Once upon a time in Massiveville... a giant fell out of the sky and "damn nearly killed everyone"...
"There was roofs down, windows blown in," says puppet witness Tina Henderson, puffing on a Malboro Light, "It was'nae funny..."
A true-crime-puppet-panto-docu-drama-musical-play that tells the true story-behind-the-story of Jack and the Beanstalk, in the words of the real puppets who were actually there on the ground at the time when it all happened.
We go behind the scenes, under the covers, down the back of the sofas, and leave no stone unturned to bring you the unvarnished hard facts, and uncover a dark tale of gambling, greed, theft and murder.
We ask the difficult questions: How did it go up? What the hell was it? Why did we believe it would last for ever? Why did it all come crashing down?
And most importantly - How come we believe in fairy tales?
WINNER FRINGE FIRST 2015
Citizen Jack
A puppet-verbatim-fairytale-musical
In development - seeking partners
Written and directed by Mark Down
With Fiona Clift, Tom Espiner, Giulia Innocenti
Puppets designed and made by Nick Barnes, Helen Foan, Mark Down, Fiona Clift, Natasha Burns, Rachel Salenius
Designed by Rachel Good and Mark Down
Associate Designer: Ruth Paton
Lighting and Sound Design by Fergus Waldron and Mark Down
Choreography: Carolyn Choa
Associate Artist: Ruth Paton
Assistant to the Director: Alejandra Prieto
Edinburgh 2015 Cast ("Citizen Puppet"): Laura Caldow, Fiona Clift, Samuel Dutton, Simon Scardifield, Jake Waring
This production was originally developed (under title "Citizen Puppet") in collaboration with The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, with a work in progress at the New Diorama Theatre in London 3 - 14 March 2015
Work In Progress Cast: Laura Caldow (Blind Summit), Sean Garratt (Blind Summit), Ellinor Isherwood (RCSSD), Thomas Lawrence (RCSSD), Marieta Llieva (RCSSD), Samuel Sheldon (RCSSD), Bart Suavek (RCSSD), David Thackeray (RCSSD)
Head Puppet Designer and Maker: Helen Foan
Work In Progress Set and Costume Design: Ana Maio Graca (RCSSD)
Work In Progress Assistant Director: Fiona Clift (Blind Summit)
SUPPORTED BY the Royal Victoria Hall Foundation, the Unity Theatre Trust, and the Leche Trust
Thank you to our donors...
Helen Bradbrook
Matthew Gardener
Daniel Betts