Underneath the Floorboards

I’ve just noticed Underneath the Floorboards is on at both Dance City and Washington Arts Centre next month, and I’m here to urge parents of Under Fives to book tickets! I reviewed this production choreographed by Newcastle-based Liv Lorent for The Stage last year (it was showing at Northern Stage at the time) and I thought it was an outstanding piece of dance/ theatre.

The whole set was accessible to children, so while the dancers performed, there were children crawling about the place, climbing on to boxes and generally joining in. Sounds like a nightmare, right? Actually it was great to see something that was so obviously designed with children in mind. Instead of coercing their toddlers into sitting still for 45 minutes, parents could relax while their kids learned about performance in the way that children know best – by exploring, touching and mimicking. This warm, safe show would make a lovely introduction to dance and theatre.

Underneath the Floorboards is at Washington Arts Centre on 1 March 2012, 10.30am and 1.30pm www.artscentrewashington.co.uk and at Dance City, Newcastle on 6-8 March 2012, 10.30am and 1.30pm www.dancecity.co.uk