Aberdeen’s HM Theatre is being transformed next week into the magical kingdom of Ben and Holly’s. Cheryl Livingstone speaks to the man who is bringing the popular children’s show to life
So she’s a fairy princess and he is an elf. That description doesn’t give too many clues to who I am talking about.
But if I said her name is Holly and his is Ben, then parents with children of a certain age will most definitely know who I am referring to.
The Bafta-award-winning animation from the makers of Peppa Pig has captured the imaginations of young children across the country. The TV show follows Holly, the young fairy princess who is still learning
to fly, and her best friend, Ben the elf, who flies on the back of Gaston the Ladybird.
They live in the Little Kingdom, a tiny land where flowers and grass rise high above them and every day is an adventure. That Little Kingdom will be uprooting next week and be re-imagined at Aberdeen’s HM Theatre, where children can come face to face with their TV pals.
The man bringing this much-loved children’s show to the theatre stage is Richard Lewis. Fans of the programme can enjoy seeing Ben and Holly, and all their friends, in a new exciting and enchanting adventure, complete with new songs and games.
One of the main things Richard tries to achieve with the live show is to keep all the elements kids love about the animated show – but give them something extra.
He said: “One thing the creators do particularly well is they manage to capture this innocence that kids still want to engage with.
“It’s gentle, it’s easy access, they don’t over-complicate things, there are no car chases, no explosions, no massive gadgets. It’s just this innocent world. I think kids like being in that world and I think parents like their kids to still be in that world.
“For me, the overall artistic vision in transferring any televisual content to the stage is to ensure that the live version is sufficiently faithful to the original so that its fan base is able to recognise and identify with the live experience. This is particularly true for children’s shows. However, while this recognition is vital, it is equally crucial that the live show offers an experience beyond the one they receive in the isolation of their homes in front of a television set. Consequently, the immediacy of the characters, the capacity to interact and properly connect with them and the experience of doing this within the community of an audience are all crucial extensions of their experience.”
To create the world of the Little Kingdom, Richard has been working with designers, mask-makers, puppeteers and illusionists to create the perfect look for the show. The set has been designed to take the audience on a familiar trip around a world they should know very well; from the meadow to Gaston’s cave, from the castle to Lucy’s bedroom in the Big World, and back again.
The mix of puppetry, illusion and song allows the characters to fly, have jelly floods, cast magic spells, play disappearing tricks and lots more.
Kids can look forward to meeting the stars – Ben and Holly – their friends, including Nanny Plum and Lucy from the Big World, and, of course, Gaston and the Elf band.
“One of the nice things about our interactive show is that all the audience will be asked to participate fully and become part of the Elf band, in addition to other opportunities to join in the story.
“One of the overall goals I have for the production is that audiences should feel that they have been part of Ben and Holly’s world.”
And to ensure they feel part of the magical world, Richard has included lots of opportunities for interaction. The children will be able to dance along to new songs and speak to their favourite characters.
Richard added: “Audiences in Aberdeen can look forward to having the thing they love on screen being in their theatre with them. The show is a lot of fun, but that live dynamic is critical.
“On TV, the characters don’t talk to the audience, they just present the
narrative. What we do with our show is we develop a sufficient
level of interactivity. The kids become part of the show, that’s probably the most important thing for us, making it engaging. The songs are fantastic and they are interactive, so the kids can engage with their friends. We are bringing the whole experience to life around them – and adding some new bits.”
You can catch Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom at HM Theatre, Aberdeen, on Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9, at 1pm and 4pm. Tickets cost £15.50-£17.50.