Dumbshow bring Clockheart Boy back to region, 14 Oct

Dumbshow are bringing back their popular family production Clockheart Boy following success at the Royal Exchange a couple of years ago.

When a boy with no heart is washed ashore, the Professor and his creations vow to bring him back to life. Clockheart Boy learns with wide-eyed wonder the joys of stargazing, dancing, romance and friendship. Yet he soon discovers that a shadow lies over this secluded castle, in the form of the Professor’s daughter, who disappeared some years before.

The play is described as an original fairytale that explores grief and love and the production is is touring across the UK with Arts Council funding, including a stop at the Lowry in October. Michael Bryher is on directing duties, while Rollo Clarke plays the piano score live onstage dressed as a wind-up pianist, replete with a turning key in his back.

The script is written by Sam Gayton, now a published children’s author. His debut novel ‘The Snow Merchant’ was published by Anderson last year and his next novel ‘Lilliput’ is due for publication in Spring 2013.

Dumbshow is a diverse company of artists based in London and formed in Warwick in 2006 by Artistic Director, Michael Bryher, who has been an Assistant Director to Peter Brook, worked with companies such as dreamthinkspeak and Kneehigh, and was recently long-listed for the JMK award. Dumbshow has been working together for over 6 years, and our ensemble dynamic is a central part of the way we create work and perform.

Clockheart Boy is at the Lowry on 14 October.