Could be good… Lapin wants Ice Cream

The puppet theatre company Le Petit Monde has been developed by Tania Czajka, a native French speaker and qualified nursery nurse, who has lived in Scotland for over 20 years. Since its creation in 2008, Le Petit Monde has introduced many children to the French language throughout the UK, with performances in schools, nurseries and theatres – usually as part of various arts festivals. After great success at the Edinburgh Fringe 2011, where the show was praised by audiences and critics alike, the lovely rabbit arrives in Brighton.

In a special show, designed to be performed in the summer, Lapin, the thirsty French rabbit only wants one thing but, will he get the ice cream he so desperately wants to quench his thirst?

Aimed at ages 3-5, Lapin Wants Ice Cream is the latest show Czajka has created featuring Lapin, a friendly rabbit who only ever talks in his native tongue, French. His friends, however, speak both French and English, and that’s where the learning comes in.

‘I aim for my shows to be understood by everyone, including children who have never heard French words before,’ explains Czajka. ‘So having the right balance of French and English is very important. I build my scripts around simple words like “pomme”, or those similar to English, such as “carotte”. I then make sure the main words are repeated throughout the story.’

Czajka decided to set up her company after the children she worked with in nursery schools responded positively to her French puppet games. ‘I realised they could learn so easily through puppetry,’ she says. ‘We don’t set out to teach French, but of course we speak it during the show. I think the children are naturally drawn to this very visual little world and don’t realise they are learning new words – to them, they are just other words. That’s the magic of the pre-school age.’

Lapin Wants Ice Cream is being performed at The Iambic Arts Theatre, 38 Regent Street on 5 May at 2.30pm and 6 – 10 May at 3.30pm