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A new year of children's theatre and storytelling

NAIF CIRC BOVER 1

This holiday season for the ninth year, the Formentera Island Council (CiF) will present a selection of children's theatre which, from 3-5 January, will give even the youngest theatregoers in training cause for excitement.

Kicking off the series is an all-ages production from Zum Zum Teatre: Pinotxo, bric à brac. The show brings to life scenes from the most famous fable in Italian literature but does it with a twist: using symbolic objects, light tricks and special props.

Two actors find themselves surrounded by tools, artefacts, odds and ends. It is only when the characters take them in hand that the objects magically take on a life of their own, transforming into a house, the ears of a donkey, an undersea monster and even the growing nose of Pinocchio.

The creative mind behind Pinotxo deftly creates a magical world where the artists' different voices represent different characters. The characters' voices, though, are but one element inhabiting the space: creaking woodwork, the bustle of a puppet circus, the symphony of a night-cloaked forest, the belly of a whale...

Zum Zum Teatre was founded in 1994 with the goal of promoting, producing and projecting theatre for ADULTS FOUR AND UP. Over the last 23 years they have brought to stage texts from the greatest writers and dramaturges of all time.

The second production, this time by the Clownidoscopio theatre company in Eivissa, is a storytelling affair which will take place at the Marià Villangómez municipal library: Conta'm el món (Tell me the world).

This show bursting with humour, music and slapstick will take us on a trip round the world, stopping to dust off traditional fables with values that are universal.

Clownidoscopio is an artistic collective that found its voice in the language of clowns. Today, this continues to serve as the lingua franca for the diverse body of Clownidoscopio members. The group is currently engaged in theatre, storytelling and clown workshops.

In this latest effort, Zum Zum Teatre and Clownidoscopio put their heads together and for a blend of puppetry and music that will captivate old and young alike.

Finally, on the eve of Three Kings Day, the 5th, a visit is planned by the much awaited royal cavalcade of Their Majesties the Three Kings of the Orient. Close on their heels, the royal procession and splendid sleighs will follow, filled to the brim with presents for girls and boys. Warming up crowds in every town before the kings' visit will be the Circ Bover crew, who are sure to entertain with their Naïf show. Circ Bover's visit this year will be their second; the group's joyous and colourful production the 2014-2015 holiday season ensured a renewed invite this time round. Stilt-walkers, jugglers, acrobats and clowns will no doubt be just a part of Circ Bover's delirious festival.

Naïf is the Circ Bover group's newest street theatre production. Worlds apart from the passacaglie we knew growing up, Naïf is unarguably more artistic, more rooted in fantasy. Whether for the show's visual flare, elaborate costumes or unbelievable circus acts, Naïf is sure to win over even the most chilled holiday spectator.

Formentera's holiday selection of children's theatre is organised by Sa Xerxa, promoting youth theatre in the Balearic Islands, and the Formentera Council. Support has also been provided by Obra Social “La Caixa”, l'Institut d'Estudis Baleàrics, Fundació Baleària and Trasmapi.

Programme
-Pinotxo Bric à Brac. 3 January, 5:30 p.m. Cinema.
-Conta'm el món. 4 January, 5:30 p.m. Marià Villangómez library.
-Naïf. 5 January, 4 p.m. at the la Savina port; 5:50 p.m. at Plaça de la Constitució, Sant Francesc. Royal cavalcade and street show.

Sa Xerxa
Sa Xerxa – youth theatre in the Balearic Islands is a nonprofit organisation which since 2003 has endeavoured to support and promote theatre productions for children and young people in the Balearics.

The group not only promotes but participates in public and private initiatives fomenting the performing arts, leisure and artistic and cultural productions in general.

Sa Xerxa's hallmark project is FIET, or Balearic Islands youth theatre fair, which has been taken place every year in Vilafranca de Bonany since 2002. FIET brings together thousands of people and scores of theatre companies and performance professionals. It acts as a forum to exhibit the best in local Balearic and offshore performance art.

In recent years, Sa Xerxa has begun promoting other projects like the Formentera holiday selection of theatre, the Maó children's theatre festival and the Montuïri summer festival.

Sa Xerxa also works to promote dramaturges in the making with the Guillem d'Efak award for children and youth who have written texts for theatrical production. For kids interested in the production side of stage productions, Sa Xerxa puts on two different competitions (PD'F and BÒTIL).

Finally, a part of Sa Xerxa's work includes bringing theatre to residents of the countryside. TAP (for 'theatre in towns') visits Formentera as part of the Sant Jaume holidays, 25 July, and is yet another initiative aimed at helping schools, organisations and local administrations bring quality theatre to youth audiences.

For more information please contact head of organising at Sa Xerxa, Àngela Jaume, 666505301.