A brand new play which follows a heroic grandad on his quest to save Victorian Britain from a mechanical monster is heading to ARC Stockton on Wednesday 20 April.
Grandad and the Machine is written and performed by award-winning theatre maker Jack Dean, and is a modern day steampunk fairytale telling the story of a hundred-year-old mechanical monster, that emerges from the sea and threatens to disturb the quaint villages of Victorian England.
The only person who can help is Imogen’s grandad. He sets off on an epic quest across England with his trusty spanner, but along the way, some dark family secrets unfold as Grandad battles to save Britannia from a mechanical force that is threatening to take over the land.
The play is set in an alternative history in which the British Empire never fell, and mixes elements of history and politics with fairytale and humour that’s all tied up with an original score to captivate both adults and children.
Steampunk is a phrase that refers to science fantasy set in the Victorian era, and specifically refers to culture of the time, which was highly influenced by industrial steam powered machinery.
Jack commented: “Grandad and the Machine is a modern fairytale about capitalism, Englishness, the north Atlantic and the things that could have been. I hope it will bring up some interesting questions about how change can happen and how to do the right thing; but more than anything I want people to be entertained and moved. I can’t wait to show it to people.”
The show comes after Jack visited ARC in February with his adventure packed children’s show Horace and the Yeti. As part of the show, kids were invited to take part in a ‘Yeti Hunt’ across Stockton High Street, which meant plenty of would-be explorers uncovered some mini fluffy yeti’s and returned them to ARC in time for the show.
Grandad and the Machine will take place at ARC on Wednesday 20 April at 7pm, and tickets are Pay What You Decide. To reserve your ticket call the Box Office on 01642 525199 or visit www.arconline.co.uk. The performance includes audio description. A “T-loop” room system and there is a free copy of the playtext for deaf audience members and audience members with hearing impairments.