WRAS have four current productions. Click on them to find out more...
COMPOST MENTIS
A show designed for outdoor spaces, Compost Mentis features a large compost heap and the gardener who looks after it.
   
PIG
The show combines a striking image on the outside which is comically enhanced by the public who experience a short unexpected piece of the theatre. The show is designed for children but like all the company’s work it is suitable for all ages.
   
BEDCASES
A totally relaxing, action-packed experience. Bedcases is a unique show where 5 members of the public are invited to climb into an extraordinary, oversized four-poster bed.
   

LIVING ROOM
Living Room is a new installation/performance by the Whalley Range All Stars. It has been commissioned by the Manchester International Festival and the Whitworth Art Gallery.

Living Room will premiere at the Great Indoors, a weekend of
free shows,activities and adventure for all the family as part
of the Manchester International Festival (www.manchesterinternationalfestival.com)
The Great Indoors, Open from 10am -5pm Sat 7 & Sun 8th July 2007. Venue: Manchester Central (formerly GMEX/MICC)

   
 
 
 
 
 
   
COMPOST MENTIS

Compost Mentis features a large compost heap and the gardener who looks after it. Their relationship slowly begins to break down when it's discovered that the compost heap has a life of its own and harbours thoughts that are fermenting within. Puppet, mechanical and musical interventions ensure that the audience like the gardener are led up the garden path.

The show is designed for outdoor spaces and signals a break from the company's previous 3 intimate shows that were designed for small audiences.

The compost heap is constructed by Bryan Tweddle (who has made many mechanical contraptions for IOU, Hoodwink, Avanti Display, Salisbury Art Centre and Welfare State International). Music is composed by Clive Bell (who created the soundtracks for Bedcases and Pig) and de-composed by sound artist Matt Wand. Initial ideas for the show have been developed with puppeteer Steve Tiplady (who has worked with Faulty Optic, Theatre-rites, Improbable as well as his own company Indefinite Articles).

Compost Mentis was commissioned by Shropshire County Council with further funding from Arts
Council North West.


A little sample of Compost Mentis... (requires Flash Player 8 to view video)

Tour Schedule:
JUNE
7th + 8th Nottingham
12th Bracknell
29th Cloughjordan, Ireland

JULY
12th Bracknell

AUGUST
2nd London tbc
11th Shrewsbury
30th Kendal




 
 
PIG

The show combines a striking image on the outside which is comically enhanced by the public who experience a short unexpected piece of the theatre. The show is designed for children but like all the company’s work it is suitable for all ages.



A short show full of surprises that takes place in a surprisingly long pig. Pig features a 30’ long sleeping sow in a pen. You can see her snuffle, you can hear her snores. A farm-hand offers the public the opportunity for the public to act like pigs and take a peek at a 10 minute long show that takes place inside her belly.

To create this show the company collaborated with Steve Gumbley (Instantz,IOU), Penny Saunders (Forkbeard Fantasy), Andy Plant (creator of the miniature theatre structures used
in the company’s last two shows: Head Quarters & Bedcases) and Clive Bell (Complicite, Jah Wobble and Kazuko Hohki).

Pig is funded by the Arts Council of England’s National Touring Programme.

 
"Thanks for Pig - once again, you were amazingly popular." Frank Wilson, Stockton Festival

"I want you to know that we had rave reports of your visit to Galway." Lali Morris, Baboro Festival

"Just had an evaluation meeting in Hillingdon and pleased to say they loved the pig and it was commented that Edward played a fantastic (and friendly) job of keeping the 'piglets' in line."
Rob Eagles, Zap Productions

"Pig was a triumph.....totally delighted audiences....brilliantly enhanced the festive feel"
Claudia Woolgar, Director of Kilkenny Arts Festival

"I think I've just bonded with your Pig..." Lynn Mealings, Wrexham Arts Festival

"Heard great reports of your recent time in Belfast." Geraldine Mitchell, Louisborough Festival

"Firstly big thank you’s for all your efforts last week. You seem to have organised a seamless delivery and even enjoy it all along the way. The feedback from schools certainly seemed to be great and you got the feeling the children hadn't experienced anything similar in school before." Catherine Orbach, Education Officer, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill following 5 day tour of rural primary schools.

"It was a delightful performance that captivated both children and adults alike."
Ana Gillespie, Lyric Hammersmith, London

"The highlight of the Garden of Delights weekend."
City Life magazine, Manchester
 

Tour Schedule:
AUGUST
7th-10th LiverpoolPIG tbc
14th Wythenshawe
19th National Theatre
21st-22nd Roscommon, Ireland
23rd-24th Terryglass, Ireland
30th-31st Kendal

SEPTEMBER
6 - Wilz, Luxembourg
13 - City Farm, Bristol
21st-28th 5 dates in Portugal

OCTOBER
1-5 - Gandia, Spain
9-13 - Zaragoza, Spain
18 - Louisburgh, Ireland
19 - Longford, Ireland



 
 
BEDCASES

A totally relaxing, action-packed experience - Bedcases is a unique show created by the Whalley Range All Stars.

5 members of the public are invited to climb into an extraordinary, oversized four-poster bed. As they lie there safely tucked in under a super deluxe-sized duvet they are wheeled into a small marquee. Once inside they experience what can only be described as a 3-D bed-time story. This features the striking visual imagination that characterises the company’s work and throws in some new surprises for good measure.



5 performers ensure that the experience is a truly 360 degree affair and that the four-poster bed is not the only thing that is larger than life. The performance is set to an original soundtrack by Clive Bell (Complicite, Kazuko Hohki and Jah Wobble amongst many others). The performance is set in an environment constructed by Andy Plant (who built the booth for the company’s previous show Head Quarters, which has toured throughout the UK, Europe and Singapore).
 
"What a performance from start to finish. It amounted to a creative masterpiece." Bexhill Observer
"A glorious mix of (literally) moving pictures, songs and animated objects" Total Theatre magazine


Written reactions from the public in a comments book for the show:

“Like all good shows I didn’t want it to end”
“Absolutely fabulous”
“Quite incredible and very original. Thank you”
“Brilliant, thoroughly entertaining and original”
“Highly imaginative, very entertaining”
“A very lovely piece of performance”
“Ingenious: constantly surprising”
“Very ingenious - out of this world”
“Cosy, surprising and loads of fun”
“Imaginative, unexpected & super soundtrack”
“Brilliant! Very unexpected”
“It was lovely and relaxing”
“Felt a warm glow, took me back to my childhood”
“Superb - a work of great invention”
“Weird but very original 10/10!!”
“You never knew what was going to happen next”
“It smelt nice. Quirky and funny. Very inventive”
“Superbly executed”

Tour Schedule:
2008 dates available soon...
 
LIVING ROOM

Living Room is a new installation/performance by the Whalley Range All Stars. It has been commissioned by the Manchester International Festival and the Whitworth Art Gallery also in Manchester.



Living Room is a room within a room. To begin with the audience encounter a 3.5m X 3.5m wooden cube. As they wander around it they notice head-sized holes on all 4 sides of the cube. Looking in the holes they discover that the cube contains a domestic interior. As they look further they notice that the room contained in the cube has a life of its own. Ornaments twitch furtively, the lighting appears to be breathing in and out and the furniture seems restless. When they look even further the audience realise that they have literally become part of the furniture as well.

As well as independently animated objects Living Room has a series of buttons and levers on the outside which allow the audience to bring parts of the room inside to life.

From time to time 2 performers will enter Living Room and coax other parts of the interior into action.

Tour Schedule:
2008 dates available soon...
 
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