Theatre Porto brings dark fairytale vividly to life

A magical fairytale adventure celebrating children's bravery comes to the stage at Theatre Porto this week.

The Ellesmere Port company and Darlington's Theatre Hullabaloo are co-presenting Baba Yaga at the Whitby Park venue from October 6-12.

In Slavic folklore, the supernatural ogress Baba Yaga lives in a house built on chicken legs and flies in a pestle and mortar. She is a guardian of the fountains of water of life - but she also steals, cooks and eats children.

Western culture knows her more often as the witch in Hansel and Gretel.

This dark and fantastical new contemporary fairytale, inspired by the legend and written by Laura Lindow, sees a brother and sister forced to flee their home only to find themselves alone in a strange new place. Or are they?

Will Baba Yaga win? Or will the bravery and ingenuity of the young siblings ultimately see them triumph?

The production, suitable for anyone aged six and up, brings together storytelling, projection, music, song, puppetry and adventure and was created after conversations with children and families who share a fasciation about what Theatre Porto calls ‘the ultimate witch’.

It is directed by Nina Hajiyianni and has music by Patrick Dineen.

Baba Yaga is at Theatre Porto from October 6-12. More details and tickets HERE