Spréacha Fingal’s International Arts Festival for Children, 2011

It’s the eighth annual Spréacha Festival at Draíocht in Blanchardstown this April. The magical eight day Festival line up includes theatre performances, storytelling and puppetry for children aged between 2 and 12 years & their families. With a top ticket price of just €5, you’d be mad to miss out on the ‘sparkling’ Spréacha Festival 2011!

This year’s festival welcomes companies from Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland and Australia, all bringing their magical touch to Fingal.

- Compose lullabies with your feet, chase caterpillars and get ready to interact with a theatrical experience designed for eyes, ears, knees and toes, as we follow the life of a butterfly using TPO’s magical sensitive carpet!
Show Title: Butterflies
Presented by TPO, Italy
WED 13 - THURS 14 APRIL 10AM & 12 NOON
Main Auditorium // €5 // Age 4-8 yrs // Dur: 50 mins

- Meet the little girl who can’t sleep and the cloud that won’t leave her. With beautiful puppetry, live music and animation, Branar tell the story of the night the girl couldn’t get to sleep and the adventure she had trying.
Show Title: Mise, Scéal Cailín
Presented by Branar Dramaíochta, Ireland
WED 13 - THURS 14 APRIL 10.15AM & 12.15PM
FRI 15 APRIL 2PM
Draíocht Studio // €5 // Age 7+ yrs // Dur: 50 mins

- Don’t miss Boats, the adventure story of two sailor friends, Jof and Nic as they brave the high seas. This show has it all, classic storytelling with live sound effects, puppetry and object manipulation which will leave you with a lump in your throat and a smile on your face.
Show Title: Boats
Presented by Terrapin Puppet Theatre, Australia
SAT 16 – Mon 18 APRIL 12 NOON & 2PM
Draíocht Studio // €5 // Age 5+ yrs // Dur: 50 mins

- Explore falling and flying, lightness and heaviness with two clownish performers, using pictures, words and movement. Come watch with us as we explore why feathers gently float to the ground while a little sand bag falls down quickly.
Show Title: Rawums
Presented by Florschutz & Dohnert, Germany
SAT 16 – TUES 19 APRIL 1PM & 3PM
Main Auditorium // €5 // Age 2-5 yrs // Dur: 30 mins

- Experience this charming and magical story about finding friendship in the most unusual places, as Ophelia befriends all the shadows that live in the disused theatre that she used to work in. Together they travel the world, performing for all to see.
Show Title: Miss Ophelia
Presented by Het Filiaal, The Netherlands
TUES 19 APRIL 2PM & 4PM / WED 20 APRIL 12 NOON & 2PM
Draíocht Studio // €5 // Age 6+ yrs // Dur: 50 mins

The festival’s magic extends to schools with 8 FREE pre-festival workshops in Dance and Puppet Making available to the first schools who book their Spréacha shows. During the weekend of Spréacha there will be 2 Free Family Days on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 April, where artists will be on hand to assist children create their own clowns and lollypop stick boats, to impress family and friends.

Presented by Draíocht in partnership with Fingal County Council, Cllr. Ken Farrell, Mayor, Fingal County Council expressed his delight at Fingal’s continued involvement;

"This festival is a special event in the cultural calendar of Fingal. This year, ‘Spréacha’ (which means ‘spark’ or ‘sparkles’), features the best of international work from companies from Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland and Australia. Fingal has the one of the largest youth populations of any county in Ireland, and events such as ‘Spréacha’ speak directly to this most important sector of our community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in organising and staging this event, especially the Director of Draíocht, Emer McGowan and her staff. Thanks also to Rory O’Byrne, County Arts Officer and the staff of the arts office of Fingal County Council. Over the last eight years Spréacha has become a premier Children’s Festival in the Country and this is due in no small part to the expertise of our arts staff." - Cllr. Ken Farrell, Mayor, Fingal County Council

Festival Director Emer McGowan expressed her excitement as Spréacha 2011 approaches;

"Spréacha is a very special time at Draíocht where we present the very best of International Children’s Theatre companies to the children, schools and families of Dublin 15, Fingal and beyond. The Festival alongside our Children and Youth Arts programme represents Draíocht’s commitment to bringing high quality arts experiences to children at affordable prices and within their own area. Each show is carefully chosen and each of them has those magical moments which can entertain, enrich and educate us all." - Emer McGowan, Director, Spréacha & Draíocht

Download the Spréacha 2011 Brochure

Project Images

Butterflies
for ages 4-6 [Italy]
Compose lullabies with your feet, chase caterpillars and get ready to interact with a theatrical experience designed for eyes, ears, knees and toes, as we follow the life of a butterfly using TPO’s magical sensitive carpet!

Mise Scéal Cailín
for ages 7+ [Ireland]
Meet the little girl who can’t sleep and the cloud that won’t leave her. With beautiful puppetry, live music and animation, Branar tell the story of the night the girl couldn’t get to sleep and the adventure she had trying.

Boats
for ages 5+ [Australia]
Don’t miss Boats, the adventure story of two sailor friends, Jof and Nic as they brave the high seas. This show has it all, classic storytelling with live sound effects, puppetry and object manipulation which will leave you with a lump in your throat and a smile on your face.

Rawums
for ages 2-5 [Germany]
Explore falling and flying, lightness and heaviness with two clownish performers, using pictures, words and movement. Come watch with us as we explore why feathers gently float to the ground while a little sand bag falls down quickly.

Miss Ophelia
for ages 6+ [The Netherlands]
Experience this charming and magical story about finding friendship in the most unusual places, as Ophelia befriends all the shadows that live in the disused theatre that she used to work in. Together they travel the world, performing for all to see.

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Spréacha Fingal’s International Arts Festival for Children, 2011

13-20 April 2011

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