The Live Music Project @ Highfield Park Fete: Saturday 13 July

We hope you can join Trestle Theatre Company and The Live Music Project at Highfield Park Summer Fete, on Saturday 13 July 2pm - 6pm.

 This Free day of family fun in the park includes, fairground rides, coconut shy, craft and gift stalls, live entertainment, beer tent, plant stall, food plus lots more fun.

 Nick Stephenson will be performing for The Live Music Project throughout the event. Nick is a professional Singer/Songwriter, Promoter and Recording Artist based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. He is formerly a member of Ground Dust/Legion of Filth, a legendary musical collective that made big waves on the local scene before disintegrating in 2010, leaving Nick to concentrate on his solo activities. His debut album 'Dream Logic' follows on from a number of low-key E.P releases and solo appearances around the country.

Nick's music is a unique blend of strong English folk influences fused with a modern, experimental pop/rock sensibility - passionate and unashamedly romantic, but at the same time hard hitting and dynamic. The styles on 'Dream Logic' range from intimate acoustic performances to full band arrangements, showcasing the rawness of Nick's solo style and the many musical routes his writing explores (Electronica, Folk, Jazz, Blues etc.) Nick's powerful and distinctive vocal delivery takes its cue from the likes of David Bowie, Richard Thompson and perhaps a touch of Scott Walker.

Besides promoting his own music, Nick runs two very successful open mic nights in Hertfordshire, Mid-Week Music at The Mermaid, St Albans (every Wednesday from 8.30) and Amble Inn's Music Box, Harpenden (every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month, 8.30) Having played at various festivals in the UK in the last 6 years including Glastonbury, Bestival and Secret Garden Party,

Nick has been touring full time as a solo artist since 2010. He also formed a new band, 'Nick and the Sun Machine' in April 2012 who have recently recorded a single with Tony Newman (Iron Maiden) at Air Studios in Hampstead, London. They have also played alongside Cara Dillon and Show of Hands at 'Folk by the Oak' and headlined The Alban Arena, St Albans. Nick has worked on a computer games soundtrack 'Breeze' with producer/engineer Justin French is also in the process of writing and recording an album of new songs with 'the Sun Machine' as well as a new solo E.P for 2013.

 For more information about the fete please visit www.highfieldparktrust.co.uk

The Snow Queen National Tour

An irresistible multi-cultural reimagining of the classic fairytale

UK tour opens at Greenwich Theatre on 20 April 2013

This fast and funny production of The Snow Queen was originally commissioned and produced by the Unicorn Theatre as its 2011 Christmas show. In an innovative collaboration, the show has now been remounted by Trestle Theatre and its nine-venue UK tour opens at Greenwich Theatre on 20 April.

Playwright Anupama Chandrasekhar has given Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale a multi-cultural tweak, setting The Snow Queen in the expansive landscapes of India – from the burning heat of the south, through bandit country and chaotic Mumbai street scenes to a wintry palace in the icy Himalayas.

Rosamunde Hutt’s production is fast-paced, dramatic and tragic-comic by turns. The gripping narrative and appealing array of characters lead its young audience through the show and sparky set pieces and Bollywood-style dancing, choreographed by Ash Mukherjee with movement direction from Trestle’s Emily Gray, delight the eye and entertain the accompanying adults.

About the Show

After a freak snowstorm on the southern tip of India, Kumar disappears. Gowri, his best friend, discovers that he has been captured by the formidable Snow Queen, and embarks on a journey across the length and breadth of the continent to save him.

From the burning heat of southern India, through lush backwaters, glitzy Bollywood and desolate bandit country, our brave heroine strives to bring the warmth of friendship to the icy north.

Will Kumar be trapped forever in the deathly cold of everlasting winter? Or can his closest friend find a way of melting the Snow Queen’s frozen heart?

‘Rosamunde Hutt’s production is acted with flair and humour and can hold an audience of schoolchildren rapt from start to finish’ **** 4 star review, Financial Times

Join us for a brand new version of Hans Christian Andersen’s magical tale, transported to a land rich in colour, music and unforgettable imagery.

Suitable for ages 6+ /Runtime 120 mins (including interval)

Snow Queen Trailer from Trestle Theatre on Vimeo.

Follow us on Twitter @TrestleTheatre #SnowQueenUK

Dates and Venues

April 2013
20	7.30pm	Greenwich Theatre
21	2.30pm & 7.30pm	Greenwich Theatre
22	1.30pm	Greenwich Theatre
26*	10.30am	Lighthouse Poole
27	2.30pm	Lighthouse Poole
May 2013
6	3pm	Buxton Opera House
8	2pm & 7.30pm	Christ’s Hospital School
18	2pm & 6.30pm	Library Theatre, Luton
20	9.30am & 1.30pm	Trestle Arts Base
26*	11.30am & 2.30pm	Cambridge Junction
29	1pm & 7pm	The Curve, Leicester
30*	11am & 4pm	The Curve, Leicester
June 2013
1	2pm & 6pm	Warwick Arts Centre
2	11am & 3pm	Warwick Arts Centre

(*) British Sign Language interpreted performances

The Snow Queen Workshop Series

Trestle will be offering a series of educational, family orientated and corporate workshops to accompany their 2013 touring production of The Snow Queen. These workshops will draw on Trestle’s intercultural, collaborative arts work in India and the UK giving the participants tangible skills, inspiration and the tools to carry on developing themselves and their work.

Click here for more information

The Snow Queen was originally developed by Rosamunde Hutt and Anupama Chandrasekhar with the support of the British Council’s Connections through Culture scheme. After its UK premiere it toured South India in 2012 to great acclaim.

Trestle Theatre has been touring the UK and internationally for over 30 years with original physical theatre storytelling productions.

Trestle Launches The Live Music Project

Trestle’s latest community project, to host live music events has been met with tremendous support from local musicians.

Run and organised by an enthusiastic team of volunteers and spearheaded by Trestle’s own Denise Parsons, The Live Music Project aims to create a professional platform to support local musicians.

Denise said ’We are hoping to establish Trestle Arts Base as a vibrant local music venue, supporting the local music community and giving them an opportunity to showcase their music.’

Each Live Music Project gig will be a free event, with full bar facilities and space to chill out and relax outside of the performance area.

The Live Music Project launches on Saturday 27 April at 7.30pm headlined by High Treason – a 4 piece old school rock band, sure to have everyone up on their feet, supported by an acoustic set from Chameleon Boy’s John Beeson and Jon Horlick (finalists in St. Albans Music City Unsigned) playing a selection of heartfelt original songs.

High Treason performing at Trestle Arts Base, last year.

Listen to Chameleon Boy on Soundcloud

We hope you can join us for what looks to be an amazing first gig!

Anyone wishing to get involved either as a musician or volunteering to help out on gig nights please email Denise at production@trestle.org.uk

The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Trestle Half Masks

In Autumn of 2012 the Trestle Team were delighted to welcome Annabelle Buck, third year, BA Applied Theatre Student from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama on a three month work placement. During her time with us, Annabelle focused her attentions on our new Half Mask set and the creation of a short student film to help publicise their launch.

Heavily influenced by the Trestle Archive, Annabelle worked in collaboration with ourselves, VIDEOFeet Creative Media, and film student Christian Evans to create the visual resource that aimed to inspire and educate you as viewers.

Annabelle’s film and information about the Half Masks can be viewed here.

‘Being a placement student at Trestle was probably one of the most valuable experiences I have had since studying and working in Applied Theatre, having learnt vast amounts about the running of theatre companies, as well as Trestles wonderful history, and of course, the Trestle masks themselves.

The company are well-established for a reason: The efficiency of the office as well as the kind-hearted and welcoming nature of the base (this includes the VIDEOFeet Team!) was so fantastic to be a part of, and since leaving I can’t help but miss it!

The Half Masks were, and are, thoroughly enjoyable and I have recommended their use to many practitioners since using them. In my experience, it is hard for them not to achieve the objectives, even when on camera, which says an awful lot! Having an element of structure, as well as a strong element of play, they are both useful and explorative (and just great fun!). Using your voice in mask work can seem a little scary I know, however Trestle have come up with archetypal characters to effectively use voice in mask, allowing the actor to challenge and excel in both physical and vocal methods of performance.

Many thanks to Trestle for producing such wonderful tools for us to use in the Applied Theatre and thank you for giving me such a brilliant experience!’ - Annabelle

Everyone at Trestle would like to thank Annabelle for all her hard work during her time with us and wish her the best of luck with the rest of her degree and in the future.

Trestle Masks in Athens

Thank you to Katerina Drakopoulou, a freelance theatre artist/performer and teacher, for sending us these wonderful photos of a workshop she ran last September at Vault Theatre in Athens, Greece.

“For 16 years, I was based in the U.K. where I did my training and taught at various Universities… Two years ago I took the leap and returned to Athens, Greece and I am now running my own classes” Katerina wrote, ”I have been using the basic mask set for a long time, both with undergraduates in the U.K. at the University of Leeds and at MMU as well as with my Greek students in Athens”. The photographs were taken by Kostas Maltezos.

If you have any photos of our masks in action overseas, please email them to takingpart@trestle.org.uk and we shall put them on our website!

The Magic of Trestle Workshops

Our Associate Director, Oliver Jones, muses on the enduring success of Trestle masks and the enjoyment he takes from delivering Trestle workshops and training.

‘Delivering a mask workshop is very much like being Santa Claus delivering presents at Christmas. You are pretty much guaranteed that the young people are going to love it. Their faces light up with delight and their laughter fills whichever classroom, gymnasium or studio theatre you are freezing in. A Trestle workshop certainly warms the heart, the soul, and the rehearsal room!

It is no secret that Trestle Masks are a hugely significant tool in the teaching of drama predominantly in the UK, but increasingly overseas as well. Teachers find them thoroughly engaging with multiple uses across all aspects of the curriculum, from exploring physical theatre, to teaching Greek chorus, to devising through character. It is also exciting to be able to plot a journey with the masks, through basic, intermediate and advanced stages, witnessing students growing in confidence and ability. Recently I have been working out in Saudi Arabia, where the masks proved a huge hit. There is little culture of physical performance over there, and the masks really helped the participants that I was working with to explore using their bodies, and to find tangible ways into creating character. Similarly, Emily Gray (Trestle’s Artistic Director) has been spending time out in India, working with teachers to introduce them to our mask work. She has found again that they provide an engaging, immediate tool for exploring physicality and character. The masks cross cultures and borders and really highlight the universality of the human experience.

Having delivered hundreds of Trestle mask workshops and trained a plethora of teachers and practitioners in Trestle mask techniques, I often ask myself why their appeal is so enduring, and why they are as successful as they have been. They work. They always work. But why, and how? Firstly, I think it is the inherent nature of masks. They both hide and reveal simultaneously. They hide the face, yet they reveal the thoughts and emotions so clearly. They are both simple, and incredibly complex. They are safe, but also very exciting. This duality makes them so fascinating to watch and to wear. Secondly, Trestle Masks are very well designed. They are archetypal, instantly recognisable characters. They are very funny to watch, with the Basic Set being cartoonish, but you can also develop very serious and moving mask work with them especially with Intermediate and Advanced Sets. Thirdly, Trestle has such a strong track-record that the games, exercises and techniques we use are incredibly well honed, and offer students of all abilities and experience a genuine grasp of working in mask. They are in this way, very democratic, enabling ALL students to be able to have a degree of success in their work.

I am sure that Trestle masks will continue to be a popular and integral part of drama teaching in the UK and abroad, and very soon we will be launching a new half-mask set. Watch out for details! I will continue to immensely enjoy spreading the Trestle magic to schools, colleges, universities and theatre companies alike.’

Oliver’s simple tips for creating great mask work:

• Keep actions simple
• Keep contact with the audience, but remember that the mask needs to inhabit a world which is entire within itself for stories to remain believable- waving, giving thumbs up to the audience, etc. can jeopardise this.
• Transfer expression and energy from the face to the body (normally we look at the eyes and interpret the face, in mask we look at the face and interpret the body)
• Be aware of and observe body language
• Stay focused
• Remember that the angle of the mask as you present it will have an effect on how its expression is read.

For information about our training and workshop programmes click here

Introducing Trestle Half Masks

We are excited to announce our new half mask set and accompanying workshops, available to book now! Fun, enthusiastic and a great new experience

Trestle’s new half mask set and workshops, which have been developed with Sandringham School in St Albans, bring the additional element of speech to Trestle’s mask training and we have chosen eight varied half masks to become a playful set of characters.

The half masks help transform performers into vivid archetypes such the Child, the Hero, the Mother and the Devil and are a fantastic starting point for devising physical performance. Trestle has developed a workshop that prepares participants physically and vocally to improvise and devise in half mask using the archetypal characters and can be adapted to cover the following:

• Character half mask
• Commedia dell'arte
• Greek gods and goddesses
• Greek chorus work
• Devising from archetypal characters

This really allowed some of the less confident students to blossomFor more information about our Half Mask Workshops and to download a workshop booking form, click here. For details about our new Half Mask Set, click here

Email takingpart@trestle.org.uk or call 01727 850950

Why not contact us about a half mask residency leading to a devised performance?

Below are Greek god and goddess half masks created with sixth form students and teachers at Sandringham School for a week long Olympic Arts project in July 2012.

For details about our full masks sets and all our workshop programmes and training, please click on the links below. If you would like to speak one of the Trestle team please call us on 01727 850950.

Visit the Trestle Mask Shop / Find out more about Trestle Workshops