Unlocking creative journeys

Half Moon has always believed that theatre has the power to unlock creative journeys. It helps people express themselves and exposes them to different perspectives that they may not be aware of or even contemplated. For young people in particular, it can be the single most valuable place where they can explore the endless possibilities of their imaginations and what they can do.

Ever heard the saying ‘All the world’s a stage’? Theatre doesn’t only act as entertainment; it holds up a mirror to society and influences introspection. You can discover something new about yourself and the world you live in by watching what unfolds in front of you. It’s an important resource that stretches the skills of imagination, creativity and teamwork.

We believe that the experience of theatre for young people should be available to everyone. If people can’t come to the theatre, then we can go to them. What’s more, we can even try and make it more comfortable, by putting their sofa in the front row! What’s not to like?

Created during lockdown as a way of connecting with our local audiences, Half Moon On Demand is a streaming service that offers theatre for young audiences any time, anywhere. You can watch one of our recent shows for £7, whenever you want and as many times as you like, for 48 hours. It also means that you can stop and re-start as needed. You can even rewind and watch your favourite bits again and again.

One of our online audience members told us that the access to streamed shows gave “a great opportunity to see live theatre for those who wouldn’t usually be able to participate”, while another person said that if “there was no online theatre, I wouldn’t get to enjoy theatre.”

We currently have four productions available for ages 3-10, including our award-winning production of Dust, which won an Off West End Theatre Award in 2022 for Best Online Theatre for Children Aged 5-11.  Written by children’s author Laura Dockrill, the production uses exciting puppetry and exquisite poetic language to explore a heartfelt story about love, loss, identity and memory. With haunting music by Hugo White of The Maccabees, it’s a joyous reminder about just how playful the world can be. Perfect for this rather miserable February!

All of the online shows have closed captions for d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences and three of the productions are also offered with British Sign Language.

What are you waiting for? Join us for an online performance that puts the best seats in the house into your own home!

Stephen Beeny is the Communication Manager at Half Moon.