out into three distinct productions, Gilmore has been able to tailor her choreography accordingly. ‘All three pieces are immersive with the audience sitting up close
to the action, and there is a sensory element with the smell of oranges and the burning of matches,’ explains Gilmore. ‘But being specii c about who the pieces are for has given us the freedom to develop each production in a different way to suit the audience.
‘Playful Tiger has capacity for 6-8 young people and their carers
and allows for interaction between audience and performers. Tiger Tale tells the family’s story from the perspective of the daughter, so children in the audience can identify with her experience. And Tiger focuses more on the breakdown of the parent’s relationship.’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Platform, Glasgow, Fri 21 Sep, then touring.
68 THE LIST 1 Sep–31 Oct 2018
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