The Hunting of the Snark

An impossible voyage of an improbable crew to find an imaginary creature! 

Enter the imaginative world of Alice in Wonderland creator Lewis Carroll in this brand new, spirited, ultra-modern adaptation of the beloved classic poem, The Hunting of the Snark.

A musical comedy adventure for the whole family, it features hilarious physical humour, a heartwarming story, puppetry, adventure, a zany bunch of characters and an original soundtrack of memorable songs that will delight, excite and entertain all the family.  It’s rare to find a show that can delight young and old in equal measure, but The Hunting of the Snark pulls it off, and there is an enlightening interpretation to the original that will touch adults,

A riotous ragtag band of bold adventurers set off on a quest to catch the Snark.

The Banker, obsessed with wealth he sees only financial gain when hunting for the Snark. He does not enjoy silliness of any kind.

The Boy, the lonely son of The Banker who stows away aboard the ship to Snark Island in an attempt to spend some quality time with his busy father.

The Bellman, a true adventurer and Snark hunting expert. The Bellman is the leader of the expedition, he is a very silly man indeed… much to the disdain of The Banker.

The Beaver, The Bellman’s companion with a talent for knitting.

The Baker, who has completely lost his memory and has found himself on Snark Island with
no idea of who he is or why he is there.

The Butcher, a mean character who enjoys the taste of exotic creatures. He wants to find the Snark before the rest of the crew so that he can cook it!

Along our journey we also encounter the stylish Jub Jub Bird, the sneaky Bandersnatch who will steal anything – even the taste of a cup of tea!   And last but not least, there is the terrifying BOOjum!

At its heart, it is the story about a lonely boy trying to connect with his estranged Banker father.

Can a Snark be caught with soap?  Will the Beaver keep out of the hungry Butcher’s way? Will the Baker remember his name?  Does anyone know what a Snark actually looks like?

Edinburgh Festival comedian and musician Gareth Cooper’s music and lyrics are a sparkling and catchy complement to the daft comedy on stage.  The Stage described Cooper’s songs as “snappy… and eminently hummable” and the Fringe Review described the music as “surprisingly complex and beautifully arranged including some very clever lyrics.”

Click here to listen to the demo tracks form the show:

 

(Andrew, within the body of this text, please could we put the photo of Emma Thomson and the crew?  I have inserted it on Dropbox)

After seeing the show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it received a fantastic reception from both audiences and critics alike, Artistic Director of the Sherman Theatre in Wales, Rachel O’ Riordan described The Hunting of the Snark as “an anarchic, joyful, bold show bursting with brio.”  O’ Riordan (recently voted by The Stage as one of the most influential theatre makers in the UK today) immediately offered to develop and launch the touring production at the Sherman Cymru in Cardiff.

The core creative team are an impressive band of up-and-coming young theatre-makers: conceived and directed by Gemma Colclough (NewsRevue, Associate Director Rose Theatre); written by Annabel Wigoder (Buckland Films, Royal Court Young Writer); music and lyrics written by Gareth Cooper (Delete The Banjax, BBC Radio 4’s Sketchorama); and produced by Hannah Durose (Associate Producer of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Musical and formerly of Phil McIntyre Entertainment).

Presented in association with Alice House Theatre and the Sherman Cymru,

 The Hunting of the Snark will be touring the UK from February 2017.    For all tour booking enquiries, please contact Kayte Potter on kayte@greatleapforward.co.uk

RGM Productions controls worldwide rights.

Reviews

Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Eminently bookable for any time of the year.

The Stage

Packed to the gunnels with laughter and mayhem, there’s plenty of great moments for the kids (and adults).

Edinburgh Evening News

A bit bonkers and a bit crazy… heartwarming and very, very funny.  Sometimes some of the best theatre is made for young people.

Kelly Apter, BBC Radio Scotland

An enchanting, triumphant piece of children’s theatre… one of the best adventures at the Fringe.

Edinburgh Fringe Review

Harry Potter meets Jurassic Park.

The Fringe Review

This show has fantastic audience participation and the jokes are for kids and adults, the music is upbeat and makes you smile.  A must see!

Families Edinburgh

Infectiously funny children’s theatre that the whole family can get on board with.  It’s an hour in which you will not stop laughing

Three Weeks Edinburgh

I would absolutely recommend this show… it is full of laughs, brilliant songs, has a great story, and will definitely be enjoyed by the whole family

Primary Times

YouTube Video