Get ready for a vibrant splash of colour with the heartwarming tale The Elmer Adventure at Norwich Theatre Playhouse between 27 – 29 Jun. Before the curtain rises on this joyful production, we chatted with cast members Amelia Gabriel, Frankie Turton and Rob Astillo about their earliest memories of Elmer, interacting with the audiences and working with a giant puppet on stage!
What was your first interaction with Elmer the elephant before working on the show?
Amelia: Elmer was a big deal in my childhood. I would say I remember reading the books with my grandma and my parents, and also at nursery, so it’s nice to revisit them many years later.
Rob: I remember reading it as the Book of the Week at nursery. It was the only adventure book I remember. And I enjoyed reading it. I also read it to my friends Paul and Aiden.
What do you hope young audiences take away from your character’s journey in The Elmer Adventure?
Frankie: I hope that audiences take away the silliness and fun, and these are the things you can keep with you as an adult, and that it’s important to preserve the friendships around you and keep experiencing that joy.
Amelia: I think at the heart of the stories, there’s a beautiful message about being yourself and celebrating individuality. And that’s a beautiful message for kids aged three and adults up to 103.
Rob: I think with my character in general, he wants to be this big grown-up. But there is so much value in having the childlike whimsy and discovery that you have when you’re younger, and we want to promote that, just enjoy being a kid, because being a kid is great. You know, you don’t have to pay tax! It’s just wonderful.
What is special and interesting for you about working with Tall Stories to make a show?
Amelia: A Tall Stories show was the first theatre show that I saw when I was a child. So it’s special getting to perform in one now. And it’s lovely and collaborative. The rehearsal rooms are full of fun, noise and joy, and it’s a collaborative story, as an ensemble.
Rob: This is my first show with Tall Stories, and I’m blessed to be here because every day is simply fun, and we’re trying to translate the fun that we’re having in rehearsals and finally onto the stage. If the audience knows you’re not having fun, especially kids, as kids are intelligent, they’ll know.
Do you interact with the audience during the show?
Frankie: Yes! We do a lot of interacting with the crowd in this show. We play games with them. There’s a lot of including them in the stories and making sure they’re involved in the storytelling and not just watching.
Amelia: The set-up of the show is that the audience is in the jungle with us, and we’re all looking for Elmer together, so we do actually need their help as part of the show. But all the interaction, I’d say, is lovely and low pressure, and people get as involved as they want to.
What do you think makes Tall Stories’ production of The Elmer Adventure stand out from other children’s shows?
Rob: I think the difference between this show and other shows is that in this show, there’s an elephant in the room, and his name is Elmer! Okay, getting serious… we put a lot of emphasis on the detail and movement and also the little moments that may not be the focus of the scene but are happening on the side. The details are what make the difference between a high-quality and a standardised show. I think it’s the detail and the different parts of movements and actions in the scene that make this show so special and unique.
Amelia: There’s an exciting blend of physical storytelling with music. We’ve got live music in the show, and there is a cool pre-recorded soundtrack. We’ve also got, obviously, this fantastic Elmer puppet, which is just a joy to work with and a really creative element of the show.
Frankie: We include the audience so much. And as Amelia said, we bring them into the jungle with us. It feels quite intimate, which I think is very nice for family theatre. We try to have that real connection with the people we’re telling the stories to.
What’s it like working with a giant puppet on stage?
Amelia: It’s the audience reactions, the reactions from the children that we love. Frankie and I are in the puppet, so we can’t see, but we hear their wonder and excitement. It’s a magical moment. He’s a big, beautiful puppet, as you would expect from an elephant.
Frankie: I’ve not actually done that much puppetry, so it’s been special to work on this, and to, you know, hear the reaction, and to just create something that is so magical on stage. It’s beautiful.
The Elmer Adventure is at Norwich Theatre Playhouse between 27 – 29 Jun. For more information or to book, visit norwichtheatre.org or call the Box Office on 01603 630 000.
