A fairytale in the park

Characters from Grimm’s Fairy Tales were brought to life at Middlesbrough’s Albert Park by Teesside University students.

Students from the School of Arts & Media recreated a selection of tales from the Brothers Grimm for a series of free performances in the park.

A cast of 23 students on the BA (Hons) Performance for Live and Recorded Media degree course performed Hansel and Gretel, Bearskin, Rumplestiltskin and Little Red Riding Hood.

Also performing as part of the shows were students from the BA (Hons) Dance, while BA (Hons) Fine Art students created set designs and perfected the cast members’ elaborate make-up.

Performances were held over three days, with each starting at the park’s skating rink, before progressing through the park to the fountain.

The free shows were aimed at children aged five to 10, with the young audience members following the show as it progressed through the park.

Sarah O’Brien, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Performance for Live and Recorded Media, said: 'The shows were primarily aimed at children aged from five to 10, but also appealed to all ages with some of the themes from the fairytales brought up to date.

Best training in live improvisation 'The students really made the characters their own and contemporised them. Children are the most critical of audiences and are always honest, so it’s also provided the students with the best training in live improvisation.'

Sarah added: 'Performance for live and recorded media is a relatively new programme, so it’s a chance for us to make more people aware of it, while also offering an opportunity for the students to share their work with the rest of the community through these free performances.'

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