The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps may be in lockdown….but Murray, Matthew, Nina and all the other members of the team are busy thinking of digital ways to engage young audiences.
For example…..we are looking for children aged 7 – 11 (but older is fine!) to help create Murray’s next show.
Read on for more info:
Murray Lachlan Young enlists young online creators to inspire new show.
Acclaimed poet, performer and broadcaster Murray Lachlan Young is seeking the help of children from across the country in the creation of his next show.
Following the success of The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps, a gothic comedy theatre production aimed at family audiences, Lachlan Young is now turning his attention to a follow-up epic-poem, Iffly Sney and the Tandlesham Nook.
“Soaked in atmosphere….six-year-old Hilda gives it 10 out of 10: a “really hilarious” show!” The Guardian (and companion) on The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps
“Gloriously bloodthirsty and deliciously devilish…a terrific showcase for Murray Lachlan Young’s verbal dexterity and gallows humour” The Stage on The Mystery on the Raddlesham Mumps
Iffly Sney and the Taddlesham Nook is a new folktale-inspired show telling the story of brother and sister Atom and Lunar and their quest through a magical forest in the company of Iffly, the kindly giant and the mysterious Old Mother Redbeard.
In order to tap into the minds of future audiences, Murray and the creative team are looking for youngsters aged 7 – 11 to assist in the creative process.The idea is to involve children in both the making of the new live show and the design of a computer game.
“It’s a brilliant project,” said Murray Lachlan Young, “the idea is to create a digital interface for children to pass through into wider performance and creativity.”
Using online resources and digital technology, Murray and his team will reach out to primary school-aged children, asking them to become creative agents, contributing ideas, images and feedback which will help inspire the making of the brand new Iffly Sney theatre show.
“The children will be amongst the very first people to see and read parts of the first draft. We really value their opinions and the unique ideas they have to offer and we know their creativity will actually shape the final look and feel of the piece” said Murray.
The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps, a spooky story of a young boy who inherits an enormous ancestral home with a hilariously grisly backstory and a sinister butler, was due to tour venues this Spring with performances taking place across the UK. But, along with other theatre productions, the tour was cancelled with the arrival of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Fortunately, Raddlesham Mumps is a multi-media experience – in addition to the live theatre performance, the creative team has also produced a studio album of the show (available for free during Covid19 on soundcloud), a tablet/phone prequel game, and a VR experience as well as a beautifully illustrated hardback book (with illustrations by fashion designer and artist Julie Verhoeven). So, even though the live show was pulled, audiences are still able to experience the story in other ways.
“All the ways of experiencing Raddlesham Mumps are different,” said producer Matthew Linley, “but all have a common theme. On our creative journey we were joined by the University of Essex and, through their EIRA scheme, we explored the impact of telling the story in these different ways. Now, these findings have been shared at conferences across Europe, and are influencing the development of our next project, Iffly Sney and the Tandlesham Nook.”
So, how do children get involved with the creation of Murray’s latest offering, Iffly Sney and the Tandlesham Nook?
“We were meant to be developing Iffly in rehearsal rooms in the East and North West” explains Matthew “but Covid19 put a stop to that. However, thanks to the understanding and flexibility of Arts Council England the creative team will now be running the R&D in the digital space from their own homes up and down the country. A key part of that R&D will be reviewing and working with the material the children send us.”
Working with the digital storytelling company Metro Boulot Dodo (MBD Limited) with input from primary school teachers, Murray Lachlan Young has developed a series of learning resources linked to the National Curriculum which are available on both the Raddlesham Mumps and MBD Ltd websites. By working through these online activities, children will have the opportunity to learn whilst also contributing to the research and development of Iffly Sney.
And, with the suspension of the usual school timetable, these fun and interactive lesson plans and worksheets are also a perfect resource for parents and carers looking for home-schooling activities.
“We may have had to rip up our initial development plans for Iffly Sney and start all over again,” said Matthew Linley, “but we’re really excited by where this new digital audience-focused creative journey is going to take us!”
Karen Goddard 