DUST: A Half Moon and Z-arts co-production

21st October to 4th November 2023

Event Details

Put your sofa in the front row with a digital production of Dust, live-recorded at Half Moon Theatre and professionally filmed and edited. Join us for an online performance that puts the best seats in the house into your own home. 

When Little Titch and her scruffy rucksack arrive at the giant, pink house it is not what she expected – a blanket of thick grey dust covers everything in sight and it is wild and overgrown. Her new home is cold and unwelcoming until she meets Nelly, a flamboyant and loveable hoarder. Together the pair discover they have more in common than they first thought and that friendship can heal hidden wounds. 

Written by acclaimed award winning children’s author Laura Dockrill (Darcy Burdock book series, Big Bones) Dust uses exquisite poetic language to explore a heartfelt story about love, loss, identity and memory. With haunting music by Hugo White of The Maccabees, this striking and emotional new play is a joyous reminder about just how playful the world can be. 

Dust is a Half Moon and Z-arts co-production: an exciting collaboration by the UK’s leading small-scale young people’s venue and touring company and Manchester’s unique and award-winning venue for children and families. 

This live-recorded play has closed captioning for d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences and is also available with British Sign Language.

 

Book your ticket for dust today!

 

“It should be a bit grubby really, a play about dust. Yet this production has an inherent beauty and magic that belies the chaotic, quirky set at its centre, and the fluffy layers of history that rest upon it. Dust deals with a number of difficult emotions, but with such a light touch it’s suitable for children of any age, including the adult kind.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Everything Theatre Review – a guide to the London theatre scene (Feb 2021) 

 

“Dust is a great story and deceptively clever.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mobile Theatre Review (Feb 2021) 

 

“.. a cheerful parable of young befriending old. It’s an ancient tale reimagined with new actors and a show-stopping set.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Younger Theatre (Feb 2021) 

 

 

COMPANY INFORMATION

ABOUT HALF MOON 

Half Moon is the UK’s leading small-scale young people’s venue and touring company. It is a local organisation with a national remit, committed to supporting artists and young people at every stage of their creative development. Working from our base in East London, we specialise in new writing and artform development, acting as a gateway organisation that provides pathways for progression and experimentation. Our wide-ranging programme reaches around 50,000 annually and engages those who are often excluded from arts activity. Our activity includes a season of professional plays for young audiences, national touring productions and an extensive creative learning programme, including seven youth theatres. Half Moon is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England and receives regular funding from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.  

Dust is one of several productions that are part of Half Moon’s in-person and digital touring portfolio, supporting the promotion and development of theatre for young audiences at a national and international level. 

Website: halfmoon.org.uk 

Twitter | Facebook: halfmoontheatre 

Instagram | halfmoon_theatre 

ABOUT Z-ARTS 

With a year-round programme of arts activities and theatre productions, Z-arts is Manchester’s dedicated venue for children and families. From drama, dance, music, yoga and arts and crafts activities to high-quality theatre productions for families, their work is influenced by their audiences and customers. Through their participation activities and creative learning, both inside and outside the building, Z-arts hear what families want from art, and they follow their lead.  

Z-arts leads the Big Imaginations network of venues across the North West to bring brilliant children’s theatre to the region. They commission and programme theatre that stimulates, reflects and entertains the rich diversity of modern family life. 

Z-arts are strategically funded by Manchester City Council and is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England. 

Website: z-arts.org 

Facebook: zartsmcr 

Twitter: arts_mcr 

Instagram: z.artsmcr 

 

Audience Information  

Running time: Approximately 56 mins 

Access: Relaxed, BSL, Captioned 

Age recommendation: Ages 4-9 

Please note that a private link and password for Dust will be sent directly to ticket holders on the 21st October for the two-week duration. After this time, the video will no longer be available to watch as the password will expire. The links to the BSL version of the show will also be sent at the same time and both videos have closed captioning for d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.

 

5. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Alongside this production of Dust, we also have three online creative learning workshops for audiences to take part in at home, exploring the themes of the show. All the videos have closed captioning for d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences and will be sent to audiences with your ticket purchase.