Follow the tour @housetheatre @inthewrongcrowd #GirlWithTheIronClaws

Press Release February 2013 house presents: The Wrong Crowd on tour with The Girl with the Iron Claws

PRESS NIGHT: 25 APRIL 8pm

Growing up isn’t easy, especially when you’re in love with a bear.

The Wrong Crowd’s debut show, The Girl with the Iron Claws, has been selected by house for an 11 week tour to venues around Eastern and South Eastern England. It will open its new run at ’s Angel Theatre on 23-25 April, and tour to 25 venues, as well as venues outside house’s remit, including Birmingham mac and Orkney’s St Magnus International Festival. It will finish with a six date run at London’s on 13th July.

The Girl with the Iron Claws debuted at the Underbelly during the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and received rave reviews and a Total Theatre Award nomination.

“a show with claws that proves Kneehigh hasn't cornered the market in putting wonder back into fairytales’’ Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

“enchanting fairy tale… On the evidence of their debut, The Wrong Crowd are heading in the right direction’’ Metro

The Girl with the Iron Claws, created by Hannah Mulder and Rachael Canning, is an inventive take on a dark Nordic fairy-tale, which shares its roots with Beauty and the Beast. At its heart is the wilful daughter of a king, who feels like a misfit. She dares to defy her family and to follow her longing. One night a compelling dream leads her deep into the forest, where an encounter with a white bear sets her on a fateful path she could never have anticipated.

This coming-of-age tale is reinvigorated by The Wrong Crowd, featuring stunning puppetry, enchanting music and deft humour. Hannah Mulder: “When we made The Girl with the Iron Claws, it was in the spirit of ‘let’s give it a go’. It was a joyful piece to make and we had a ball, but we never expected it to still be touring two years later and reaching new audiences across the UK. It’s been a dream experience as a new company to find such a platform for our work and we’re really looking forward to rediscovering it with a brand new cast and sending it out into the world again with the brilliant support of house.” Cont./

Mark Makin, programme manager at house: “Our group of regional programmers felt very strongly that this production should be part of our 2013 season. It amazed and delighted audiences last year and we wanted to support The Wrong Crowd to produce another tour, and also share this gem with our audiences.”

ENDS /

For press images, tickets etc. please contact Vicky Bailey 07941 156448 [email protected]

Notes to Editors: 1. Established in 2011, The Wrong Crowd came about through collaboration between writer/director Hannah Mulder and designer/puppet director, Rachael Canning. They are passionate about old stories and what they have to offer to contemporary audiences. They are currently developing their second show with Bristol Old Vic, exploring the Slavic hag- witch Baba Yaga. www.wrongcrowdtheatre.co.uk @inthewrongcrowd 2. Hannah Mulder has written / directed shows including Junction at Theatre 503, Face at Camden Arts Centre, The Jailer’s Tale at artsdepot and Where the Light Comes Through the Trees at Exeter Northcott. Rachael Canning’s work includes design and puppet direction for a number of productions including Magical Night for the , The City Madam for the RSC and Into the Woods at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. 3. house supports venues to increase audiences and improve the range, quality and scale of theatre presented across South East and Eastern England. house is led by a group of eight producers and programmers comprising Farnham Maltings, Brighton Dome, Newbury Corn Exchange, New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, Oxford Playhouse, South Street, Reading, The Point, Eastleigh, and Watford Palace Theatre. It is funded by Arts Council England. www.housetheatre.org.uk http://housetheatre.org.uk/press/

Reviews 5 Stars - Edinburgh Evening News, British Theatre Guide, Fest, Three Weeks 4 Stars - The Guardian, The List, The Scotsman, The Herald, Metro, Broadway Baby

Spring 2013 tour schedule

23-24 April 8pm LONDON, Little Angel Theatre www.littleangeltheatre.com 020 7226 1787 £12 / £10 25 April [press night] 8pm LONDON, Little Angel Theatre www.littleangeltheatre.com 020 7226 1787 £12 / £10 30 April 7.30pm BEDFORD, Bedford Theatre www.bedfordtheatre.co.uk 01234 718 112 £10 / £8 /£32 family 2 May 8pm ALDERSHOT, West End Centre www.westendcentre.co.uk 01252 330 040 £10 / £8 3 May 7pm EASTLEIGH, The Point www.thepointeastleigh.co.uk 023 8065 2333 £6 / £22/£26 family 4 May 2pm PORTSMOUTH, Groundlings www.groundlings.co.uk 023 9273 7370 5 May 2pm WINCHESTER, Discovery Centre www.hants.gov.uk/wdc 01962 873 603 £6 / £5.40 8 May 12pm NORWICH, The Playhouse www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk 7.30pm 01603 598 598 £10 / £8 / £7 9 May 7pm MAIDENHEAD, Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 2

01628 788 997 10 May 7pm ISLE OF WIGHT, Quay Arts www.quayarts.org 01983 822 490 11 May 7pm BORDON, The Phoenix Theatre www.phoenixarts.co.uk 01420 472 664 £10 / £9 / £7 12 May 2.30pm TUNBRIDGE WELLS, Trinity Theatre www.trinitytheatre.net 01892 678 678 14 May 7pm READING, South Street www.readingarts.com/southstreet 0118 960 6060 £9 / £7.50 15 May 7pm NEW GREENHAM, Arts Centre www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218 17 May 7pm GREAT YARMOUTH, St George’s Theatre www.stgeorgestheatre.com 01493 331 484 £10 / £8 / £7 19 May 3pm HARLOW, Playhouse www.playhouseharlow.com 01279 431 945 £5 23 May 7pm DISS, Corn Hall Theatre www.disscornhall.co.uk 01379 652 241 24 May 7pm LOWESTOFT, The Seagull www.theseagull.co.uk 01502 589 726 25 May 4.30pm KING’S LYNN, Arts Centre www.kingslynnarts.co.uk 01553 764 864 £9 / £6 28 May 2.30pm MANCHESTER, Waterside Arts Centre www.watersideartscentre.co.uk 7.30pm 0161 912 5616 £10/£8 29 May 2.30pm LEEDS, Howard Assembly Room www.operanorth.co.uk 7.30pm 0844 848 2727 30 May 2.30pm BIRMINGHAM, mac www.macarts.co.uk 0121 446 3232 £8 1 June tbc CORSHAM, Pound Arts www.poundarts.org.uk 01249 701 628 £8/£7/£25 2 June tbc IPSWICH, PULSE Festival at New Wolsey Theatre www.pulsefringe.com 01473 295 900 22 – 23 June tbc ORKNEY, St Magnus International Festival www.stmagnusfestival.com 01856 871 445 8 – 13 July 1pm LONDON, Arcola Theatre www.arcolatheatre.com 8pm 020 7503 1646 £8 / £7

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