The Jim Love Studio within Eden Court has been transformed into the wilds of Alaska for a magical, must-see show for
wee ones, writes Susan Welsh
Katyana Kozikowska won’t forget last December in a hurry. Katyana, known to all as Kati, is creative manager for Eden Court Theatre and responsible for Eden Court’s arts education programme in-house and across the Highland region. She’s also behind the hugely successful annual Creative Christmas shows for youngsters at the theatre which always sell out in record time.
Last year, while putting the finishing touches to the hugely successful One Night in Santa’s Workshop show, she went into labour and gave birth to a little boy, Ashton. He’s excitedly looking forward to his first birthday – and seeing this year’s show, When the Winter Wind Blows.
“It was all slightly crazy last year, but being able to spend time with Ashton has been really interesting and he has definitely helped with my ideas. He’s just the right age to be introduced to these sort of shows, so it will be interesting to see how he reacts to it,” said Kati.
For the past few years, Creative has presented interactive performances including One Night in Santa’s Workshop, Hummbug and Little Blue, which are aimed at under-fives and their families. These are ideal for youngsters for whom the traditional panto is perhaps a little overwhelming, but also offers a sweet introduction to the world of theatre.
“The shows are always seasonal rather than just about Christmas. I really liked the idea of working with Inuit legends and myths, such as the legend about being able to tell your wishes to the north wind on your birthday,” said Kati.
“This show is about a little girl called Kaya and the story takes place on the morning of her birthday when she’s trying to tell her wishes to the wind without much success. Life in the Arctic is hard and we see her doing her chores, playing and going about her daily life as an Eskimo and doing things like fishing, riding a sledge with her imaginary huskies and smoking fish. It’s a minimal set designed to look like an igloo. It’s a very special igloo where magical things happen.”
Kati came up with the idea for the story and the Creative team spent six months designing and creating everything from the set to the costumes. The show stars Lorraine Hemmings as Kaya, with Louise Marshall and Laura Johnston as the wind – a trio who have a remarkable ability to cast a magical spell over little ones.
When the Winter Wind Blows runs from December 16-22 and tickets are priced at £5, with children under one going free. Tickets are selling faster than mincemeat pies. By the time you read this, the shows may all be sold out, so it’s best to check with the box office.
“We started on a small scale, doing just one or two shows, and this is the first time we’ve done a full week of shows. People seem to come back year after year because of the way the shows capture the imagination and create a bit of magic – and everyone likes a little bit of magic at Christmas.”
Contact 01463 234234 or visit www.eden-court.co.uk