PRESS RELEASE
LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE TO STREAM FURTHER TWO TITLES IN JON KLASSEN’S HAT SERIES
Following the success of Li le Angel Theatre’s broadcast of JON KLASSEN’s I Want My Hat Back, the theatre are excited to announce they will be streaming performances of the remaining two tles in the three-book series, This is Not My Hat and We Found a Hat.
This is Not My Hat will be broadcast on Sunday 3 May at 11am BST and We Found a Hat on Sunday 24 May at 11am BST. Both performances will be streamed on Li le Angel Theatre’s YouTube Channel and will remain available for 14 days a er the ini al broadcast. Both shows will be free to access.
As with I Want My Hat Back, both produc ons will be directed and performed by IAN NICHOLSON, with set and puppet design by SAMUEL WILDE and music by JIM WHITCHER. Both shows will be created remotely, with the crea ve team communica ng across Zoom and WhatsApp over 200 miles apart, and the set posted to Nicholson to rehearse and perform from his living room in lockdown.
This is Not My Hat follows a li le fish who has stolen an even smaller hat from an even bigger fish. But whilst the li le fish hides himself where the plants are big and tall and close together, confident that he won't be discovered, the big fish is already on his trail. In the final book in the trilogy, We Found a Hat, we meet two turtles who find a hat, and it looks good on both of them. They agree it's not right for only one of them to have the hat, so they must leave it. As the evening con nues, it's obvious one turtle can't stop thinking about the hat. But what's more important - the hat, or their friendship?
I Want My Hat Back was broadcast on Monday 13 April and to date (Friday 17 April) it has had 45,000 views from viewers in over 50 countries. It will be available to watch un l Monday 27 April.
Director Ian Nicholson said: ‘Sam, Jim and I have been blown away by the audience response to I Want My Hat Back. It’s been so lovely to receive messages from families who have watched the show and made their own mini theatres at home. Hopefully by comple ng the trilogy we will inspire even more young theatre makers. I’d also like to extend a huge thank you to Jon Klassen for being to suppor ve of this project.’
Li le Angel Theatre’s Ar s c Director, Samantha Lane, said: ‘We have been overwhelmed with the response to I Want My Hat Back. I’m so impressed with the work Ian, Sam and Jim have managed to create from their own homes, so it was a no-brainer to ask them to complete the trilogy. It’s been a delight to see so many families across the world se ling in to watch theatre from their sofas, and crea ng their own puppet shows at home. Stay tuned for more exci ng announcements about what we’ve got coming up.’
With thanks to Jon Klassen and Walker Books for gran ng permission to adapt these works.
ENDS For all press and image enquiries, please contact Sophie Waddy, Marke ng and Communica ons Manager: sophie@li leangeltheatre.com
1 NOTES TO EDITORS:
Title: THIS IS NOT MY HAT Author: Jon Klassen © 2012 by Jon Klassen Published by Walker Books in 2014.
Title: WE FOUND A HAT Author: Jon Klassen © 2016 by Jon Klassen Published by Walker Books in 2017.
CREDITS: Directed and performed by Ian Nicholson Designed by Samuel Wilde Music composed by Jim Whitcher
Broadcast dates and mes:
THIS IS NOT MY HAT, Sunday 3 May 2020, 11am BST And available for the following 14 days un l Sunday 17 May 2020
WE FOUND A HAT, Sunday 24 May, 11am BST And available for the following 14 days un l Sunday 7 June 2020.
Li le Angel Theatre YouTube channel: h ps://www.youtube.com/theli leatheatre
Photos of I Want My Hat Back: h ps://we.tl/t-aOi6MW1AsK
Ian Nicholson, Director: Ian trained as a director at the Na onal Theatre, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and École Philippe Gaulier. He was director of Othello at the Unicorn Theatre, reviewed as ‘★★★★ A poe c, crisp and clever staging for younger audiences' by The Stage, and has recently been developing a new produc on for the Unicorn Theatre’s upcoming season. His produc on, Phoenix and Turtle, was created in associa on with Li le Angel Theatre and premiered in Portsmouth before a London run at LAT. He also directed The Stage Award winning The Ingenious Gentleman: Don Quixote of La Mancha for Li le Soldier Produc ons.
Ian was Associate Director for the Na onal Theatre on 14-18 NOW’s We’re Here Because We’re Here, created by Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller, and Rufus Norris. He was Nuffield Southampton Theatres’ Lab Associate Director for 2017-2018, and is Associate Director for NST’s produc on of David Walliams’ Billionaire Boy. Twi er: @idgnicholson
Samuel Wilde, Designer: Samuel is a theatre and puppetry designer and maker based in Bristol, he was the 2016/17 Laboratory Set and Costume Designer at Nuffield Theatres, Southampton and trained in Theatre Design at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School gradua ng with an MA in 2015. Prior to this he studied at University of Winchester and Derby University.
Selected design credits include: Fly High (Singapore Rep Theatre), Lifespan Of A Fact (Singapore Rep Theatre) Polly: A Heartbreak Opera (Bristol Old Vic and UK Tour), Hamlet (The Egg, Bath), Influence (Royal and Derngate), Humbug (Nuffield City), Li le Red Riding Hood (Derby Theatre), Spooky Ship (SS Great Britain and Bristol Old Vic), The Edit (Salisbury Playhouse), A Thing Mislaid (Maison Foo and Deda Theatre), Electra (Bunker theatre), Eloise and the Curse of the Golden Whisk (The Wardrobe Theatre and UK Tour). Twi er: @samueljwilde 2 Jim Whitcher, Composer and Musician: Jim is a composer, sound designer and musician. He was the Associate Sound Designer at the Nuffield Southampton Theatre 2017-18. His recent work includes Heist (ZoieLogic Dance Theatre) and Medusa (Nuffield Southampton Theatres). Twi er: @jimwhitcher
Li le Angel Theatre is a home for puppetry. Since its doors first opened in 1961 the theatre has been dedicated to crea ng and sharing inspiring stories. Puppetry is at the heart of this innova ve theatre, from igni ng the imagina ons of the youngest minds to equipping tomorrow’s puppeteers with the tools they need to succeed. As well as being an interna onally recognised theatre with produc ons touring throughout the UK and across the globe, Li le Angel Theatre also has its roots in Islington, and works with its local, diverse community to break down barriers to arts engagement so all can benefit and enjoy this remarkable art form.
“Li le Angel is nothing less than an icon of north London childhood” Time Out, 2016
CONTACT INFORMATION
Li le Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, London, N1 2DN
Website li leangeltheatre.com | YouTube youtube.com/TheLi leATheatre Facebook facebook.com/Li leAngelTheatre | Instagram @li leangeltheatre | Twi er @li leatheatre
General Enquiries & box office Tel: 020 7226 1787 | Email: info@li leangeltheatre.com
Marke ng and Communica ons Manager Name: Sophie Waddy | Tel: 020 3780 5979 | Email: sophie@li leangeltheatre.com
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