Autumn marks a new season for the Half Moon

After a summer break from public performances, our new season of theatre for young people is back, offering 46 performances, 11 productions, a community event and a vibrant exhibition that spreads a positive message of inclusion. It’s absolutely fantastic to welcome hundreds of local families into our building, many for the first time, to start them on their creative journeys.

The season began with Butterflies, our co-production with Tangled Feet that was created in response to young children’s experience of anxiety. By watching the characters talk about, accept and use their anxiety creatively to overcome obstacles, the piece explored how coming together as a community can act as a launchpad to explore well-being and mindfulness. After it’s run at Half Moon the show is now on tour across the UK.

October is Black History Month and we’re marking it with Grandad Anansi, a playful celebration that shines a light on Jamaican culture and the Windrush generation. It’s our second co-production with Z-arts, Manchester’s dedicated venue for children, and is now touring. Our first collaboration, Dust, won an Off West End Theatre Award in 2022, so fingers crossed!

A few weeks ago, 500 young people and adults came to our seventh Fun Palaces family fun day, which saw the local community come together for a day filled with events – including craft, storytelling, music, seed planting and movement workshops – as part of the Great Big Green Week to tackle climate change and protect nature. This important theme is echoed in two productions in November, Woodland Tales with Grandad (19 Nov) and Jack Frost and the Search for Winter (24-26 Nov), which both have environmental themes.

We’re also looking forward to producing (10-15 Nov), by Azan Ahmed. Inspired by the daytime raves of 1990s British Asian culture, it promises to be an exciting and immersive gig theatre adventure featuring a DJ mix merging soundscapes, dance music and spoken word.

If that weren’t enough, we’re also giving young Disabled people the opportunity to see themselves represented onstage in A Square World (22 Oct), which looks at access and inclusion in a playful way; hosting the launch party for David Gibb’s new family music album, Pedal Onwards (29 Oct); while Dragon’s Tale (5 Nov) is a high energy poetry show with lyrics, laughs and the chance to join in.

There’s a lot going on and we haven’t mentioned three shows!

Stephen Beeny is the Communications Manager at Half Moon.