On March 12 NUKU theatre premiers a baby production Weepie's Whispers, which is created for the youngest theatre audience. For the first time in the history of NUKU, a show welcomes children under the age of one and their parents.
The production has no text, which fits its demographic audience. The story will be presented through visuals and play. Though sound will carry the most important role in engaging the children. Producer Maria Usk says that sounds surround us before we are born: we can still hear the outside world and the sound of our parents though we are still in our mother’s stomach. Use believes that sounds make young children interested and fascinated.
The production is the result of the work of many different people, such as the producer Maria Use, artist Gerli Mägi, actors Katri Pehk and Kadri Kalda, breathing therapist and actor Kleer Maibaum Vihmar, children psychologist Leena Mari Õim as well as babies and their parents.
“At our first meeting, children were placed on a blanket, which had several objects like abstract shapes and dolls. We took notice of what the children were attracted to and how. The next meeting saw the actors performing their own representation of the story.”
But the production is based on improvisations (in collaboration with Kleer Maibaum Vihmar), which were inspired by the actors’ own childhood and birth experiences. Nutude salajutud tells the story of love and the relationship between adults and children. We will meet two opposite caracters Sad Weepie and Happy Weepie, who will show us how different our experiences and views are.
“We aim to highlight the fact that crying should not be prohibited or something to be ashamed of. Crying in sad situations is as important as laughing when we are happy” says Usk.
Weepie’s Whispers will see the stage and audience area be closer than usual. The actors will involve the children in the play and the stage design is extended into the crowd area. As blueberries are the centre magical elements of the story, the audience will be sitting on blueberry-shaped sofas.
This performance will have more lighting than usual and lasts around 25 minutes. The show is for children aged 10 months to 2 years and their parents.
The producer of Weepie’s Whisper is Maria Usk and artistic director is Gerli Mägi. Musical designer is Mari Amor and lighting designer is Targo Miilimaa.
Actors: Katri Pekri, Kadri Kalda
Backstage support: production manager Reet Loderaud, stage manager Joonathan-Anty Adamonie.
Additional information
Hannele Känd
NUKU theatre and museum’s communication manager
56698839/6679509
hannele.kand [at] nuku.ee
