Spréacha Fingal’s International Arts Festival for Children, 2012

Since 2004 Spréacha, Fingal’s Annual International Arts festival for children at Draíocht, has delighted audiences with a packed out week of puppetry, dance and musical theatre, supported by a programme of visual arts, exhibitions, family and school workshops, magically decorated corridors, crafts and more. This year, 2012, Draíocht decided to spread that magic throughout the year, giving families and young people the opportunity to enjoy Spréacha shows on a more frequent basis, with an annual programme of international shows.

The 2012 programme kicked off in March with La Baracca Testoni Ragazzi Theatre and ‘Under a Different Light’, travelling to Fingal from Italy. This production for 3-6 year olds saw two dancers bring the audience into an enchanting world of dreams, games and poetry through the magic of light. In this play, the light itself, as it dances, changes shape, size and colour creates an exquisite magic and so, a performance of dance and music that can be and was, enjoyed by everyone.

In June, another Italian dance Company TPO will return to us with their award winning digital technology and multimedia set and fabulously intriguing show name - ‘Kindur – The Adventurous Life of Icelandic Sheep’ - in the Main Auditorium, running on Sunday 17 June at 2pm and 4pm and Monday 18 June at 10am and 12 noon.

Kindur is Icelandic for ‘sheep’ and the audience can join three of these adventurous woolly mammals on a voyage through the extremes of the Atlantic and its seasons. The audience will discover a stunning Icelandic world through award winning digital technology, multimedia & motion sensors, similar to that used in Wii and X-Box Kinect. Meet trolls and elves, travel through wild moor land, run over glaciers or peek inside northern lights and geysers. Listen to the rumbling of a gigantic waterfall and run inside a blazing volcano as Iceland’s spectacular landscapes form the backdrop to an intensely visual geological journey. Kindur is an absorbing, interactive experience for children from 5 years and up. All children pin on a woolly heart on entering the space. If your heart lights up, your turn has come to join the group of sheep travelling through the mysterious and cold lands of Iceland, or participate from your seat.

As is traditional with Spréacha shows, ‘Kindur’ will be coupled with school workshops and a special free Spréacha Visual Arts Family Day on Sunday 17 June from 12 noon-3pm, for a holistic artistic experience for families and young people who engage with the programme.

In October, we welcome Visible Fictions with their show Jason and the Argonauts for ages 9+, their acclaimed and popular version of a classic tale. In this story, Jason makes both a physical journey to another land and a personal journey of self belief and self esteem. Together, Jason and his team of Argonauts negotiate and overcome different problems.
14 October @ 2pm & 4.30pm
15 October @ 10am & 12.15pm
16 October @ 11am