Running Wild

Running wild is embarking on a UK tour this year and Ink Pellet dropped in on final rehearsals and chatted to the show’s creative team

For those of you lucky enough to have caught Running Wild at the Open Air Theatre last summer, you’ll be delighted to hear that the Children’s Touring Partnership are taking the production on tour around the country from February, with dates through to June. I was fortunate to be invited to sit in on rehearsals at the Hackney Empire studio space, as the finishing touches were being made. The story and the animal puppetry is sure to captivate audiences and am looking forward to seeing the production soon.

Taking the show, and Oona the elephant, on tour has necessitated a development of the story and enabled the use of lighting and scenery changes that were restricted for the OAT production, so if you have seen the show previously, there will be sufficient changes for you to enjoy, whilst you marvel at the skill of the puppeteers/actors.

Michael Morpurgo’s novel, based on a true story, has been adapted for the stage by Samuel Adamson, originally presented by the Chichester Festival Theatre and is co-directed by CFT’s Education Director Dale Rooks and Artistic Director of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Timothy Sheader, with puppetry design and direction by Finn Caldwell and Toby Olié for Gyre & Gimble, both previous Associate Puppetry Directors on War Horse.