The Magic Sweet Jar opens Saturday 17th October at Vauxhall City Farm, bringing a magical adventure for children. Learn more about what you can expect:
1. Where did the idea for The Magic Sweet Jar come from?
Ben and I both love stories about fantasy, magic and adventures into the unknown. We knew that we wanted to create a story in that tradition. The Magic Sweet Jar has undergone a long development process, during which we explored many different versions of the story and tested them with audiences across the country. After lots of audience feedback and many revisions, we arrived at the story that has become The Magic Sweet Jar.
2. Why was theatre the right way to tell this story?
The story is largely about creativity, imagination and emotions. We want to help keep society’s ‘imagination muscle’ strong.
Theatre – particularly the kind of storytelling theatre we make, which uses suggestion and language rather than elaborate sets – exercises that muscle really well. Through audience interaction and storytelling, audiences work with us to create the fantastical landscapes of our play. No other medium could allow the immediacy and the intimacy needed for that kind of shared space to flourish.
3. How did your own experience influence the production?
I lost my mother when I was seven years old, and the piece gently explores loss and emotional resilience. Although the show is packed with fun, humour, puppetry, silliness, magic and music, it also considers how a child can cope with loss and learn to connect with both her emotions and the people around her.
4. What are you most excited for children to see?
We’ve introduced some really fun interactive moments and even more wild, sweet-inspired characters. Many of these changes came directly from feedback given by audiences aged 6 -11. One child requested that we include ‘infinity marshmallow characters!’
5. What can parents and children take from the story?
We hope they take away the idea that all emotions have their place, and that the best way to face life’s challenges is by remaining open to other people and, most importantly, to yourself.
We also want children and their adults to have a really fun experience. We want them to come away having laughed and been absorbed in an entertaining adventure, and for them to go home bringing a little of that joy with them. We wish for them to leave the show feeling creative and inspired!
6. What has been the most enjoyable part of creating The Magic Sweet Jar?
Making children’s theatre has been such a creatively engaging experience. It brings together so many different forms and skills – from puppet-making and songwriting to devising fast-paced plots, interactive sequences and magic tricks.
It has also been exciting to watch the project grow and change. It feels like a living thing, responding to feedback from audiences and other theatre-makers. The show is wonderfully malleable and often surprising: we can change one small moment or introduce a new sequence, and suddenly a whole world of magical possibilities opens up!
The Magic Sweet Jar opens Saturday 17th October at Vauxhall City Farm. Many thanks to Sally and Ben for answering our questions. Book your tickets here!
Max
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